Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on zonal defending. There are similar activities to these in the DVD Zonal Defending: Defending as a Team.
Start with 3 players along the midfield line with balls. Then add 4 midfielders and 3 forwards (or use whatever formation you want).
Next add a keeper, 4 backs and 4 midfielders for the defending team.
Each of the players at midfield is assigned a number and when the coach calls out that number, the play starts from there. In the example below, the coach calls “1” and the left back starts the attack. The defense will shift accordingly.
At any point the coach could call a different number and play restarts from that back.
Once the defense gets accustomed to shifting properly change the way the ball is put into play. Instead of the ball starting at midfield, have the ball start with the keeper.
The keeper takes a goal kick and aims for one of the 3 opposing backs. So now, in addition to working on defensive shifting and attacking, we also have the keeper working on goal kicks and the backs working on receiving long balls.
Some other options, once you have the ball start with the keeper, is to have all of the defending players start in the 18 and then adjust as they approach the ball.. Or, have all of the defending players start OFF the field until the kick is taken.
The idea is for the players to work on defensive shape from various positions and various situations.
There are similar activities to these in the DVD Zonal Defending: Defending as a Team.
Have a great day!
Lawrence
