10 Defending Session Plans
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Double Defending
A football coaching drill designed to improve defending and support play my thanks to www.tonys-soccer-school.com for this drill
Objectives
To practice correct defensive stance.
To practice closing down and holding up.
To demonstrate how effective support defending can be.
To help attackers make decisions over trying to push and go past a defender.
Description:
I have a 30yd x 20yd grid marked our for training purposes, internally marked to create 4 x 15yd x 10yd grids. This activity can involve up to 16 players at a time as each pair of teams (offensive & defensive) work longitudinally through one half of the 30 x 20 grid.
Have 3 or 4 players line up at one end of the grid (30yds long but only 10yds wide - i.e. half of the whole grid), each with a ball. They must each, in turn, try and dribble past the approaching defender and stop the ball on the opposite end line to score a point.
Have 3 or 4 players line up at the opposite end of the grid without a ball. These defenders must close down the attacker as quickly as possible and try and hold him/her up, kicking the ball away if possible (no slide tackling is allowed).
Although the defensive players usually do ok at first, the quicker and more skilful attackers start to push the ball past the defenders (often through their legs as they try and get used to the open legged stance)and have more success.
After the attackers have had perhaps three attempts at beating the defenders I then let the next defender in line support the first defender. I usually demonstrate the technique one or two times, showing how talking to the first (pressure) defender helps. The success rate of the defenders soars thus highlighting the benefit of good support (double) defending.
When an attacker has been 'seen off' the pressure defender goes to the back of his line, his support defender becomes the next pressure defender and the third player in line becomes the support defender. This prevents pairs of players getting used to just defending with each other.
3 points can be scored by the defensive team if they manage to force the attacker all the way back to his/her end line. It is surprising how forceful some players get when they realise how effective this teamwork can be.
This activity also helps attackers realise that pushing the ball past one defender is not going to be as effective if there is a supporting defender close by. Therefore, if they are getting their head up early, they can make much more incisive decisions on when to 'go for it' on their own and when to pass to a team mate.
Passing, Receiving, Movement and Defending
I use this soccer drill for moving to the ball and I'll share it (I'm sure some of you have already used it):
4 players, 2 balls, 2 cones.
A. pass <- C D -> pass. B
Players A and B are at the cones with the balls. Players C and D show for the ball and then receive a pass and pass it back. Then, they run across and receive a pass from the other passer (i.e. C starts with A, then goes to B, back to A, etc.) Do this for a bit and then switch. The hard part is making sure C and D don't run into each other while running to meet the next pass.
Progression
Now, have C be the attacker, D be the defender. Run it the same way, but now C must shield D from the ball to receive the pass. If C stands and waits, they won't get the ball. After a bit, switch C and D, then switch outside and inside. I usually have the defender start with light pressure - just running with the attacker, but I have them increase it to full pressure before too long.
I've found that this seems to get the girls to move to the ball better, especially after you add the defender and they "see" why it is important to meet the ball. It also helps with communication - the player in the middle should be able to communicate to the passer to pass the ball to a particular side/foot (depending on how well the player in the middle can hold off the defender - with my U12s it takes some time.)
The Job Of A Defender: No Get, No Turn, No Move, No Shoot!
No get
No turn
No move
No shoot
This was easy enough to memorize and to teach as the basis for an individual marking-based defence that we used in the first year before moving on to team oriented defence.
Teaching "no get" is easy at U9/U10 in the context of little games that kids can play 1v1, they like to push and chase. The hardest part is giving the defender a natural feel when to hold and when to step in front of the opponent.
You could structure a defending practice session around the drills below. There are many other exercises for this in use, this is just one example.
1. Partners with ball and cone as server and defender. Server with ball 10 yards from cone, defender a few feet behind cone. Server with ball passes to cone, defender steps around cone to intercept pass.
2. Groups of three - server, static opponent, defender. Server passes to opponent, defender rounds defender to right then left to knock each pass away. Go about 30 seconds, change roles. Should be fairly intense.
3. Group of players outside a 10x10 grid with one cone and one defender in middle. Each player outside grid with one or two balls. Players outside take turns passing to cone. Defender in middle tries to win or deflect each ball. At first, players go in order and take their time. In second round, players pass to target cone at will, going as quickly as possible to keep defender busy.
