Organization:
30x20 yard area
Players go in 2 lines
Soccer balls on top of cones
Instructions:
A
- Coach starts practice by clapping hands
- Players sprint out to cone with ball on top
- Score a point if you can touch the ball without knocking it off the cone
B
- Coach starts practice by clapping hands
- Players sprint to cone to defend
- 1st player to adopt correct defensive shape scores point
Coaching Points:
- Slow down on approach to cone
- Smaller steps the closer you get to defender
- Bend knees
- What is good distance from the ball when defending?
- Angle run to 'show inside' or 'show outside'
Organization:
30x20 yard area
Players go in 2 lines
Soccer balls on top of cones
Instructions:
- Coach starts practice by clapping hands
- Coach now calls out a color
- Players move to adopt Pressure / Cover position in relation to colored cone
Coaching Points:
- Communication between players 'I got ball' or 'You press'
- Slow down as pressing player gets close to cone
- Cover player judge distance and angle of support based on press
- Support player communicate 'Show inside' or 'Show outside'
Progressions:
- Coach says switch, players move to opposite cone to defend
- Cover player becomes pressing player
- Pressing player drops to become cover player
Organization:
30x20 yard area
6 players
2 soccer balls
Instructions:
- Players work in pairs
- Press and cover player with ball
- Players on the ball (Blue) waits for defenders to adopt correct shape
- Blue player passes across to partner
- Defenders react and adopt Pressure / Cover as before
- After 2 passes defenders take place on the corners with the ball
- Blue players drop back to start
- Next pair move to defend
Coaching Points:
- Communication between players 'I got ball' or 'You press'
- Slow down as pressing player gets close to cone
- Cover player judge distance and angle of support based on press
- Support player communicate 'Show inside' or 'Show outside'
Progressions:
B
- After 1 pass, blue players can dribble across to opposite side (partner goes other way)
Organization:
30x20 yard area
6 players (2 Attackers, 2 Support Players, 2 Defenders)
Soccer balls
Instructions:
- Objective for White team is to get the ball from one end player to the other
- Blue defenders have to prevent the ball crossing the middle line (blue cones)
- Rotate players after set period
Coaching Points:
- Move quickly to prevent support player passing down the line
- Defenders stay connected to prevent being penetrated - B
- Keep attacking players and the ball in front of you
Progressions:
- Make the middle line narrow - B
Organization:
40x30 yard area
2 teams
Soccer balls
Instructions:
- Play 4v4 scrimmage
Coaching Points:
- Recognize moments to adopt defensive shape to deny penetration
- Force passes sideways to delay counter attack
- Add support to prevent 1v1