3v1 Transition Rondo
3V1 TRANSITION RONDO
Drill Equipment
Disc Cones/Markers, Scrimmage Vests, Soccer Balls
Drill Quick Glance
The 3v1 Transition Rondo drill emphasizes quick combination passing to unbalance the defender and shift the point of attack to an adjacent grid. This exercise challenges the defender to transition rapidly between areas, enhancing their ability to react under pressure. The focus is on sharp passing and strategic movement to exploit defensive weaknesses.
Drill setup
- Create two adjacent 7x7 yard grids, ultimately creating a 7x14 yard grid split in the middle.
- Divide players into groups of 5.
- Four attacking players start outside the four sides of the grid.
- Place a defender inside one of the grids.
- The two outside attackers on the long side of the grid must shift to the grid with the ball.
Drill Coaching Points
- Encourage quick, accurate passing and movement off the ball to create passing options.
- Focus on quick transitions between attack and defense to improve reaction time.
- Teach players to think ahead, anticipating where the ball might go next.
- Emphasize communication among players to maintain possession and identify when to transition.
Drill Instructions
- The play starts with an attacking player passing to one of the three players who play a 3v1 rondo against the defender.
- Players can shift the ball to the adjacent grid at any point to the player at the end line, and the players along the outside must quickly shift to their grid to offer good supporting positions and angles.
- The defender also shits into the other grid playing a 3v1 rondo in this grid.
- Play continues until the defender wins the ball, or for some allotted time, such as 2 minutes, then rotate.
Drill Variations
- Add another defender to increase the challenge, creating a 3v2+1 scenario.
- Reduce the grid size to 5X5 yards to force quicker decision-making and sharper passes.
- Limit touches for the attackers (e.g., two-touch maximum) to speed up play.
Drill Focus
Passing, Receiving, Possession, Warm-up