Defence

The defensive soccer drills and games in this section will help you coach your players to work as a unit at the back. We look at how your players should organise themselves, what are their roles and responsibilities as defenders, and how they should react in different defensive situations. With work, you should be able to coach your players to control the game at the back and to start great passing moves leading to goals at the other end.

Defensive soccer drills – defending as a unit -
In this drill focusing on training for defenders we look at developing a team's ability to defend as a unit.

Defending the target man drill - Sometimes your team will play a team with one player who is much more talented than the rest. This could be a striker that they rely on to score all their goals, or the player who starts all their moves. Use this soccer drill to coach your players to defend against this style of play.

Soccer coaching tips to win possession from a goal kick -
The ideal way of getting your young soccer (football) players into shape to defend or attack goal kicks is by shouting a one-word code. If you use my technique, all you will have to shout is "DIAMOND."

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Defender soccer drill to keep attackers at bay - When your defender is the last man, if he jumps into a tackle and doesn't win it, the attacker is through on goal. So, you need to coach your players how to hold up an opponent until help arrives.

Soccer drill to improve marking skills -
Work on your players' core defensive skills with some tips and drills aimed at getting more effective marking of opponents.

Soccer coaching tips to boost defenders support role - When a defender plays the ball out of his penalty area to one of his midfielders or attackers, he should not stop running. He should run outside the attacker, to help put pressure on the opponents, says David Clarke. Use the following soccer coaching tips to put these skills into practice.

Soccer coaching tips for clearing the ball out of danger - There are some situations when your players simply need to kick the ball high and away from danger. The following soccer coaching tips describe the necessary skills and tactics to do this successfully.

Game to coach defensive technique close to the goal - Using the big kick is one way to clear your lines in defence, but not always the right one. Coach the following fun game to boost defending skills close to the goal.

Soccer drill to get players goalside - Coaching your players to get goalside is one of the basic positional tips a soccer coach can give. Follow these soccer coaching tips and drills to make it clear to your team just what's involved.

Soccer drills and skills to close down crosses - Use this soccer coaching drill to get your defenders putting a stop to their opponents' crosses.

Soccer drill for defending deep - The Italian national team has grown up on the defensive system called Catenaccio - in which the teams strangle the game then unleash long counter-attacking balls. The team's ability to defend deep is a useful skill for youth soccer (football). Use this soccer drill to teach your players these tips and tactics.

Defensive skills drill using players to coach the team -
In this basic soccer training drill, one of the players becomes the "coach" and instructs the team in the tactics to use in a 3v3 game. Watching play from the sidelines is different to playing in the game and it can help players develop tactical ability if they're not in the thick of things.

Soccer coaching tips to get defenders clearing the ball - Let's face it, during the course of a match there are going to be times when a defender is unable to control and shield the ball from attackers. In this instance he should be looking to kick the ball high and away from the danger zone to gain time for his team to regroup.

Soccer drill to get your players making the most of extra players - Your players will get used to taking advantage of extra players in overload situations in matches - if you use soccer drills regularly to get them practising this. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing an advantage given away by players not thinking or being aware of what is going on in front of them.

Fun soccer games for kids that make defending enjoyable - In every training session, incorporate some fun soccer games for kids which are competitive and motivate your young team.

Try a sweeper training drill to improve defence skills - With this soccer drill you are giving all your players a chance to play a sweeper role. This will get them running all over the pitch and help them learn how support play can stop opposition attacks.

Soccer drill to get your back up defenders in the right place - When a defender is applying pressure to an attacker with the ball it’s important they have back-up in the form of a second or "covering" defender. That’s to ensure that if the attacker beats the first defender, any progress is stifled by the second one. Use these tips and drills to coach back-up skills

Soccer drill to defend goalkicks - How often does your goalkeeper kick the ball from a goalkick only to see it go to the opposition, who smash it back straight into the net? Introduce a soccer training drill that involves having a player on the line to put a stop to this.

