LOGIN

This session is designed to improve your midfielders’ defensive responsibilities by stopping forward passes and reacting to make recovery runs or track opponent’s forward runs.

What this session is about

Improving the defensive duties of your midfielders.
Improving recovery runs.
Improve tracking the forward runs from opponents.

What to think about

Does your midfield work hard enough to stop the opponent’s forwards? If a pass is made into the opponent’s forward, do your defenders get tight and stop the players from turning, allowing the midfielders to make recovery runs? Do the midfielders recover and track forward runs from the opponent’s midfielders? This practice is aimed at improving these defensive midfield duties.

Set-up

40 x 30 yard area.

Warm up	Session	Development	Game Situation	Warm Down
10 minutes	15 minutes	15 minutes	15 minutes	5 minutes

What you get your players to do

The two midfielders must move across the line and stop the opponents making forward passes across to the other team.

If the midfielders intercept a pass they are replaced by the passer and the intended receiver.

Be a more effective, more successful youth soccer coach

Win more games, without sacrificing the crucial element of fun
Develop every player, regardless of vast differences in ability
Run a respected, professional programme - even with a full-time job and limited time

Subscribe for full access

Subscribe Now

 Or register and unlock 2 free articles,
receive our weekly newsletter, and
get a FREE coaching e-book.

Register

Or if you are already a subscriber login for full access.

Subscriber Testimonials

Gerald Kearney, Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club

"I have been coaching competitive soccer for over 20 years in Las Vegas. I feel like you are my personal club director. My players and myself have learned a lot from your sessions. The exercises from Soccer Coach Weekly are easy to understand and implement. I never run out of ideas and there is always an exercise for whatever problem we need to fix. Thank you!"

Paul Butler, Florida, USA

"First and foremost, Soccer Coach Weekly is truly unique and exceptional for its clarity and for explaining the "why?", in addition to the "how?". Soccer Coach Weekly is also professionally managed - any issues, which are infrequent, are resolved in an expedient and courteous manner. I place Soccer Coach Weekly at the top of my recommendation list for any new or seasoned coach of the beautiful game."

Rick Shields, Springboro, USA

"I coach both young club players as well as players at the High School level and both genders. The talent range is wide at times, however with the use of Soccer Coach Weekly I am able to apply the information to all talent levels and player ages and make the session fun and challenging for all players. It has helped spark me at times when I am at a loss for what to do at the next training session or offers a different approach to a current problem."

Tony Green, Pierrefonds Titans, Quebec, Canada

"My team and myself are truly enjoying the Soccer Coach Weekly downloads. Pierrefonds Titans are a great group of U16 Females who compete in the Lac St-Louis Association of Montreal, Quebec, Canada."

Smart Sessions - Advanced Skills

Newsletter Sign Up

Join over 75k coaches that are saving time searching for fresh coaching ideas with our free email newsletter: ✔ New drills ✔ New games ✔ New warm-ups. Delivered direct to your email inbox

Transition matters

One team tries to retain possession – but if the other team wins it, they can react quickly to score.

5 tips for managing parent interaction

Online groups with parents of young players can be a blessing and a curse. Steph Fairbairn tells you how to take the angst out of digital ...

Warm-up: Passing with purpose

Encourage players to be adventurous and create angles in this three-part session plan.

Warm-Up: Principles of pressing

Introduces some of the key elements around pressing.

Coaches Testimonials

Gerald Kearney, Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club

"I have been coaching competitive soccer for over 20 years in Las Vegas. I feel like you are my personal club director. My players and myself have learned a lot from your sessions. The exercises from Soccer Coach Weekly are easy to understand and implement. I never run out of ideas and there is always an exercise for whatever problem we need to fix. Thank you!"

Paul Butler, Florida, USA

"First and foremost, Soccer Coach Weekly is truly unique and exceptional for its clarity and for explaining the "why?", in addition to the "how?". Soccer Coach Weekly is also professionally managed - any issues, which are infrequent, are resolved in an expedient and courteous manner. I place Soccer Coach Weekly at the top of my recommendation list for any new or seasoned coach of the beautiful game."

Rick Shields, Springboro, USA

"I coach both young club players as well as players at the High School level and both genders. The talent range is wide at times, however with the use of Soccer Coach Weekly I am able to apply the information to all talent levels and player ages and make the session fun and challenging for all players. It has helped spark me at times when I am at a loss for what to do at the next training session or offers a different approach to a current problem."

Tony Green, Pierrefonds Titans, Quebec, Canada

"My team and myself are truly enjoying the Soccer Coach Weekly downloads. Pierrefonds Titans are a great group of U16 Females who compete in the Lac St-Louis Association of Montreal, Quebec, Canada."

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

In a recent survey 89% of subscribers said Soccer Coach Weekly makes them more confident, 91% said Soccer Coach Weekly makes them a more effective coach and 93% said Soccer Coach Weekly makes them more inspired.

SUBSCRIBE

*includes 3 coaching manuals

Get Weekly Inspiration

All the latest techniques and approaches

Soccer Coach Weekly offers proven and easy to use soccer drills, coaching sessions, practice plans, small-sided games, warm-ups, training tips and advice.

We've been at the cutting edge of soccer coaching since we launched in 2007, creating resources for the grassroots youth coach, following best practice from around the world and insights from the professional game.