Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Principle: Defending The Lines (Breaking Lines) , Technique: Defending (pressing / blocking gaps) (Start Time: 2026-04-15 20:00:00)
FAW Coach Ed
Jonathan Lake
Description
Macau Adult Team: KA I FC
Level: First Team
Principle: Defending the lines (Prep for first game of season)
Techniques: Defending - pressing & blocking (close the gaps)
Coaches: 3 (Jonny, Simon & Max)
Players: 17 (15 + 2 GKs) *GKs will go off for separate training (defensive focus*
Transitions / Layout:
11 aside field splint into 2 halves for player / goalkeepers. Players side a 25m-by-25m grid with an inner flat line cone on 20m by 20m to work on closing the space and pressuring the attackers into errors. Small goals / end zones marked.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
20 mins
Technical Practice: (20 minutes)
Condition:
Set out both sides of field into pressing Vs. build up play. 1 large goal either side with a GK, then small goals / zones as targets to hit when intercepting / retrieving the ball. Marked grid around the 18-yard box of 25m by 25m. 8 players in 1 group and 7 players in the other
How it works: (Field 1: 8 players 5vs3 / Field 2: 7 players 4vs3)
1 large goal + 3 or 4 smaller goals for the defensive team to protect.
Defending the lines, going in groups of 3 to face of a team of 5, need to work together to prevent the attacks
Set up into a defensive task, 1 GK plus attackers (playing out from the back), 3 defenders enter the field. Creating a 5vs3 / 4vs3, focus on defending team reducing the opportunities to play through the gaps and score into the little goals
Attacking team looking to force the defensive 3 into a situation where they need to work together to defend the areas around the goal to stop any goal scoring opportunities
Defensive trios are looking to communicate and press the ball, forcing errors to intercept the ball and then try and clear the ball away or take a shot at goal.
Allow this section to run for about 90 seconds, then intervene through observations (notes) and then give feedback with demonstrations including *go live* parts where they can play that section again and see how it would / could play out differently. Usually *go live* should be used during the BRT. Terminal feedback in breaks or once the first section of the difficult 3vs5 / 2vs4 defensive press has been complete
Change up the roles of the players, letting them all have a chance to play in the 5 or the 3. It is a defensive drill as the 3 first are a pressing drill, once the ball has been once it has turned over to a 4/5-man defensive line to push the 3 back and prevent them from taking a shot at goal or needlessly kick it away
Points for scoring a goal 1pt, intercepting the ball and keeping it for 15 seconds 1pt, and 2pts for the defensive 3 to intercept / tackle the ball and manage to score a goal
Change it up now to 5vs 3 / 4vs2 defending lines. The GK throws it to the attacking 3 and then need to try and break through the defensive 5 block and get a shot at goal. (long shot / short shots are allowed)
Give them the chance to play for 2 minutes – will see big changes and intervention opportunities leading to progressions / regressions. (defensive focus, so not to concerned with lack of attack or goals scored) – how over, the defensive team, can tackle, close the gaps, steal the ball and attack to the score in the little goals - clearing their lines (1pt)
Progressions / Regressions:
Progressions: insert a time frame for the defensive team on getting the ball back / preventing an attack on goal. Add in more areas to defend for the (3). When it becomes 4/5 defending, they must keep the ball for minimum 10 passes to prevent the attacking team having a turnover so close to goal
Regressions: Make the field wider, even out the numbers of attack vs defence. Pressing / interceptions is 3pts. Increase the ways of scoring points to make the defending team feel they are gaining success. Allowing clearance / shots straight to goal.
