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.
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Defending against overloads can happen whether your team is in an organised or disorganised state. You can plan defending when organised much easier than when you are defending disorganised. MORE
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A high pressing game gives teams a huge advantage when they win the ball back because you are close to your opponents goal. Lose the ball, win it back in 6 seconds is a rule that I use in training sessions. But how does that work? MORE
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 covering defender. That's to ensure that if the attacker beats the first defender, any progress is stifled by the second one. MORE
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
Out of possession teams can control the game by forcing play into areas of the pitch that are easier to control. With positional play opponents can be forced into areas that are less dangerous to the defending team MORE
in Attacking, Defending, Tactics
Transitions are a vital part of match play - players must react quickly to winning or losing the ball because in these instances games are won or lost. It is vital that as soon as the ball is won or lost teams react instantly. An attacking team that has lost the ball must work hard to immediately win it back and a team that has won the ball must attack at pace. MORE
Manchester City's Fernandinho has shown how a defensive midfielder can intercept the ball to break up attacks and then begin a counter attack. This session will help your players emulate the Manchester United star. MORE
in Defending, Small Sided Games
It is important to press defenders and not give them chance to play long passes that can catch an unwary defence out. Coaching players to force the player at the back to play short gives chances for team mates to push on and win possession. MORE
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When a team wins or loses the ball, they have to react. Here the defenders must react quickly or they will lose a goal. It encourages teams to close the centre of the pitch, in order to force play away from the goal. MORE
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It is not easy coaching in a pandemic. But one thing I know my players like doing is to give them a task to do which involves watching a match on TV. Say it's Charlie who plays left wingback ... he's a Chelsea fan so his task is to watch Ben Chilwell and give good things or bad things that happen when he is defending. The players love it! MORE
in Defending, Small Sided Games
When one player on the opposition is running the game make sure your players know how to mark him/her and stop the team taking advantage. MORE
in Defending, Small Sided Games
Anticipate the ball being played through the lines and intercept passes by blocking passing routes. Players will also need to be able to tackle and win the ball MORE
Defenders must be able to cope in 1v1 battles against attackers. This session will help you teach your players how to keep the “goals against” column to a minimum. MORE
in Defending, Small Sided Games
Teams can turn up and launch long balls behind your defenders. This game will get players watching for, and reacting to, the danger of the long ball. MORE
Use this session to teach players to press opponents high up the pitch – so they can win the ball nearer to the goal. By pressing quickly and working together, attackers will win the ball back nearer the opponent’s goal and have a greater chance of scoring. MORE
in Defending, Soccer tackling drills
This session replicates situations where midfielders can find themselves outnumbered and a timely tackle is needed to stop the move in its tracks. MORE
The defending team is coached how to get into formation in a match when they have lost the ball and how to quickly assemble a zonal defence. After using our first session, run this and allow players to make decisions on where to defend at the corner. MORE
Play this like a Rondo where if you split the defenders and hit the cone keeping possession of the ball. The pressing team must try to win the ball and prevent the possession team hitting the cone. MORE
Defending in a 1v1 is tough – use this drill to improve your players’ ability to come out on top in such situations. MORE
Top tips from former Torquay United defender Aaron Downes, now the assistant manager at Torquay, on how to be better at the back MORE
When a defender puts pressure on an attacker, it is vital that another defender stays close by in a supporting position. This session is designed to improve how your players “gang up” in defensive situations. In doing so, they will improve their understanding, positioning and teamwork. MORE
This session helps you coach players to understand that they have to stay close and not let opponents get free or they will give the game away. MORE
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When I have been working with different age groups over the coronavirus-extended summer break I often use the same coaching activity. Sometimes it takes a simple tweak – size of pitch, number of touches, overloads – to make the session suitable for that age group. MORE
Improve your team’s ability to defend when under constant pressure from opposition attacks. Remember that when your rivals don’t have the ball, they can’t score a goal. MORE
