The Magic Box: Teaching the Third Man Run to Youth

Penetration and creating clear goal-scoring opportunities in the final third of the field is challenging. This is especially true against well-drilled and compact defensive units in a low block. Creating unbalancing moments and penetration is highly effective when using a blind-side, or the third-man run. The challenge for the youth soccer coach is how to teach this effectively. This talk breaks down an attacking system of play into individual movements that are co-ordinated through visual cues. The talk covers warm-ups, staged simple to complex movements, visual cues, technical requirements from the players and tips to avoid common mistakes that players make.