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Smart Sessions Practice Plans

Defending

Looking for a ready-made solution to your coaching problems? Struggling to balance work, family and coaching commitments?

Covering core skills and advanced skills, Smart Sessions provide the blueprint for an entire session for you to run with your team. A quick read-through and you’ve got a ready-made session to take on to the pitch. Perfect for when you’re running late and don’t have time to hunt around for new ideas.

Smart Sessions can be adapted by the coach to suit any age group from age 6 to 16, and are appropriate for adult teams too. We’ve split them into two categories Core Skills and Advanced Skills to help you find the best session to fit your team.

And the best bit? They’re written by legendary West Ham Utd Academy Director, Tony Carr – the man responsible for a generation of talent that includes England stars Frank Lampard, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick & Joe Cole – plus many more besides.

As a Soccer Coach Weekly subscriber, you can access and download every Smart Session on the site, meaning you'll always have a session handy, whatever life throws at you!

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A formidable formation

Having a formation that your players know will give your team good organisation. If players can use the shape to help when defending and ...

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Covering defender

When a defender is applying pressure to an attacker with the ball it’s important that they have back up in the form of a second or ...

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Hunting in packs

When trying to pressure opponents, it’s important that players don’t work alone as they will be outnumbered and simply played around. The...

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One-on-one defending

Defending in a 1v1 is tough – use this drill to improve your players’ ability to come out on top in such situations.

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“Gang up” defending

When a defender puts pressure on an attacker, it is vital that another defender stays close by in a supporting position. This session is ...

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Defend together

Improve your team’s ability to defend when under constant pressure from opposition attacks. Remember that when your rivals don’t have the...

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Tip the balance

This trio of overload attacking and defending possession drills is demanding for defenders but the rewards for winning possession is to g...

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Stall the turn

Defenders can reduce the threat on their goal by keeping the other team’s forwards facing the opposite direction and moving them away fro...

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The cross collector

Dealing with crosses as part of a defensive unit is a large part of a goalkeeper’s job. That, is why it is vital to spend time on the ...

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Minesweeper

The role of a sweeper is given to a player that plays behind the line of defenders. It is that player’s duty to cover the space behind and ...

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First contact

Not all players enjoy defending so it is essential practices are competitive, fun and give the player a reward for winning the ball (the ...

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Block and intercept

Teaching your players how to block or intercept an opposition forward pass will help your team regain possession of the ball. Remember – ...

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Chain reaction

Your players need to assume a defensive mindset the moment the opposition gains possession. “Chain reaction” will enable your players to ...

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Defending – as easy as 1, 2, 3

When defending as a unit, players take different roles depending on where the attackers move the ball.

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From attack to defence

It’s important your whole team, not just the defenders, stay focused and begin defending the moment possession is lost. Most goals are ...

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This is a hold up

When defenders hold up forwards, inevitably the attack is slowed down. This type of patient defending allows for your team mates to make ...

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Defend the corner

Teach your players how to organise themselves to defend a corner, which areas to defend and how to quickly execute counter attacks when ...

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Last man standing

It is vital to improve the decision making of the last defender when caught in 1v1 and 2v1 situations. When a defender is isolated they ...

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Jockey, tackle, block – stop the shot!

The session tests all the techniques defenders need as individuals to stop attackers from getting shots at goal in 1v1 situations.

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Nearest adds pressure

A good defence will be able to pressure its opposition into making a mistake. The rule of this session is that the nearest player to the ...

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Three steps of team defending

The session will lead your team through three key steps of defending in order to improve the team’s shape and awareness of space.

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Attackers defend first

Attackers apply pressure to try and win the ball from the defence and shoot at goal.

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In the zone

Teaching your players the art of defensive positioning and how to work as a unit will help stop opposition attacks and that means conceding ...

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In control to the end

Help your players put together all the different elements required to complete a successful dribble with this Smart Session.

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Smart Sessions Practice Plans

Defending

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Coaches' Testimonials

Gerald Kearney, Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club

Paul Butler, Florida, USA

Rick Shields, Springboro, USA

Tony Green, Pierrefonds Titans, Quebec, Canada

Discover the simple way to become a more effective, more successful soccer coach

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