Decision Making drill
Opposed Two v One
Make the two-on-one decision in a confined grid where the defender can genuinely win.
- Time
- 20 minutes
- Players
- 4 to 8 players
- Intensity
- High
- Equipment
- Ball, cones
- Space
- 10m x 10m grid
- Positions
- All positions
Setup
A 10m x 10m grid with four players - a feeder, two attackers and a defender - and one ball. No kicking.
How to run it
- The feeder passes to the first attacker, and the pair must score past the defender either by passing or by evasion.
- Vary the starting positions every rep so no two pictures are the same.
- The carrier runs straight to drag the defender away from the support, passes in front, and the support player surges onto the ball to beat a sliding defender.
- Train the defender's side too: their job is to isolate the carrier from support and force an early pass so they get a fresh one-on-one on the receiver.
- Six reps then rotate all four roles.
Coaching cues
- Run straight to drag the defender away from support
- Support surges onto the ball to beat the slide
- Defender: force the early pass
Common mistakes
- The carrier drifting, which brings the defender and the covering space across with them
- Support running level rather than accelerating onto the ball
Session plans that use this drill
Related drills
- Chain Grid SupportLink continuous decisions across multiple contacts rather than one isolated rep.
- Three v Two ExitUse an overload under pressure with no fixed pattern to fall back on.
- Them Us Ball ScanningBuild the habit of scanning continuously, which is what separates good decision-makers.
- GladiatorReact to a sudden cue and win a one-on-one from a standing start.
- Seven v Four ContinuousMake attacking decisions while genuinely fatigued, which is when they actually fail.
- Two v OneCommit a defender and release at exactly the right moment - the foundational attacking decision.