Challenge:
Can the team with the ball keep hold of the ball in an in-possession style play for more than 30 seconds to gain 5pts.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
15 mins
Skill Practice: Multidirectional Practice (15 mins)
Setting a continuous defending development. Introducing more teams to play for competition and more centralized about what our principle is *defending the lines*
Small gap between each small goal / coned area (pending on equipment available)
Each gave of 3vs3vs3 lasts for 3 minutes, this game is all about defending as a 3 closing the gaps and pressing the other teams to get the ball back. The outside players are neutrals
Team in possession team to score a point by getting the ball from bottom to top or top to bottom players. Also, points are scored for interceptions + 5 passes (2pts)
If they can play through the central zone, double points, defending team to protect/overload central passes, make play go wide before locking it in and winning the ball
After 3 minutes rotate the outside players with the inside players (giving opportunities to intervene / offer feedback and run through the points of defending / out of possession more than when we have the ball what’s next – but not taking away the real time situation of when we have the ball, what’s next?
**Coaches feeds the ball in**
Progressions and regressions:
Progressions: More players in the middle and less opportunities for multidirectional support out wide. Require more passes in the middle of the field as a retention phase before looking to play out to score points. Every 5 passes is an extra point. For example, 10 passes are 2pts
Regressions: Can score in any outside goal once a 1-2 from outer player has come back, don’t need to go from top to bottom or left to right
Challenge:
Who can win the ball back and keep it for the longest number of passes within the designated minutes of choice by the coach
Coaching points:
Narrow off first to protect the central area - deepest player to recognise ball over the top and start half and half
As ball travels wide - nearest player to produce quick sprint on the angle, engage his inside shoulder to cut off the middle and force him down the line or even better, win the ball
Collectively - Defend with structure, move together when the ball moves, lock down the wide area, block inside passes, be aggressive when making contact and win the ball
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
15 mins
Small Sided Games (SSG) - (15 minutes)
*Keeping it direct to the session*
Game Training - Defending in lines, quick press for turnover and close the gaps
Set up a *3-3-1* for both teams 16 players (possible 1 neutral or 1 sub in / sub out)
Coach has the ball and passes to the blue team GK, then playing out from the back, using the 1-3-3 formation to press and close down the gaps and get the ball back
Red team looking to win the ball back by shuffling their defensive duties through communication and teamwork
*Main focus on the red team to start with defending*
Progression and Regressions:
Progressions: Make the field smaller, so players are closer together creating more opportunities to press, close the gaps and defend the line in blocks of 3s
Regressions: Add in the neutral players to create 8vs7 overload, giving more defensive opportunities and a learning focus
Challenges:
Can they create a defensive blocks and stop any shots / attacks within the time limit / how many times can each team win the ball back and keep possession during the SSG
Coaching points
The player closest to the ball applying pressure with the others covering
Focusing on which players are away from goal but in a possible position to receive the ball (create a 3 man block / close the lines)
Defence shape, back 3 stepping up when they have the ball and press them to play backwards
Play animation
Play step-by-step
Repeat (toggle)
Full Screen
Pause
Stop
10 mins
Warm up: (10 minutes – outfield players)
4 poles marked out as starting positions, moving the ball and transitioning into a press and release
Players (15) divided behind the 4 starting positions, coach in the middle for explanation of warm up exercise
Warm up is focused on defending 1 to 1, forcing the pass to a teammate (close the gap)
First person in front of the pole, ball is first passed across the grid (the passer becomes the presser), the receiver controls the ball and before the presser comes, the ball needs to be passed left, and once the ball is passed / released need to move to the right (play all on the right foot)
Still going right, but now can receive on any foot, but still get into the routine of going the opposite side the ball is passed
Shutting down the receiver on the V shape, so the ball / player can’t go across, defender positions is to cut off the passing lane, making the ball be played and then move the other side.
Now, move onto receive the ball, and pass to whichever side is free for the passing lane. Still using the thinking of, pass 1 way and move the other.
Read the cues, read the pass and movement of the ball and as soon as the ball is passed the opposite player to quickly press and close down.
Goalkeeper Warm up:
Throwing the ball back and forth, catching in the W shape with the hands
Then move onto kicking to each other still catching in the W shape
Move into 1-yard passes, letting the keepers practice with their feet
Long yard passes, where the keepers, catch it, roll it out and play a long pass back
Move into activities:
1) Reactions
2) Shot stoppings
3) Handling
4) Low diving