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LOGIN13-player defending drill to help your players get clear of the box quickly
Soccer Drillsby Dave Clarke
Use this training session to coach your defenders to keep the penalty area free of danger by blocking, intercepting and clearing the ball.
Use this training session to coach your defenders to keep the penalty area free of danger by blocking, intercepting and clearing the ball.
This is about defending around the penalty area in different situations and it covers individual defending and defending in pairs. It helps players understand their responsibilities when protecting the goal.
Use the attacking third of your normal pitch. We've used 13 players.
Why use it
This is about defending around the penalty area in different situations and it covers individual defending and defending in pairs. It helps players understand their responsibilities when protecting the goal.
Set up
Use the attacking third of your normal pitch. We've used 13 players.
How to play
Split players into six attackers, four defenders, a keeper and two servers who cross the ball. The attackers line up behind the cones, 10 yards apart and five yards from the penalty area; the defenders line up beside the goal.
In the first diagram the server crosses in a high ball and one defender goes to clear it without letting it bounce, using a header or a volley. The defender must then react immediately to face a dribbling attacker 1 v 1.
The same thing happens in the progression, but two defenders go to clear the ball and two attackers are in play for the follow up attack (but with only one ball). Defenders score by forcing the attackers into the shaded areas. Swap defenders regularly.
Technique
It is important to clear the penalty area of danger rather than gain possession, as this is all about moving danger from in front of goal.
Dave Clarke
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