The Switch, kick-ins...

In 3v3 soccer, I like to control possession of the ball rather than send it long and playing 50/50 ball. I also like designing plays that allow for options, depending on what the defense is doing. Being the inventor I am, I decided there had to be a better way of bringing the ball in without having to fight anyone for it. As I scratched out plays on a pad and pencil, I had an epiphany, the switch.

The setup for this kick-in is one forward by the ball, the other forward on the direct opposite side of the field, at the same depth as the ball (if the ball is at midfield then the player would be on the midfield line on the other side of the field), and the back player is a few yards back and a few yards off the sideline of where the ball rests.

Option one: If no one is covering the back player, the ball is simply played back to the back player and you can start your offense.

Option two: If a defender sneaks back to cover the back player, instead of trying to kick the ball into play, the forward at the ball will run past the ball (without touching it) and down the line. [Did you get that? Just because your player stands by the ball, doesn't mean he has to kick it.] At the same time, the back player will run in, behind the ball, and pass it up to the running forward who will be wide open.

Option three: If, as you are switching, your opponent’s back player anticipates your pass to the open forward by running in to intercept the pass, your back player will not pass the ball to the forward, but instead pass the ball to the open space in front of your other forward. Remember your other forward has been a decoy on the other side of the field for the first two options, and they are almost always marked. Your decoy forward should have been watching, and when they see the opponent’s back player move up to stop the play, that’s when the decoy forward runs to the open goal, meeting the ball, and passing it into the open goal.

Don’t be surprised when teams fall for this complete progression.