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 recovery runs and track back to help in defence. MORE
Defending
The defensive soccer drills and games in this section will help you coach your players to work as a unit at the back. We look at how your players should organise themselves, what are their roles and responsibilities as defenders, and how they should react in different defensive situations.
With work, you should be able to coach your players to control the game at the back and to start great passing moves leading to goals at the other end.
Wake up at the back!
in Defending, Email newsletters
Defending can be waiting game for teams that play a good attacking game and dominate the opposition. How do you keep them alert, organised and ready to drop back, recover and defend a counter attack or long ball over the top? MORE
That ball’s mine!
in Defending, Small Sided Games
Arsenal's David Luiz likes to push out of defence and win the ball before it is played into dangerous areas and this session encourages players to do that. MORE
Right place, right time
This is a great session for coaching cover individually and working as a unit and to get the player nearest the ball to hold up and force play away before it gets to a danger zone. Use this session to teach your players defensive covering. MORE
Hot press
This activity will teach individual players to understand their roles in defensive pressing by applying the general pressing cues in a functional and geographically specific context MORE
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 clearing the ball. This session can be adapted for mini soccer, intermediate or 11v11 adult football. MORE
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 must first look to force the play away from goal and second, they need to delay the attack and enable team mates to track back and help. MORE
Team defending needs organisation
in Defending, Email newsletters
Organising your team's defence is vital to having a successful season. So how do you go about getting your team to stop the opposition scoring goals? MORE
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. MORE
Hold the line
It is the last minute of a cup final and your team is 1-0 up. The opposition is firing long balls and crosses into your penalty area. Can your team remain calm and clear the danger? MORE
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 ball must go to pressure the opponent in possession. MORE
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. MORE
Attackers defend first
Attackers apply pressure to try and win the ball from the defence and shoot at goal. MORE
Secure the box
This session helps defenders understand the importance of marking tightly in the penalty area and not losing their man. MORE
Defend against the dribbler
When an opponent who can dribble well with the ball bears down on your team’s defence, it can often lead to a goal against you. Teach your players how to deal with this threat. MORE
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 fewer goals. MORE
Defender takes control
If you want your defence tight you’ll need to coach your players to force opponents wide leaving attackers unable to dribble into area MORE
Mertersacker’s ball
Run this session to get your defenders clearing the ball like Arsenal academy director Per Mertesacker used to do in the Premier League, pushing the ball away from the penalty area and leaving opponents with fewer attacking options MORE
Building the back 4 game
in Defending, Small Sided Games
Use this 4+4 v 4 box to give your back four a good work out in blocking passing lanes when attackers are trying to play through balls to get behind the defence. MORE
Building the back 4 activity
This session is all about getting the back four to work together and to gain a level of understanding to stop attackers splitting the central defenders and advancing on goal. MORE
1v1 on the fly
in Attacking, Defending, Tactics
For all age groups this 1 v 1 set up encourages the use of all necessary techniques and tactics needed to be successful in 1 v 1 duals. There is also a fun team element to this game MORE
Tactics when your team has a lead
in Defending, Email newsletters, Tips and advice
A cool defender does the simple things well when defending a lead, ushering danger away from goal rather than jumping in recklessly. MORE
Double defending
It is crucial that your first two defending players nearest the ball know what they should be doing when the other team has possession. A pair working in tandem can slow down attacks and win back possession efficiently. MORE
Win 2v1 battles like Virgil van Dijk
in Defending, Email newsletters
Get your players to understand how to deal with two attackers when they are the last outfield player back protecting the goal. MORE
