How to Pass the Ball Out from the Back

Good teams can pass the ball out from the back in a structured controlled manner. Tony Carr, Academy Director at West Ham United, explains how to coach your players to do it.

Key Coaching Tip

Give your players the confidence and encouragement to do it!

Passing out from the back of defence, whether a back 3 or back 4 requires, first, that the players are comfortable in possession of the ball, and second that the coach gives the players the confidence and encouragement to do it.

In Diagram 1 below, set up with 3 defenders in each half versus 2 forwards. Before the ball can be played into the attacking half, all 3 defenders have to touch the ball. This makes them involved in the first phase of the attacking movement and hopefully the attackers will receive a more controlled pass.

1. Defender 1 passes to defender 2, 2 to 3 and 3 passes forward to 4.

2. 4 and 5 try to score. When they have either lost the ball or shot at goal repeat the process.

Pass out from the back to create 3v3

If we advance Diagram 1, after all the defenders touch the ball allow 1 dark shirted defender or 1 white shirted defender to break into the attacking half making 3v3.

Get your midfielders to accept the pass

Finally, as Diagram 2 shows, add a midfield section allowing a midfield player or defender to break into the attacking third of the pitch making 3v3.