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Free activity · 100 Possession Activities3v1 Square
The first rondo. Three attackers on three sides of a small square, one defender inside, two touches and five passes for a point. Four players is enough to run it.
Setup
An 8x8 square. Three attackers on three sides, one defender inside. The attackers may slide along their own side but not leave it.
How it works
- Two touches for the attackers.
- Five passes is a point.
- When the defender wins it or the ball leaves the square, the player who lost it goes in.
Scoring
Most points in two minutes wins the square.
- Receive on the foot furthest from the defender.
- Move along your side so the passer can see you.
- Pass to the foot that lets the receiver play the next one.
Make it easier or harder
- Progression 1: One touch when the pass arrives from your left.
- Progression 2: 10x10 with a fourth attacker on the fourth side, still one defender: it should get easier, and it does not, because players stop moving.
Coach’s notes
- If It Stalls: Passes flying out of the square? Make it 10x10 and take away the two-touch rule for a minute.
Why it works
Three against one in a square this small leaves no room to hide. The attacker on the ball always has exactly two options, so the choice is simple and the mistakes are obvious: the wrong foot, the late look, the pass to the side the defender is already covering.
Keep the square small on purpose. An 8x8 feels cramped on the first night, and that is the point: the defender is always close enough to punish a slow touch. Only open it up to 10x10 if passes keep flying out.
Where it sits
This is activity 1 of 100 in 100 Possession Activities (Theme 1 · Rondos: Keep It Under Pressure). The book is ten themes of ten rungs each, from a 3v1 square to a full 9v9 transition game, and every activity has its setup, rules, scoring, two progressions, three coaching points and an animated video like the one above.
More like this
Ages 11+ · Rondos4v1 With a CallA 4v1 rondo where the receiver has to call a number shown by a helper before the first touch.
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Ages 11+ · Rondos4v2 SplitFour attackers on the sides of a 10x10, two defenders inside working as a pair.
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Ages 11+ · Rondos5v2 With a LinkThe first rondo with a player in the middle. Four attackers on the sides, one inside as the link, two defenders.
Open the activity ›All ten rungs of this theme, and nine more themes
100 Possession Activities is a 115-page PDF with 100 animated MP4 videos: rondos, playing out from the back, through the lines, support, switching, overloads, movement, timing, counter-pressing and counter-attacks. Print the page, watch the clip, run the session.