By using lateral defending to hold up the attacker (don't dive in!) and with a second defender offering cover - so if the opposition's striker manages to get past your first defender you can be sure there's someone covering their back - your team will be able to stop the opposition in their tracks!
Many coaches often focus a lot of time and attention on playing the offside trap and although this can sometimes be successful eventually your opponent is going to time their run right and that will only leave you with a line of defenders sprinting desperately back towards their own goal.
To avoid the reliance on always playing the offside trap we look at staying with your man, holding them up and not committing too early. Starting with a couple of Wake Up drills to get your players thinking football you can then work your way through a series of progressively more challenging defensive exercises!
in more ways than one
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in more ways than one
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Set pieces account for roughly a third of all goals in football, yet many coaches spend surprisingly little time coaching defensive organisation at corners and free kicks. This article compares zonal and man marking systems, explores hybrid approaches, and provides a practical session structure for building set piece resilience into your team.
A player's first touch determines everything that follows: whether they can play forward, turn, or simply retain the ball. This article explores why training first touch in isolation is not enough, and how to design sessions that develop this critical skill under realistic game pressure.
The coaching methodology revolution sweeping grassroots football - and how to implement it at your club this season.
