2v2 Plus 4
Two play two in a tight square with four corner teammates waiting — find your outlet, trade places, and keep the ball alive.
Tight space builds composure — keep the ball under real pressure, and when the corner you want is denied, scan for the open diagonal instead of forcing it.
Starting at Core — your team is set to mixed.
15 min tonight · Groups of 8 — two teams of 4 (2v2 inside)
- Ages 9+
- Groups of 8 — two teams of 4 (2v2 inside)
- 15 min as the drill is written
- Cones, pinnies, balls
Grab Cones, pinnies in two colors, and a few balls.
Build Build a 20-by-20-yard square — the size can vary with your team's age and skill.
Place Two players from each team stand at diagonally opposite corners, outside the square. The remaining two from each team play 2v2 inside. Ball starts with one inside pair.
- 1
Organize the players
Eight per grid in two teams of four. Each team takes two diagonal corners; the other two from each team start inside.
“Reds — these two corners. Blues — those two. Two of each inside.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk one trade — the inside pair finds a corner teammate, the passer jogs out to that cone, and the corner player dribbles or passes in and plays on with their teammate.
“Play your corner player, then take their spot. Corners — come in ready to combine.”
- 3
Play
Keep the trades flowing, and watch the denied moments — when defenders cover a corner, the answer is the most open diagonal player, never a forced ball.
“Move to open up! Corner's covered? Find your diagonal!”
Look for Constant movement to give the ball an option — supporting angles into undefended space before they're needed.
- 4
Switch and repeat
A defensive steal flips the jobs — winners keep it, losers chase. When the game flows, expand the grid and play 3v3 in the middle.
“Bigger square, three in the middle each — same jobs!”
If the inside pair can't breathe, walk the square a few steps bigger while they play, then bring it back in as the composure comes.
Go deeper · 3 notes
Why it works
The square is tight on purpose — composure under pressure is the skill — and the corners reward playing with your head up: there is always an outlet, but only scanning finds the open one with the least pressure.
What they learn
Composure in tight spaces, supporting angles into undefended space, and scanning for where the space is.
What's next
5 Pass Possession Game — count your passes in the open field, then cash them in.
Where does this come from?
SoccerXpert — their published drill library.
A published drill library. Useful and widely used, but not a governing body — so it fills gaps rather than leading.