Hi Dennis,
Great to have you with us, and huge respect for the work you’re doing with the U8/U9s! Coaching at that age is such an important part of their development.
The 4v4 format without a keeper is a perfect setup for developing individual technique, awareness, and decision-making. Your idea of using a rhombus shape (6, 7, 9, 11) is spot on, it encourages spacing, angles, and natural rotation. You’ll start to see how even the youngest players begin to understand support play and transition when given clear roles in a shape like that.
Here are a few quick suggestions:
Focus heavily on 1v1s, 2v2s, and ball mastery in your sessions
Keep everything game-based and fun — lots of touches, short rest periods, and constant engagement
Rotate players through all positions — let everyone try being a “6” and a “9”
Use small goals or target areas to encourage finishing and defending, even without a keeper.
Feel free to share session ideas, looking forward to hearing more as your season get's going!🤝⚽️
Replied on 2025-26: U12-14 Season Plan 🚀
05 Aug 01:17
Hi Mathew Brazier ,
Thanks for reaching out about the 2025/26 Season Plans.
Just to flag - monthly members now have full access to all Season Plan videos, which wasn’t included before. That’s a big upgrade from previous years, and there are more improvements on the way.
The eBooks are now sold separately via store.touchtight.com as we’ve moved to a free trial model, so PDFs aren’t included by default.
Annual Subscribers, get 1 free eBook in addition to the ~£20/year saving. The Annual Coach Bundle Membership gives you 2 eBooks plus full access to both the Club and App platforms (Mobile App included).
Let me know if you’ve got any questions or need help making the switch, happy to assist!