Soccer drill to get defenders covering all options - When young defenders are absorbed in a game they are often drawn away from their position, moving to where the ball is being played. A good tip is to tell your midfielders to keep an eye on the wings and see if by switching play from one side to the other they can catch out defenders who have gone missing.

Defending soccer drill using overload tactics - If your young defenders tend to go to the ball rather than stick with the attacker they're marking, leaving big gaps in the defence, try the following soccer drill. You are aiming to overload your defence to help defenders understand they need to watch the movement of the attackers and the ball when balls are played into the danger areas they're defending.

Put your opponent under pressure with this soccer drill - Knowing when to tackle an opponent or close them down is an important part of the art of defending. Often players will jump in too soon, or not get tight enough at the right time, in both cases the attacker will have the chance to beat the defender. Use this soccer drill session to get players putting defenders under pressure.

Coach players to defend long ball over the top of their heads - I find it hard to accept when we let in a goal in the last 10 minutes - especially if it's a goal that turns a win into a draw or a draw into a loss.Tired players are often caught upfield by swift counter-attacks that destroy all the tactical planning and good skills in the rest of the game. Coach your players in a recovery plan move to handle this situation.

Soccer drill to get players marking tight - If I ask one of my players to mark an opponent tightly, he needs to know what I mean by "tight." Putting it simply, he is guarding an opponent so it is difficult for them to receive the ball or play and easily pass to a team mate. To practise these skills, get your players to try the following simple soccer drill.

Soccer drill to coach blocking the shot - Defenders can save goals by placing themselves between the goal and the ball. Some defenders have the ability to read the situation and will "throw" themselves in front of the ball to deflect it away from goal. The following soccer drill is a good one to get defenders blocking shots to protect the goal and working at match speed to make their reactions fast and instinctive.

Soccer drill session for defending in threes - Building a good understanding between defenders is important to the success of your team. What this soccer coaching drill aims to do is to develop your players' appreciation of the positions they must take up relative to each other, the attacker and the ball.

Defending in twos soccer drill - This soccer coaching drill looks at two defenders working together to stop attackers. The coaching session tests players' ability to communicate and support when attackers are running towards goal, and when they receive the ball with their backs to goal.

Soccer drill to get defenders thinking - In this soccer drill coaching session the defender must react to the opponent's starting position, think quickly and defend accordingly.

Soccer drill to get players defending long throw ins - Long throw-ins have become fashionable in youth soccer, where they are about as effective as having free-kicks or corners, especially if they're near the goal. To defend against them, you need a basic set up with players aware of their responsibilities when the ball is played in. Use this soccer drill to get your players working on these skills.

Soccer end zone alley drill to coach 1v1 defending - 1v1 defending should be seen as an important part of your soccer coaching programme. Your players will respond better on match days when they know how to tackle 1v1 situations. The only way to achieve this is with repeated practice but you can make defending skills drills more fun with the help of this end zone alley soccer drill.

Soccer coaching game to build defending skills - This fun soccer (football) coaching game uses elements of rugby in order to teach your young players group defending skills.

Soccer drill to get lone defenders delaying attack - Delaying an attack is vital when defenders are on their own at the back, waiting for reinforcements to arrive. So use this soccer drill to show your defenders how they can hold off attackers by pressuring quickly and keeping them away from goal.

Soccer drill to coach defending against attacking wingers - Clearing the ball when you have players running at you is never easy. It often needs a calm head and a reminder not to jump into the tackle and make it easy for the attacker to get past you. Use this soccer drill to coach these defensive skills.

Soccer coaching drill for a defender run and pass - This soccer coaching drill session looks at how defenders who run out from the back with the ball can create overload situations in midfield, making them a valuable attacking weapon.

Soccer drill to develop defensive understanding - This soccer drill is 1v1 on the pitch but the defender receives verbal support from his team-mate, which is crucial to developing a 2v1 defensive understanding. It helps players get used to talking to each other during matches and helping out verbally in situations where players cannot see each other.

Soccer drill to improve 1v1 defending - This soccer coaching session is about improving your players' skills to defend in 1v1s by getting into a good starting position and dictating the direction of play. These soccer drills will make better defenders and show players how to reap the rewards of winning possession.

