Rondos in football: Everything you need to know

We are going to talk about rondos, nowadays most teams use them in a mechanical way without really understanding what it is and what they are for, it is not only a good way to finish a warm-up, the training starts here, so let's see and get to know the rondos a little better.

What are rondos?

The rondos are a didactic way of doing homework that allows for good development of behaviors that players can adopt on the soccer field. It is important to note that we will not be able to develop all of them.

First of all, we must be clear about what the game models. On the other hand, we have to understand the playing style of each team and how the team is organized to interact with the ball, that is, the position that each player acquires on the field.

Returning to our main theme, rondos are exercises where several players come together forming a previously defined structure. It can be in the shape of a geometric figure such as a square, a rectangle, a pentagon, a circle, among other shapes, depending on the objectives. Once the formation has been decided, the players will make passes to each other. The passes will be random based on the distance, the dynamics of the game or the purpose of the play. Meanwhile, one or more rivals will try to go for the ball, the idea is to retain it for as long as possible and withstand the pressure of the opponent who will try to take advantage of any moment of error or loss of rhythm.

That is, the rondos can be defined as a reduced type of game based on maintenance - ball recovery from an initially predetermined position. Or rather, "It is a short game used to reinforce problem solving", based on the maintenance of possession by a team in superiority and the recovery by a team in inferiority within a reduced space.

During the rounds we will observe and emphasize three areas to work on:

Tactic

• Offensive
• Uncheck
• Permanent support

We can create obstacles to create different rhythms of play.

Defensive

• Advance of plays
• Coverage
• Improve pressure

Technique

• Pass control
• Improves driving
• Improves ball control
• We work feints
• Loads
• Tickets

Physics

• Endurance
• Action speed
• Reaction speed
• Explosive force

However, physically, the dynamic can be more or less demanding depending on the number of players participating in both defense and attack.

How to perform the rounds?

A real match demands everything from you, so we cannot think that by performing rondos throughout the training we will be able to cover all the needs that the players or the team have during the match. That is why, although this game has many positive aspects, footballers need other ways to expand their resources and expand their performance. On many occasions the errors are not in the design of the task, but in the choice of the didactic form (step prior to the design of the task).

Rondos can be performed in two ways: With players fixedly located in a certain position or, otherwise, the players can be moving. However, one of the necessary characteristics to carry out this activity is the need to play on fields of specific dimensions where the players can be kept at a safe distance that the opponent cannot easily dismantle. Passes can be short or long; creeping or aerial.

We must keep in mind that the number of players must always exceed the opponent. The difference between players must be at least one above the opponent, that is, if the rondos are made up of 4 players it is because there are two or three from the opposing team.

Combinations can also be made with neutral players. That is, 5 players doing the rondo, two trying to steal the ball, plus two neutral players supporting the activity. This is done in case the rivals make a good and strong mark that requires the participation of more defenders to complicate the task. Although they do not participate in the round itself, they are attentive to receive the ball in case of any risk (the wild cards).

In short, the rondos "must outnumber the opponent's players for it to be executed properly.".

Types of rondos

Positional

This type of rondo is considered the simplest or least demanding of the three. They consist of executing passes with players located in fixed positions. Your goal is to try to maintain position and protect the ball without moving.

Transitional

This type of rondo is applied when the ball is lost or when it is recovered. However, to be executed, some principles must be met. For example:

• You have to recover the ball as soon as possible in case of a loss.
• Create the Rondos again once the ball is recovered, ignoring the possibility of starting a counterattack.

Tips to develop them correctly

• The pass-control technique: The ball is always in motion and a player often has milliseconds to decide the best option. For this reason, rondos are a great tool to work on body orientation and controls depending on the reason, teammates and rivals. Limiting the number of contacts can be useful at certain times, two or three touches, and from there help you understand why it is better to choose one option or another.
• Supports and unchecks: Players in this type of task must learn not to hide behind the opponent. For this it is important that they are always giving passing options to the ball carrier. The attacker's teammates with the ball have to learn to detect the moments when they have to move so that there is a passing line and when they should stay still to be able to receive with an advantage. Knowing how to correctly apply the number of players per rondo and its dimensions is essential for this behavior to occur.
• Perception of the environment and anticipation: As we mentioned before, sometimes the player has milliseconds to decide, therefore, rondos are of great help to players since it forces them to decide before receiving. They are forced to constantly collect information from the environment and not focus 100% of their attention on the ball.
• Concentration and intensity: The level of involvement and concentration must be very high to be able to meet the previously set objectives and be able to incorporate new concepts throughout a season. In this aspect, the attitude of the coach and his assistants becomes very important because they will be the ones who motivate the player and promote competitiveness.

We hope that now you can understand the value of rondos in football. However, we consider that we have scratched the surface, so if you want to know in greater depth about these topics and everything related to the world of football, we recommend you visit our Online Football Tactical Analyst Technician Course so you can learn what you need to become a true PRO.