Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Defending Space / Pressing

Pressing / Defending space (20 mins)

Organisation / Instructions:

6v6 (Each section 8x4) Can be adjusted to suit playing group) Coach serves balls in from the side, plenty balls required for this high intensity drill.

In this practice players are working on closing space and reducing fwd passing options into the 2 attacking players. Each player must stay in their zones, however when defending the goals may step on the line or have their leg cross over the line.

Each player has 2 touches, and main objective is to break the defensive line with forward pass into either attacking player. Attacking players can only score after transfering pass to the other attacking player first. Defending players must always remain infront of attacking 2 players. Focus on staggered defending line and communicating with the player infront of you.

Note: Defending players may drop to prevent goal if fwd pass penetrates their defensive line. The ball can get played accross the lines from outside players and does not have to be passed through every zone.

Although we are working on defending space and pressing, this exercise clearly allows the team in possession to focus on patient combination play to break the defensive line.