
On the half-turn – small-sided game
Three-part session teaching players to receive on the half-turn and break defensive lines. By DAVID PONCIA MORE
An end-to-end game that trains your players to successfully defend corners and to counterattack straight out of defence while your opponents are still upfield.
Winning the ball when defending a corner is not only important defensively, it can also spark your team into a fast counterattacking move that catches opponents still upfield. To achieve this, your team must organise and capitalise on clever positioning of players.
Set up an area of 40×30 yards split in two with a goal at each end. We’re playing 4v4 plus goalkeepers using 10 players. You need cones, bibs, balls and goals.
Every time the ball goes out of play it should be played back in with a corner. When the corner is taken, all players must be in the half the corner is taken in but can move out on the first touch of the ball from a player other than the corner taker.
Getting a player to stand forward of the near post is an excellent way of winning the ball at corners, giving them a clear run out of defence starting a counterattack. With four players on a team the key defensive areas can be covered – one on each post to make the goal smaller, one covering the front of the goal and one covering the direction from where the ball is coming.