This exercise is a great passing/possession exercise but you can have a real focus on the defending team working in unison. How it works: This is a phased 'keepings off' exercise... The 1st phase involves one team trying to string 5 passes together in the smaller square. The defending team sends in two players on the call of GO.. to try and intercept the ball. If successful this opens up the next biggest square... and another defender joins in. The team must string another 5 passes together to open up the bigger/final square. The defending team send in an additional defender to stop the team stringing another 5 passes together and scoring a goal. This is the ultimate aim for the team of 5.
The focus of this exercise is defending in unison, so: 1. When defending in unison communication is key 2. Limit the space and options available to the other team 3. 1st defender to quickly get on top of ball carrier to limit time an options, this is really important as the 5th pass in each phase is made 4. 1st defender to angle run to cut out one main option and send ball carrier a particular way. 5. 1st defender to gesture/communicate with 2nd defender to direct them to close other main option/s
This practice has no coaching points
This practice has no progressions
in more ways than one
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