the offside rule

hi

my team are just entering under 11's, and are finding the offside rule difficult. They know the rule, but are finding the technical aspects of staying onside, and playing the offside trap difficult. for example, the defender will still follow the attacker, even if he has strayed into an offside position. i tell them not to, and to keep their line, and they do seem to understand, but they then make the same mistake again. my strikers know the offside rule, but find looking at the ball, making their run and watching the offside line a very hard skill to pick up. and to be fair to them, it is. But im after any new techniques of coaching my defenders to hold their line, and when and when not to follow their man. and also any new coaching techniques as to how i can teach my strikers to time their runs, and try to stay onside.

I appreciate that this is only their first pre season with the ruling, and it will take time, and they should pick it up with experience, but anything that can help them pick it up quicker would be great!!

many thanks!

I am at u15s this season, and have not yet worked on an offside system - I may in september.
I teach them to push up sensibly and encourage each other to do the same, but when the oppo have the ball, stay a yard behind the striker - thus no chance of beating a trap.
Strikers will eventually get used to it, for a short while you may need to keep reminding them to watch their line.

Si,

For the defensive aspect of offside, get someone at the back who is a leader and knows about offside to get everyone else to hold the line. If this option is unavailable you could always try a more extreme measure in training. Get a really long peice of rope and wrap it round your defenders. Then try some drills with them. It should encourage them to work and move as a unit.

Yer ive got that problem with my under 10s but they aint that bad considering, it just concentration at that age for my lot but it will get better. We have always been getting them to talk to each other and tell them what to do so hopefully a couple of them will start to dominate the defence.