Defend with accuracy soccer drill - Use this great defending small-sided soccer (football) game to work on accuracy skills when players are passing, as well as defenders' reaction skills.

Soccer drill for defending in threes - Stop a well-drilled attack from the opposition by coaching your defenders to defend as a group, not just as individuals. Use this soccer drill to coach these skills.

Clear the ball soccer tips - Good soccer skills win matches, it's true. But clearing balls out of dangerous situations is a skill in itself. It may not look pretty but it is a very effective defensive skill to use.

Soccer coaching drill to put defenders under pressure - Use this quick turn and defend soccer (football) drill to get your soccer players winning the ball when it is coming at them from both sides. The drill puts defenders under constant pressure from attackers.

Sweeper soccer drill - There's a lot going on in this soccer coaching drill session. Players are involved in communication, tactics, passing, tackling and 1v1s.

Soccer coaching tips for defenders - When you're coaching your young defenders, emphasise that it is important to work on ball control skills and hacking the ball isn't enough.

Soccer coaching tips for recovery runs goalside - The opposition has the ball and your team is outnumbered at the back. That’s when the players doing the defending need their team-mates to make recovery runs goalside of the ball as quickly as possible. Use these soccer coaching tips and drill to help.

Soccer drill to coach defending a through pass - The through pass, if it leaves your defenders looking behind them at the attacker running free towards the goalkeeper, is a killer pass. Use the following soccer coaching tips and drills to help your defenders block or cover the pass.

Soccer defending drills to catch out strikers - Coach your defenders to catch out opposition strikers with these soccer coaching tips and drills.

Soccer drill to get defenders clearing high balls - Use this soccer drill to prepare your defenders to clear high balls from the penalty area.

Coaching tips to help young players defend in soccer - If you're showing your players how to defend in soccer, coach them to be aware and think ahead. In defender football an "intelligent reading" of the game and intercepting the ball are often better skills to use than going for the tackle.

Back four defending soccer drill - Use this defending football drill to coach defenders so that when one of them steps up to head a ball away, the others will be ready to move into the space left behind him.

Defending football drill with changing numbers of attackers - In this soccer coaching drill session, defenders learn how to cope with situations where they have different numbers of attackers running at them. In some situations they will have the advantage in player numbers. But in others they will be outnumbered by the attackers.

Marking skills soccer drill -
This is a football (soccer) drill session to improve man-to-man marking, tracking runners, dealing with players dribbling in a 1v1 situation, sliding across to help team-mates and more.

Soccer drill to stop attackers turning - This football coaching session is all about stopping opposition players with their backs to goal from turning with the ball. By doing this, they won't be able to pass or dribble into the space behind your defense.

Dribble or pass soccer drill - In this 4v4 football (soccer) session you are coaching players to improve deep defending, stretching play and hitting teams on the counter attack using dribbling and passing skills.

Around the world small sided game - This small-sided soccer game has match-like pace so players arrive on the pitch at different angles, speeds and levels of fatigue due to the attack that has just taken place.

Basic defending soccer challenge - In this game, defenders work hard to pressure their opponents and block shooting opportunities. Having to defend three goals means defenders must make basic defending decisions and move quickly to cover space in front of them.

Soccer defending game with overload attackers - This soccer coaching session creates situations where defenders face an increasing number of attackers. They have to react to, and deal with, the waves of attacks.

Basic coaching drill to improve soccer possession - It’s hard work for any team to win back the ball, so soccer possession is vital. Players must work hard to keep possession of the ball because this is key to scoring goals and winning the game.

1v1 soccer drill for possession skills -
When you want to start coaching your football (soccer) players to develop a competitive edge, I find it best to work them in 1v1s where they are concentrating only on their opponent and the ball. This is a good soccer drill to use for a warm-up exercise, too.

Soccer drill to get your defenders closing ranks - Getting your defenders to close ranks on an attacking threat is vital for taking control of defensive situations in a match.

