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Keeping Wide Players Wide In A 7 A Side 2-3-1 Shape.

Patrick Dalton

Hi there, 

I manage an U10 Girls side and have just started playing 7 v 7 games on bigger pitches - I am currently playing with a 2-3-1 formation. 

The girls are doing great given they're just adjusting to everything and have a solid understanding of the principles of a defender, central midfielder and striker in the sense of where they should reset too to hold a solid shape but the area they are struggling with the most is in wide areas. The left and right midfielders need to hold width in possession, but they often find themselves too narrow and have a tendency to want to get involved in play in central areas too often. It often means than once posession is regained there is no out ball to a wide player.

Can anyone share any drills or tips they use to help retain shape in a 7 v 7 format and specifically help with keeping wide players wide!

Thanks in advance!

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  • 0

    Easiest thing is to setup a pitch into three vertical sections - wider in the middle section so you end up with two wide channels and during the game the wide players cannot leave those channels. You can add other rules in, so a goal cannot be scored unless it's been out to a wide player in the build up, who and how many came into those channels, etc. We've also done it so the wide players are team neutral, so they get more involved in the game for both sides as well, or added a marker that says they cannot play back out until they get past a certain point up the pitch (mainly for crossing practise). 

  • 0 in reply to Euan Pirie

    Thanks Euan, super useful. I think a lot of the confusion (which is fair given they're only 9) is when we're asking them to compact the space out of possession in a 2-3-1 and come inside a little but then at the same time asking them to provide width once we've gained the ball back. i think the channels will really help them in training, Fingers crossed

  • 0 in reply to Patrick Dalton

    Not easy - one option would be to set an aim the team out of possession to only use the middle zone and when they recover possession to spread to use the wide zone. Lot to take in at 9 mind you! 

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