Practice 3: Delay for support

WHY USE IT

This last practice has more players, making it more challenging – the amount of decision-making increases.

SET UP

Set up an area relevant for your players and split it in half. The attacking team starts with three players, while the defending team has two players starting in their own half and two waiting to come on. The ball always starts with the goalkeeper of the attacking team.

HOW TO PLAY

The goalkeeper passes to the attackers, who try to score in the opposition goal. The defenders try to delay or prevent the attackers from playing forward. After a set period of time (roughly eight seconds), the other two defenders can enter and help their team-mates. After that, it plays as a normal game. When the ball goes out of play, or a goal is scored, the practice starts again.

COACHING POINTS

• Focus again is on players’ decision making: when to engage the player on the ball and when to delay. This time, though, they start off as a pair and, therefore, must work together to prevent the opposition from progressing forward. They need to close off the space by being in the correct position and recognising when there is an opportunity to engage the player on the ball.