4. Same as 2, replace target cone with target player who can move around in the middle of the grid. Defender works to deny possession.
5. Groups of 4 with two balls. Two players as servers, 10 to 15 yards apart. Two other players as attacker and defender. Attacker works from end to end to receive ball to feet, defender works to deny ball.
6. Game with target player/servers in 10x20 grid. Four target player/servers with balls serve from outside ends of grid, two target player/servers at each end of 10x20 grid. Two v two in middle, red v blue. In middle, two red players try to receive a ball from a server, turn, and play ball to target player at opposite end to score point. Blue players oppose and try to prevent possession. After point is scored or ball is lost, teams switch roles in middle.
Blue attacks to opposite end, trying to score by receiving pass, turning, and playing to target players. Players in middle can pass to each other and also dribble after receiving pass. Change ends into middle after a few minutes.
7. Play a game 4 v 4 to cone goals, coach the topic, stop and correct, stop and compliment.
The Marking Game
A soccer coaching drill designed to reinforce good marking techniques and the role of the sweeper.
Duration: 15 mins Grid Size:60x40
Procedure
The teams play in an area approximately 60X40 yards, with the condition that each player in each team is responsible for marking and tackling his own particular opponent. If any player marks or tackles somebody other than the man he is delegated to watch, then a free-kick will be awarded against him. Each team has a 'free-man' or 'sweeper' who is restricted to playing in his own half of the field and to two- or one-touch soccer. He can also cover his team-mates and intercept or tackle in his own half any attackers who have broken free from their markers.
Progression
(a) Restrict the sweeper to one-touch play only. (b) Allow the sweeper to 'break' over the half-way line and into the opponents' half: the man-markers can leave their own opponents to challenge him if they feel it necessary.
First & Second Defender
Summary: an extremely good drill for players at all skill levels. It teaches that delaying is often better than tackling.
Equipment: four players and one ball.
Setup:
Lay out a grid about twenty (20) yards wide by fifty (50) yards long. Have two players with one ball be the attackers and two players be the defenders. The two attackers are about ten yards apart and are facing the two defenders. The defenders are defending man-to-man.
When one attacker has the ball the defender that is defending him (the "first defender") must move up and mark him tightly shouting, "I Got Ball!".
The other defender (the "second defender") backs off of his man and provides defensive depth and a back-up to the first defender in case the first defender gets beat. If the attacker with the ball passes the ball to the other attacker the roles reverse. The "first defender" quickly backs off his man and becomes the "second defender". The "second defender" comes up and marks his man (who now has the ball) tightly and becomes the "first defender".
Note that neither defender actually tries to tackle the ball. This is passive defense only. The attackers dribble forward and pass the ball back and forth with "square" rather than penetrating passes. Each time the ball is passed the defenders shift.
When they reach the end of the 50 yard grid the attackers become defenders and vice versa and they come back down the grid. This can be a very aerobic drill. Care should be taken to instruct the defenders that they must change positions quickly and should never turn their backs to the attackers. Attackers should press the attack.
Once they have done this drill several times the instructor should request that the second defender be verbal and always let the first defender know which way to take his man.
In game situations this allows the defenders to move the attacker away from shots at goal and into position to be double-teamed and tackled.
This drill should be done at full or 3/4 speed. If the players are too tired after a few minutes swap out for four new players.
Progression
After the initial demonstration set up several grids so that all players on the team can run the drill simultaneously - eliminating lines.
Progression
Have attackers run overlaps so that defenders know which player is their responsibility when the attackers overlap.
Progression
After you have successfully run the drill several times you can now allow the attackers to use overlaps and penetrating passes. But still do not allow the defenders to tackle the ball. This drill is about positioning, communication and responsibility. It's more important that the players understand when they can tackle than to actually tackle the ball. Once you've run this drill for several session, widen the grid to 20 yards x 50 yards and take all restrictions off attackers and defenders. Be sure to "freeze" the drill at any moment that you see a defender (not attacker) make a positioning or timing mistake.
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