Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Defending - 1v1 (I)

Main Theme (20 mins)

Organization:

1. Create a 10X10 grid with a cone placed 10 yards from the grid from each side.

2. Split the team evenly into 2 groups with alternate jerseys (red/yellow).

3. Line up each team on two of the cones on opposite sides of the grid facing the middle square.

4. Place one defender inside the middle grid. In our soccer drill diagram, the red player starts as defender, and the yellow team is the attacking team.

Instructions:

1. The attacking team dribbles at the defender and attempts to dribble through the other side of the grid by beating the middle defender.

2. If the player successfully makes it through the grid and out the other side by dribbling, he then plays to the first player in the line he is facing.

3. This next player again takes on the defender in the middle.

4. If the defender wins the ball, or the ball is knocked out the sides of the grid, the player losing the ball becomes the defender.

5. The player who won the ball or forces the player out of bounds passes the ball to a teammate in line who now attacks the new defender in the middle in attempt to get through to the other side and pass to the next player in line.

6. The pace of this drill must be very fast and encourage players to take advantage of an off balanced defender.

7. The defender will have to transition quickly in order to get out of the middle.

Coaching Points:

1. Deny penetration

2. Speed of approach

3. Angle of approach force player on to weak side

4. Correct moments to tackle

5. Faint to tackle to force a mistake

6. Tackling techniques

7. Transition to attack