Hi Gaz. I had a lad (u11) who did the same. What I did was in a training game. Put some flat cones around an area I wanted him to stay in, this worked for me. Obviously it doesn’t help when you need him to cover across the back but he started to understand about not chasing the ball.

i would start with asking him what are the pro's and cons of his decisions, then work from there.

What if he doesnt get the ball?

What if the players break through his empty space?

Can he get into space to recieve the ball if his team mate wins it?

Hi Gaz,

All players learn at different stages, some players need more help than others. In some cases giving players something they can remember is key, for example, I had a winger who wouldn't get compact and I gave him the focus on being inside the goalposts when the ball was on the opposite side. These little things can help a player remember. 

Shadab

Hi Gaz Stokoe 

Great question and I'd be interested to hear how you're getting on. Just wanted to add to what everyone else has said. The first thing I would do is ask your player why? Why does he chase the ball? This way you will have a better of understanding of why he is doing what he is doing. Then I would ask him what the risk are of chasing the ball constantly. What does it mean for his team mates if he doesn't stay in formation?

Helping him to understand his responsibility on the pitch will be key in all of this, help him to see the bigger picture. I totally understand this is likely to take time but that just comes down to individual learning and development. Challenge him in games and training to have a specific job. If in midfield can his job be to stay in behind his striker when the opposition defence has it? This way he is covering his strikers instead of chasing the ball.

Interested to hear an update from you.

Thanks, Will

Young players tend to chase the balL because they want the ball so it is normal. At this age I’d still not have players in set positions and play a few across 1 or 2 units . What positions does this player play out of interest? You could use constraints or pitch Markings. E.g if it’s a wide player they must stay in the wide area until they receive  the ball in the final third. Could even use rewards like if a goal comes after they receive the ball in a certain areas it’s worth double