Defending crosses into the box
Get your players to clear balls crossed into the penalty area and clear the ball into areas of the pitch that give defenders time to regroup and cover the danger MORE
Pressure, cover, balance
Combine all the basics of team defending in this 3v3 session.
What this session is about
- Defending as a unit.
- Applying pressure.
- Covering
- Taking up good defensive positions.
What to think about
- Nearest defender: pressure ball.
- Covering: at angle and goalside of first defender, plus close enough to pressure ball if they are beaten.
- Third: add depth; cover back post area.
- General: centrally – form a triangle pointing at ball; wide – form an angled line back from the ball.
Set-up
30 x 20 metres with a 3m goal at one end and two equal sized goals in the corners at the opposite end.
| Warm up | Session | Developments | Game Situation | Warm Down |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 15 minutes | 15 minutes | 5 minutes |
What you get your players to do
Play 3 defenders v 2 attackers with the defenders defending the single goal.
The attackers attempt to score. Begin passively so defenders learn where they should be in relation to the ball.
If the defenders win the ball they can break out and score in either of the small goals at the opposite end. If the attackers score they keep possession.
Now ask players to play at match speed but only allow attacking team to shoot after they have passed the ball, say, four times.
Make sure all players have a go at defending.
The defenders cover the ball in a central position in a triangle formation.
Development
Introduce a third attacker and the offside rule and remove the passing restriction. When the ball is played forward, the defence can play for offside or drop deeper to cover the attackers making blindside or goalward runs. Get teams to switch roles.
The defenders cover the ball in a wide position in an angled line.
Game situation
Play 3v3 in an area approx 30x30m. Place three small goals across both end lines.
In a game situation defenders must reposition themselves quickly.
What to call out
- “Give clear instructions to each other “close the ball”, “cover me”, “get closer”, “force them down the line’ ”
- “Force attackers towards corners or sideways”
- “Stay compact”
- “Think about your changing role – the ball’s moved so are you now marking a man or space? Remember: the closer to the ball or goal you are, the closer you have to be to an opponent”
