Soccer coaching tips to improve positional sense when defending
Young soccer players lack positional sense when they begin playing the game but by the time they have been through a season with you they should have a much better idea of how to move when the opposition has the ball.
This soccer coaching session will coach your team to defend as a unit, applying pressure to the player with the ball, covering and taking up good defensive positions.
What the session is about
When working on defending with your players you need to think about these key soccer coaching points:
- The nearest defender must pressure the player on the ball.
- Covering players should be at an angle and goalside of the first defender, and close enough to pressure the ball if the first defender is beaten.
- You need a player covering the back-post area.
- In general if the opposition have the ball in a central area, they should form a triangle pointing at the ball. If the ball is in a wide position, players should form an angled line back from the ball.
Set up soccer drill
Mark out an area 30x20 yards with a normal goal at one end and two small goals at the other.
How to run it
- Play three defenders v two attackers with the defenders protecting the single goal.
- The attackers attempt to score. Begin passively so defenders learn where they should be in relation to the ball. If the defenders win the ball they can break out and score in either of the small goals at the opposite end.
- If the attackers score they keep possession. Now ask players to play at match speed but only allow the attacking team to shoot after they have passed the ball, say, four times. Get all players having a go at defending.
- Introduce a third attacker and the offside rule and remove the passing restriction.
- When the ball is played forward, the defence can play for offside or drop deeper to cover the attackers making blindside or goalward runs.
- Get teams to switch roles.
Play it in a game
Play a 3v3 in a 30 yards by 30 yards area with three goals across both end lines.
Key soccer coaching tips
- Get your players to give clear instructions to each other, such as: "close the ball", "cover me", "get closer", "force them down the line."
- Encourage players to think about forcing their attackers towards corners or sideways.
- Tell players to stay compact.
- Get your players thinking about their changing role – if the ball has moved are they marking a man or a space?
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