in Defending, Soccer drills and skills
1v1 defending should be seen as an important part of your soccer coaching programme. Your players will respond better on match days when they know how to tackle 1v1 situations. The only way to achieve this is with repeated practice but you can make defending skills drills more fun with the help of this end... MORE
in Defending, Small Sided Games
If you watch the best defenders, they don’t give away space easily. Space is an attacker’s friend but it’s a defender’s enemy. This small-sided soccer defence game is a good one to work on with your defenders, but all players should be able to close down space when an opponent is receiving the ball. Timing... MORE
in Defending, Soccer drills and skills
Forcing your opponents to play sideways is one way you can make their attacking predictable and increase your team’s chances of winning back the ball. This soccer coaching session is about making attackers go the way you want them to go. In the drills two defenders have jobs to make the tactic work: First defender... MORE
in Defending, Soccer drills and skills
This simple soccer (football) drill forces players to react to the two most frequent defending and attacking situations. Soccer drill set up The goalkeeper passes to player 1 who attacks 1v1 against player 3. Straight after this attack, the coach passes to player 3. Player 2 must now run out and stop player 3 from... MORE
in Defending, Small Sided Games
This fun soccer (football) coaching game uses elements of rugby in order to teach your young players group defending skills. Encourage the nearest player to pressure the ball then, once the ball has been passed, to get back in line. Set up the game Set up a 30 yard x 20 yard area with... MORE
in Defending, Soccer drills and skills
Delaying an attack is vital when defenders are on their own at the back, waiting for reinforcements to arrive. So use this soccer drill to show your defenders how they can hold off attackers by pressuring quickly and keeping them away from goal. Soccer drill set up Set up an area 30 yards x... MORE
in Defending, Small Sided Games
Nothing hurts more than losing it in the last five minutes of your soccer (football) game. To coach your players in the tactics to avoid this pitfall, use the following small-sided soccer game. Tell your players to imagine there are only five minutes left to go in the Cup Final and you are leading Manchester... MORE
in Defending, Soccer drills and skills
This soccer coaching drill looks at two defenders working together to stop attackers. The coaching session tests players’ ability to communicate and support when attackers are running towards goal, and when they receive the ball with their backs to goal. The soccer drill covers these main coaching points: Defending in pairs. Providing cover. Forcing the... MORE
in Defending, Soccer drills and skills
Defenders can save goals by placing themselves between the goal and the ball. Some defenders have the ability to read the situation and will “throw” themselves in front of the ball to deflect it away from goal. The following soccer drill is a good one to get defenders blocking shots to protect the goal and... MORE
This is a good soccer warm-up drill for young players, which is designed to get their muscles working. It also has a soccer shadowing theme to it. Players need to shadow the opponent they are marking. Make sure your players aren’t left behind during the drill. Soccer drill set up Place two markers positioned three... MORE
in Defending, Soccer drills and skills
Building a good understanding between defenders is important to the success of your team. What this soccer coaching drill aims to do is to develop your players’ appreciation of the positions they must take up relative to each other, the attacker and the ball. When defending as a unit it is important that players are... MORE
