Maximizing Practices

Various small-sided games help players develop skills in game-like scenarios

By Adam Owen, Glasgow Celtic

Small-sided games are a common practice within professional football as a means of preparing players for the fullscaled competitive game. Recently, however, due to the continued development of scientific research, it has been possible to investigate the usefulness of using small-sided conditioned games in order to develop players' technical, tactical and physical components.

Small-sided conditioned games are a great way of frequently exposing players to situations that they encounter during actual competitive matches. Through continually exposing them to sport specific situations during small-sided training games, players can develop their decision-making, technical attributes, tactical knowledge and physical conditioning through functional movements.

SSG can be implemented within a football club setup at all levels in an attempt to enhance the player's physical and technical attributes. Previous research has shown that 3 v. 3 or 4 v. 4 SSG are significantly more beneficial to players' technical and physical attributes than any other SSG or games inclusive of less than 11 players per team (Owen, 2004 - Soccer journal 49:5; Fenoglio, 2003 - FACA Insight Journal).

However, it should be noted that the coach should address the purpose of the session and structure the SSG appropriately to maximize the efficiency of the games. For example, if the SSG are being used with older age groups, the coach should apply conditions to enhance the development of either the player's physical or technical attributes or possibly both.

IMPLEMENTATION

Small sided 3 v. 3 games can and should be implemented into all ages, levels and abilities within any structured football program. The benefits of utilizing 3 v 3 SSG as part of a coaching program for different age groups are highlighted below

Age Group: <U-9 to U-12
SSG: 3 v. 3 conditioned games
Purpose: To continually expose players to game related scenarios and repeatedly influence their decision-making qualities through a guided discovery learning method

Age Group: U-12 to U-15
SSG: 3 v. 3/4 v. 4 conditioned games
Purpose: Various conditioned games can be implemented in order to affect the fundamental components of the game: physical (through the intensity of the sessions); technical (exposure to game related movements and skills); tactical (influencing the thoughts of the players in relation to whether they are in an attacking/defending situation)

Age Group: >U-15
SSG: 3 v 3/4 v. 4 conditioned games
Purpose: To continually expose players to decision making situations, as well as significantly influencing the physiological attributes of the players through affecting their functional endurance capabilities

THE TECHNICAL AND LEARNING BENEFITS OF SSG

SSG, the learning process
Small-sided conditioned training games benefit the learners or players in numerous ways. It may be quite obvious to suggest that by halving the amount of players on the pitch, more touches and scoring opportunities per player can be noted, but it is the way in which the players are put in a maximal learning environment that must be highlighted. By placing the players in a learning environment which continually exposes them to problem-solving situations guided and supported by the coaches, the players will "self-choose" the correct option or make the right decision more and more.

If the players within the SSG are continuously being dominated and being given advice from the coach, it limits the learner's decision-making capabilities. Whereas if the players are constantly placed within an environment or conditioned game with the aim of influencing their decision-making, this is said to be a "guided discovery" Leaching method.

Guided discovery may require more time depending upon the task, but results in a better long-term retention and transfer of skill as the players have self-influenced their decision-making. Guided discovery encourages the teacher to set specific tasks within a specific environment (football game), and then allow the conditions within the environment to assist the decision-making of the learner.

SSG and technical assistance (<U-9)

• When the learning environment is maximized for the players within the session, it is the actual information from the coach and the coaching practice itself which facilitate an enhancement. Small-sided conditioned training games are suggested to enable the speeding up of the technical attributes of the players as they allow for:
• More touches on the ball
• Increased number of game related decision-making opportunities
• Constant transition from attacking to defensive situations
• Increased 1 v. 1 encounters in both attacking and defending situations
• Increased opportunities to utilize specific ball skills
• Increased opportunity to be in a goal scoring position
• Increased opportunities to be in a 2 v. 1 attacking and defending situation

It must be highlighted that it is the actual continued exposure of these different components within a competitive game environment that can facilitate the transfer from training to a match scenario.

Fenoglio (2003) conducted research on the Manchester United 4 v 4 scheme, and has shown that playing 4 v. 4 smallsided training games rather than 8 v. 8 games allows the players 135 percent more passes, 260 percent more scoring opportunities, 500 percent more goals scored and 225 percent more I v. 1 encounters, which allowed 280 percent more dribbling skills to be conducted.

All these components are fundamental to the development of young players at any level. However, further research also has shown that 3 v. 3 SSG result in more successful skill executions than any other SSG (2 v. 2, 4 v. 4 or 5 v. 5). Also it may be concluded that 3 v. 3 SSG will expose younger players to even more opportunities for increased numbers of passes, dribbling skills, 1 v. 1 encounters and scoring chances than 4 v. 4 (Owen, 2004). Possible 3 v 3 pilot schemes should be developed and researched in order to conclude this.

Various conditioned games

Small-sided training games can be varied in order to facilitate different learning outcomes for the players. Altering the pitch dimensions, rules and scoring opportunities significantly influence how the players think about the game without any instructions from the coach. For example, if the coach wishes to influence the players' thinking of being able to switch play, then by playing an SSG on an extremely wide but short pitch (Figure 1) with two goals placed at opposite ends of the pitch will influence the thought process of the learners.