Soccer coaching tips to get defenders jockeying their opponents - Defenders should always be ready to anticipate an attacker's change of direction and block their route by jockeying - that is holding the player up through movement without any physical contact or tackling.

Soccer drill to improve 2v2 defending technique - When players work in pairs, you need to coach them how to support each other and communicate. They can then add these elements to their individual soccer skills and become more complete defenders.

3v3 games to coach defensive and attacking soccer tactics - One of the best ways to coach simple defensive soccer tactics, such as the offside rule, is to use games of 3v3. In these small-sided games, you can change the soccer tactics so defenders face different situations, for instance, attacks down the wing or through the middle.

Fun game to get players improving basic defending soccer skills - This is a very simple soccer game to set up, but it forces the players to display clever movement as they have to protect their own ball at the same time as trying to remove their opponents' balls from the game. This game is also a good practice exercise to use for an indoor training session.

Soccer coaching drill to get defenders isolating an attacker - This soccer coaching drill looks at how defenders need to isolate the attacker they are going to stop, then work together in order to win the ball. It's a bit like watching a nature programme where lions are stalking a pack of zebras and single one out, then work together to isolate it.

Soccer coaching drill to get defenders reacting quickly - Your young football (soccer) players' awareness on the pitch can be heightened by the use of training drills encouraging them to get involved in situations where they have to make choices and cover more than one option.

Soccer drill to keep defenders alert - Defenders have to remain alert at all times so they know where the ball is and can move to defend against an attack. Working on concentration is a vital part of your soccer coaching sessions - you must include it in your schedule.

Four lane soccer defending drill - This simple soccer defending drill will enable your players to practise the skills needed to outwit an attacker who is running straight at them.

High and low pressure soccer coaching session - In this soccer (football) coaching session, your players defend as a unit, defending high up the pitch with full pressure and deep with low pressure.

Shooting soccer drill to coach defensive tactics -
Shooting games are great for coaching players to use defensive soccer tactics - especially when the defender must win the ball to create a chance to shoot.

Soccer coaching tips to make the most of your fullback - You often find soccer coaches will put their least creative players at the back so they have the ball in front of them and can just kick it forward. But it's a mistake to think of the fullback in this way as they are vital for defending and attacking in your tactical set up.

Soccer coaching session for positional sense when defending - Young players lack positional sense when they begin playing soccer 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.

Soccer coaching session to brush up defending skills - Every season there are matches where your team is under constant pressure, due to your players not being on top of their game or the opposition being stronger. The ideal way to practise for this is to run sessions that can recreate the situation.

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.

Soccer defending drill - Defending exercises can be boring for your players as they have to concentrate on angles and positions, and they have to keep stopping to explain. For a fun alternative to the usual defending practice, try this soccer (football) drill which gives players a good attack versus defence workout

Soccer drill for defending against clever attackers - This is a great soccer coaching drill to help your players when they're defending against clever attackers. It allows attackers and defenders to experience different situations they will face during matches. The defenders in this drill have to cope with four different types of ball – a 2v2 attack facing the goal, facing away from the goal and crosses from the left and right wings.

Small sided soccer game to coach defence and counter attacking move - Using small-sided games to teach your young soccer players how to use tactical moves, such as this deep defence and counter attacking move, is fun for the players and effective for the coach. This soccer coaching game is a great way to help them understand attacking and defending as a unit.

Soccer coaching session to practise defending skills -
Use this fun defending session to get your players training in defensive situations.

Soccer coaching session focusing on compact defending - Use this small-sided game and warm-up drill to coach compact defending with your young soccer players. The aim is to get your players moving to cover each other when they haven't got the ball.

Soccer coaching game to get defenders reading the pass - Closing players down quickly is an important part of defending. Pressing the player with the ball is much easier if the defender can reach their opponent as soon as they have possession. This means they need to read the pass so they can begin their run towards the opponent. This soccer coaching game gets your players practising this skill.

Shield it soccer defending drill - In this soccer drill, the players with a ball must shield and defend it while the defender competes to win possession.

