Defending Principle: Building a cohesive defensive unit screen
Regardless of the skills of your defenders, without team cohesion, you'll be sure to ship goals. Create a cohesive defensive unit with this defending session.
Two defenders work inside a circle of players with one ball.
The red players must pass the ball around the group and try to keep possession.
The two defending players must work together to mark the ball, keeping the 3ft distance, while the other defenders 'zones' the space.
So, if Red 1 receives the ball, Green 1 (the nearest defender) calls "ball" and goes to cover the ball and Green 2 moves back, calls "hole" and zones the area.
Coaching points
The aim for players here is for the 'ball' defender to intercept the ball from the receiver and for the 'hole' player to intercept passes from the thrower.
Ensure communication is loud, positive and clear between defenders.
The defenders should be alert and on their toes throughout.
If you are working with a large circle of outside players (attackers) add the following rule: Attackers (reds) cannot pass ball to the players on either side of them.
Progression
Players are now not allowed to pass to the player that passed the ball to them. This will reduce the number of passing options each player has.
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