Through incorporating numerous conditioned games into a technical games program for the younger players or overall technical program for the older players, there will be a continuum which eventually will influence all fundamental aspects of their development from technical, tactical and physiological.

SSG & their physiological role (>U14)

The implementation of small-sided conditioned 3 v. 3 training games within the older age groups (>U15) of a football program not only has a major impact on the players' technical attributes, it also can significantly enhance their physical capabilities. The utilization of SSG as part of a continued program can assist in making coaching sessions more effective by influencing physical and technical attributes at the same time and limiting training volume; however, specific conditioning principles must be applied (i.e. specificity, overload, recovery).

Due to SSG being classed as high intensity sessions, the physiological adaptations the players gain from the sessions lead to an improvement of their functional aerobic capacity. However, using training games alone for the players' conditioning has been suggested to result in a ceiling effect and additional conditioning then is needed.

Figure 2 is a heart rate trace received from a U-19 player participating in nine four-minute 3 v. 3 SSG with a threeminute active recovery. As can be seen from the trace, the player is highly conditioned, which allows him to continually work at a high intensity (>90 percent HRM) for the duration of the conditioned games.

IMPLEMENTATION AS PART OF A TECHNICAL GAMES PROGRAM

In order to implement a successful games technical program for the younger players within a football program, it must be ensured that:

• The 3 v. 3 SSG are developed as part of an overall technical program.
• The coach is there for guidance rather than to dictate during the 3 v. 3 games
• Each 3 v. 3 game has a different condition to allow a different learned response and expose the players to different problems.
• Players are encouraged to try dribbling skills when faced with a 1 v 1 encounter.
• Promote the need to master a 1 v 1 encounter from both an attacking and defending perspective.
• Games should last no longer than seven minutes with a three-minute break to allow for play on each conditioned pitch.

During the program, there should be an area set out for the development of core skills where players are taught specific skills (e.g. turns, fakes, stepover) in order to use them within the games.

FURTHER COMMENTS

Small-sided training games may also be built into a club's talent identification structure. The thought process behind this is that SSG highlight and stress the players' technical ability and shows whether players can cope with:

• continually being exposed to 1 v. 1 situations (attacking or defending) continually being pressed to make the correct decision
• having less time in possession of the ball
• playing in smaller pitch dimensions

The SSG also highlight the three key characteristics of talent identification: Pace, Attitude and Skill.

THE 3 V. 3 SSG TRAINING ARENA

The training arena is a layout which allows maximum participation for players within various conditioned 3 v. 3 SSG. As shown in the diagram, there are a minimum of four pitches surrounding the actual technical coaching area. Depending upon player numbers there may be additional pitches set up to allocate further teams. If the number of players is not correct for 3 v. 3 on each pitch, there may be two teams of 4 v. 4 to account for the increased player numbers.

Area 1: 3 v. 3 Goalkeeper Game
This pitch continually has goalkeepers and the condition is a "normal" game- This game involves three outfield players and a goalkeeper per team. The coach may wish to add further conditions such as first-time finish, man-toman marking or two touches per possession, depending upon age, ability and level of play. With the younger players it is suggested to have no conditions at all.

Area 2: 3 v. 3 Conditioned Game
This pitch is the one that the coach may wish to change to suit- By that I mean there may be the chance to play a possession game (e.g. a goal is scored by the players having successfully completed six passes). It may be the only pitch where a goal is scored by the attacker dribbling past a defender, performing a skill or even playing a 1-2 pass around a player. The coach may wish to add goals around the pitch for the players to dribble through – the coach has the option to constantly change the dimensions and rules of the games within this particular pitch.

Area 3: 3 v. 3 Coaching Area
This is the area that is dictated to by the coach. It is the actual area within the setup that involves the players learning or developing core skills (passes, turns, dribbles) and actual skills (fakes, stepover) which will be encouraged to be used within the competitive games.

This is the key area in which individual skills are taught and practiced before being taken into a competitive environment. The players should constantly be encouraged to use and practice the skills within the SSG and not be given negative feedback if possession is lost.

Area 4: 3 v. 3 Four Goal Game
This pitch is just the 3 v. 3 playing on a pitch where the team in possession attacks two goals situated at either end of the pitch. Again, the players should be encouraged to take opponents on and perform as many skills in the game as possible.

Area 5: 3 v. 3 Line Ball Game
This area involves the players scoring a goal by playing a 3 v. 3 and dribbling the ball over the coned line- Again, this type of game involves players dribbling with the ball and looking to take on the opposition at every opportunity:

Editor's nole: Adam Oiven (BSc) currently is completing a master's degree in coaching science at the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education. He is employed as a sports scientist at Glasgow Celtic FC. An ex-player with Wrexhom AFC, Oven also possesses a UEFA `A' Coaching License. He can be reached at aovven@cellicfc.co.ulz.

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