Attacking 1 vs. 1

Every soccer player should be able to take on the defender in front on him. When I say "take him on" it does not mean to make a big wide circle around him. It means take him on straight on. Go at him straight on and leave him behind with a sudden move. Once the defender is left behind, the attacker should then speed up in the open space.

Why?

Mainly because when an attacker who has the ball goes straight at a defender, other defenders stay clear to let the defender do his job. They don't want to crowd him up. They also trust him.
If the attacker starts making a big circle, the defender + other defenders suddenly converge on him. So it's best to practice making the run straight at the defender.

How?

Line up the attackers on the side-lines, a few meters apart. The attacker is going to dribble the ball from the side-line to half-way across field. At the same time each kid should have a defender waiting for him a few meters away. The attackers should dribble the ball very carefully to the defender, make a sudden move and leave the defender behind and speed up. They can then turn around and come back repeating the same exercise.
At first ask the defenders to be passive.

Notes:
1. After a few minutes take a water break. This exercise can be exhausting.
2. With you ace players ask the defender to be active and defend hard. This depends on how many good players you have. They should still be able to pass the defender.
3. Many times when kids get to the defender, they don't know what to do. Here are some tips:
- Show them to fake their body as if they are going in one direction and then change direction and go the other way.
- When the attacker gets close to the defender, he weaves his right leg over the ball and back:
This can be done in two ways: weave your leg clockwise, or counter-clockwise. It really doesn't matter that much. Just have them try it. Once they weave their legs, they can tap the ball with the left leg and go around the defender.