Conditioned games.

These are mini-games with rules added that constrain what the players are allowed
to do, thus emphasizing one or more principles of the game. The rules come typically
from changing one or more parameters.
Most important parameters to vary:
Number of players
Size of the field or part of the field being special
Time to do a action
Number of touches on the ball
Condition for valid goal
Direction of passes or dribbling
Note that there can be other parameters and also in the same mini-game different
rules can be progressively introduced or changed (for example from a 2-touch pass
game to a 1-touch pass game)
Conditioned games are part of the GAG methodology, it stands for (conditioned)
Game, Activity, Game, indicating that the core of the practice is those three sections.
After a warmup the conditioned game is played in order to introduce a concept
naturally (steaming from the game, not from theoretical explanations). Then a
technical activity related to the concept is carried out (this is the typical drill
section). Finally a regular mini-game with no conditions is played, and the coach and
players can see if the concept is being used in the game.
Examples of conditioned games:
Rugby game. The goals can be one or more goals on each side or the whole
end line. Objective is to teach them to pass back. Progress or mix conditions:
need to score dribbling
no forward passes
A variation of the rugby game, with the objective to emphasize dribbling more
useful in the final 3rd or end zone for penetration and avoid dribbling too
much on your own 3rd
last defender cannot dribble, only pass (they can take two touches max
for ex)
in the attacking final zone theres no shooting but you need to dribble
the ball to goal (end line)
Quality vs Quantity. A mini-game where one side has more players than
the other side (for ex 2vs4 3vs5 etc) and the side with more players have a
maximum amount of touches on the ball (2 for example) while the side with
less players is unrestricted. This is good to balance skills in practice or to start
practicing one and two touch passes.
Pressure the ball quickly. Defenders have a few seconds (3 to 5 for ex,
depending on number of players and size of field) to go and pressure the man
with the ball.
One-touch or two-touch mini-games, to practice quick passing.
Wall (give-and-go) goals only. Goals only allowed if play was a wall one. This
reinforces the idea of combination attack.
Goals from goalkeeper only. Goals only count if the play started from your
own keeper, passing until scoring. The idea is to practice distribution from teh
keeper and getting the ball out in control from the defenders. An issue is that
this practice as stated can be gamed in an unnatural way.
Goals from crosses only, in order to practice crosses. Goals are only valid if
the assist came from one of the two top corner sections between the end line,
sideline and goal line.

To simplify these games, a no offside rule can be implemented, or have the top of
the goal box be a fixed offside line.
Some of these games can be done without goalkeeper and a full goal, or without
goalkeeper using a small goal.