By Jebreel Bubtana
It is important to get your players to understand that when defending they must show the attackers away from goal and this set of exercises is great for developing this understanding and working on endurance.
Set up and directions:
Set up the field as below (figure 1). The cones are set up 10 yards apart and the cones act as attackers. The defenders must curve their run and close the space down to the cone quickly. The player must defend the cone for 3 seconds and then move onto the next two cones, doing the same thing before going back to the start cone. The defenders must complete this circuit using the correct techniques 6 times. This also works on the players’ endurance and the coach must emphasize that the players cannot get sloppy and not defend the cones properly as their legs get tired.
Coaching Points:
• Curve run as shown by the arrows above.
• Close down the cones quickly.
• As the defender gets closer they must slow down and get into the side on position
• Knees must be bent so that the body position is low and the feet must be moving at all times (on toes and not on heels so that the defender can react quickly to the attacker)
Progression:
Set up the field as shown below. The defender passes the ball to one of the attackers in the corners of the area (figure 2).
If the defender passes to the attacker on the left, then that attacker scores by dribbling through the mini goal on the right. If the defender passes to the attacker on the right, then that attacker scores by dribbling through the mini goal on the left. The defender must use all of the coaching points mentioned in the first exercise to stop the attacker from dribbling through the goal (figure 3).
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Progression:
In this progression, the exercise stays the same but the goal is now in the middle of the area (figure 4).
Make sure that the attackers and defenders switch roles after 5 minutes. The important things to emphasize are that the defender should always show the attacker away from the goal and that it is imperative that the defending techniques do not get compromised as the players’ legs get tired.
Jebreel Bubtana
Director of Marketing
BRASA Brazilian Soccer Academy
NSCAA Advanced National Diploma
NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma
