Phase 4: Defend The Goal
Defending refers to the strategies and techniques employed by a team to prevent the opposing team from scoring goals. It involves positioning players strategically, maintaining good communication and coordination among the defensive line, and using various tactics to disrupt the opposition’s attacking play.
Defending typically includes actions such as marking opponents, intercepting passes, tackling, blocking shots, and regaining possession of the ball. Additionally, defensive players must be vigilant in covering spaces and tracking the movements of opposition players to minimize goal-scoring opportunities.
Key Principles
– Blocks, Headers & Clearances
– Height and Distance
– Ball side
– Man & Ball positioning
– Defend the width of the goal
– No Gaps (Compactness)
– Composure & Patience
– Communication
– 4 D’s; Delay, Deny, Dictate, Disrupt
Warm Up (10 Minutes)
Physiological Warm Up
Information Coming Soon…
Technical Practice (20 Minutes)
Switching Play - Technical Practice
This session helps support your principles of switching play under pressure and through evolving decision making.
The session starts by the central players dropping off the mannequins receiving on the back foot and switching play. The central defender will look at putting pressure on the passing lines and create questions for the yellow team to solve.
Possession Based Practice 1 (20 Minutes)
When To Press - When To Protect
Red team will start by keeping the ball and using the outside green players effectively. They then will look at ways of breaking the lines of the defence and findings ways of penetrating the central area. Start with the green players unable to be tackled then progress to apply more realistic pressure on the ball.
If the Yellow team win the ball then then become the attacking side and link in with the Green’s to dominate against the Red’s. Adding in a competition element will increase intensity and put the players under more realistic pressure.
Possession Based Practice 2 (20 Minutes)
Defending Centrally
This session is great for developing your players ability to be compact and dominate centrally. The red team starts with the ball from the goalkeeper and looks to play through the central area to score their point.
The defending team will stay compact and look to win the ball back. Once gained they then can score in any of the 6 goals, with restrictions:
- Mini Goal: 1 Touch Finish
- Main Goal: Any Touch
Game Related Practice (20 Minutes)
Alternative Reverse Goal Game
This session looks to develop the ability to maintain possession and controlling the game. The in possession team will always start with the ball and look to score in the mini central goals whereas the out of possession team will look to stop them, regain possession and score in the main goals.
You can either transfer who starts on transition of the ball or on a time constraint. Consider which principles are vital for your sides development and adapt accordingly.
Further Reading
