Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): U12 - Defensive Principles working Together as a Line

Warm Up - Defensive Shape (20 mins)

Set Up: Use an area 30*20 split into three equal sections (10*20). Players are divided into three teams with 4 players each. The team in the middle starts out as the defending team. A team on the end will begin with the ball and must connect three passes minimum before trying to play a ball on the ground to the team on the opposite end of the grid. the defending team is allowed to send one player at a time to go press the team in possession.

If the defending team wins the ball they play out to the opposite side and swap places with the team that lost the ball. The team that lost the ball now becomes the team defending in the middle. 

Game is continuous on the turnover, teams must transition between attacking and defending roles. 

Coaching Points

• Apply directional pressure to limit passing options of team in possession 
• How do you know which direction to force the team in possession? Towards where there is defensive cover or where the opposition has the least amount of chance to penetrate
• What should the defensive line behind the person pressuring the ball do? Provide cover and shift to block passing lanes based on the position of the ball  
• What should the defensive line do as the ball moves? Adjust position/role based on the position of the ball. Someone else may now need to go pressure instead of just having one person chase the 4 players all the time
• What do you do if you win the ball? Play away from pressure quickly and open up to the opposite side to be ready to help keep possession
• What do you do if your team loses the ball? Transition to defend quickly

Scrimmage 9v9 (30 mins)

Coaching Points:

• Recognize which player should be putting pressure on the ball
• Provide cover to the person applying pressure
• Balance to keep lines connected to prevent penetration
• Anticipate when your role will change e.g. from pressure to cover and vice versa
• Players must understand the principles of pressure, cover balance
  • Pressure - player closest to the ball forcing ball carrier in a specific direction
  • Cover - Next closest players are covering their teammate who is putting pressure on the ball, not just marking an attacker
  • Balance - Far side of the line that prevents the line (forward, midfield, defensive) from becoming too spread out. forces the team in possession to play around that line instead of through