Soccer drill for 1v1 with verbal support from team mates -
This soccer drill is 1v1 on the pitch but the defender receives verbal support from his team mate, which is crucial to developing a 2v1 defensive understanding. It helps players to get used to talking to each other during matches and helping out verbally in situations where players cannot see each other.

Soccer coaching game race to block - The Race to Block soccer coaching game works on reactive speed and forces your soccer players to work at match speed in order to be successful.

Soccer coaching session for defending skills - This soccer coaching session from Tony Carr creates situations where defenders face an increasing number of attackers. They have to react to, and deal with, the waves of attacks.

Multi-ball drill for soccer defending - This is a great soccer drill to end one of your coaching sessions. Your soccer players won't know there's a coaching element to this game and will be learning without realising it.

Soccer coaching game for defensive positions - Getting soccer players to think about what might happen next is always hard to do. Why should they move to cover space when there's not much chance of danger there?

In the case of soccer defenders, players will often move away from a situation they think their team mate has control of only to see the team mate get beaten and the opposition moves into an attacking situation unopposed.

You must get your defenders to cover the areas behind their team mates so that if the attacker beats the first defender they are there to cover the situation and prevent a goal scoring opportunity.

Soccer coaching drill for defending techniques - Defending exercises can be boring as you have to concentrate on angles and positions, and you have to keep stopping to explain. But try this drill "Around the world", which can be used to give players a good attack versus defence work out.

Soccer coaching game to practise keeping the ball for your team - This is a great small-sided game to practise keeping the ball for your team, it is called Possession plus one.

Soccer coaching session to achieve a competitive edge -
When you want to start coaching your players to have a competitive edge, I find it best to work them in 1v1s where they are concentrating only on their opponent and the ball.

Soccer coaching drill to outwit attackers - This simple drill will enable your players to practise the skills needed to outwit an attacker who is running straight at them.

Tackling drills - Here is a selection of tackling drills and a game to help your soccer team when out of possession.
Click on the headings for in-depth instructions on how to implement the tackling drills.

Soccer coaching game for defending from the front - Closing down opposition defenders in their half is a job for your forwards and midfielders to do.

Soccer coaching drill using passing and blocking strengths - The modern game is quicker than it has ever been before. So with teams possessing plenty of speed on the wings and across their front lines, pace in defence has become essential too.

Soccer coaching drill on defending as a unit - This is a great session to coach your players in defending as a unit. It means your players will know what to do when they are up against two attackers. It is all about pressure and support.

Soccer coaching game for defending and attacking in pairs in a 4v4 - This game works on pairs defending and attacking in a quick 4v4 game.

Make soccer defending more fun for young players - Young players often love attacking but hate defending... but it does not have to be like that. Here are some simple drills to teach young players defending AND to enjoy them.

Soccer coaching drill for 2v1 communication support - This drill is 1v1 on the pitch but the defender receives verbal support from his team mate, which is crucial to developing a 2v1 defensive understanding.

Defending and attacking through passes soccer session - Through passes are a very important part of the game, both for attackers and defenders. Both types of player must react quickly to either capitalise on the chance or clear the danger.

Soccer coaching game to win the ball back - A good defence will be able to pressure its opponent into making a mistake. The rule of this session is that the nearest player to the ball must go to pressure the player in possession.

Soccer session for rapid recovery - Every coach has been in the situation where his team loses the ball, the opposition race towards goal, yet his own players stand and watch the inevitable conclusion unfold.

Soccer tips on how to achieve goals from your free kicks - When a free kick is given just outside the penalty area, the opposition often spends time arranging its wall while the attackers do the same. But how often do your players stand around and argue about who will take it and then just kick it harmlessly to the opposition?

Soccer attack and defence games - Try these two drills for attack and defence games.

Manchester United's three-ball routine - Manchester United's first-team coach Rene Meulensteen developed what he called the three-ball routine to increase team speed and mental awareness. I saw it in action and it was a real flurry of movement and attacking action.

Defence

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