Support worker
This training session is a great fun way of introducing and explaining the concepts of defensive pressure and support play to young players. MORE
Turned away
If you want your defenders to learn to come out on top in a one-on-one situation with an opponent, use this activity to teach them what to do and what to look for MORE
1-0 up tactics
When a team is 1-0 up at half-time they need a tactic that will help them score again but has good defensive qualities so the opposition have less chance of equalising MORE
Rock solid defending in 5 weeks WEEK 1 PRESSING
If you want to win matches, you have to be solid at the back. Over five weeks this series will show you how to tighten up your defence and make your team impregnable MORE
How to stop passing teams
in Defending, Email newsletters
Passing and possession are now seen as key to the way most successful teams play. So how do you go about preparing your team to play against a passing team? MORE
Wing pressure
This teaches pressing cues and encourages pressing on the flanks, so when a team is under attack they can keep play on the wings and stop direct attacks. MORE
Press or hold
If you want to improve your team’s defensive performance, use this to teach players when to press and when to hold, so they can control play even if they don’t have possession. MORE
Stop the attack
Get defenders to play like Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk, whose clever positioning in seemingly irretrievable situations often leads to attacks breaking down. MORE
Defending in midfield
Use this game to teach your players to be strong midfielders who can win the battles in midfield and get the ball into attackers, stopping the opposition in their tracks and hitting teams quickly on the break. MORE
On the edge
When attackers enter your team’s penalty box they will find it easier to score goals and win penalties. One way of combating this threat is to teach your players the art of defending the edge of the 18-yard area. MORE
Get tight
If your players can stop goals being scored against them – they can’t lose the match. The practices in this session develop your players’ ability to pressure the opponent, get “touch tight” and, ultimately, regain possession for the team. MORE
Do it yourself
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
Block passes by the other side (U8 game)
The idea of this game is to stop passes by blocking and cutting off passing routes. The aim is to pass the ball, by throwing and catching it, through the zones to score by throwing the ball through the opposition’s goal. MORE
Central line
This is a fast game that encourages players to use skill in defence and shows defenders how they can start attacks. MORE
Danger man
in Attacking, Defending, Small Sided Games
If your opponents boast a player capable of winning the game with a moment of solo genius, then use this activity to coach your team to contain this special threat MORE
Delay
in Defending, Small Sided Games
By pitting individual defenders against two attackers, this session teaches a lone defender to be patient and delay play until he either wins the ball or his team-mate recovers to assist. MORE
Defend against long ball teams
When faced with the threat of the long ball, your defenders need to be well drilled to cope and your attackers need to press high to deal with the danger at source. MORE
Organising a possession tactic
I watched an interesting coaching session recently at a Premier League academy. It was based on the principles that Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez learnt when he was coaching in Spain. MORE
Cover your back
In every match there will be moments when the team us under a lot of aerial pressure. Defenders must be organised and put up a united front. Successful teams are often the most organised defensively. MORE
How to defend a lead
in Defending, Email newsletters
I don’t know about you but there are many games where the score is tight and standing on the touchline you can feel the pressure on the players who are desperate to hold on to a lead. MORE
Three ways to react in transitions
in Attacking, Defending, Email newsletters
Reacting to transitions is a vital ingredient in a successful team. The ideal you are aiming for is when a team regains possession it spreads out to create space, passing the ball quickly, then playing to a target player to score. MORE
Win the ball
This session is all about staying calm when under attack and reading the through ball. As this game progresses good tackling is needed as the danger changes. MORE
The shepherd
Most goals are scored from right in front of the goal so shepherding play away from this area will reduce your opponent’s chances of scoring a goal. MORE
On the mark
The ability to mark an opponent closely is one of the key aspects of defending. This session will help you develop this technique in your players. MORE
