Throw-ins: Forbidden Zone and Go-and-Return
4v3 from a throw-in. Nobody may wait in the zone in front of the thrower, so receivers take their marker away and come back to get the ball.
- Age
- U11–Senior
- Players
- 8–14
- Duration
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Area
- 30 × 22 m
- Type
- Tactical
- Approach
- Global
- Format
- Waves
- Objectives
- Technical: Receiving / first touch
- Tactical: Set pieces, Ball possession
- Concepts worked on
- Technical:Receiving
- Tactical:Set-piece routinesMovement to receiveBall retention
Training diagram
Legend
- Attacker
- Defender
- Pass
- Run without ball
- Ball
- Cone
- Goal
Most throw-ins are lost because receivers stand still next to the thrower with a defender on their back. Here a coned zone in front of the thrower is forbidden before the throw, so the receivers have to start away from the ball, drag their marker with them and come back into free space at the right moment. The throwing team scores by keeping the ball; the defenders counter into two mini-goals.
Objective
Keep possession after a throw-in by timing the go-and-return movement and protecting the ball after the first touch.
Organisation
- Area of 30 × 22 m along the touchline. Forbidden zone of 8 × 5 m in front of the thrower.
- Thrower plus three attackers (blue) against three defenders (red). Two mini-goals on the touchline, one near each corner.
- Two yellow cone gates (5 m wide) on the far side of the area. Spare balls with the coach next to the thrower.
How it works
- No player may be inside the forbidden zone when the ball is thrown; they can run through it once it is in the air.
- Receivers go away first (at least 5 m, taking the marker with them) and come back to receive. Two receivers move, one stays deep as the outlet.
- Blue score 1 point for 4 consecutive passes and 2 points for dribbling or passing through a far gate.
- Red who win the ball counter into a mini-goal (1 point). Restart with a new throw after every action.
- Rotate the thrower every 3 throws; 3 series of 4 minutes. With more than 7 players, the extra group waits outside and swaps in after each series.
Coaching points
- Receiver: the return is quick and short; ask for the ball to the foot or chest, away from the defender.
- Arm up when you are ready; the thrower only throws to a raised arm.
- Thrower: throw to the receiver's feet or chest, never a high bouncing ball, and step on the pitch at once to offer the return pass.
- First touch away from the defender or straight back to the thrower.
- The deep player stays out of the play until the ball is thrown, then offers the way out to the far gate.
Progressions
- Defenders may follow into the forbidden zone once the ball is thrown.
- Limit blue to two touches.
Regressions
- 3v2 instead of 4v3.
- Defenders are passive for the first pass.
Variations
- Long throw into the box for older players: the forbidden zone becomes the near-post area.
Key principles
- Move to get free.
- Throw to a raised arm.
- Secure the first pass.
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