Practice 2: Offense to defense

WHY USE IT

After coaching the individual response, we want the players to begin to understand and recognise their response and roles in a team during transition from attack to defence.

 

SET-UP

Set up a rectangular area, relative to the age and ability of your players, with a halfway line and two small goals on each end line.

The attacking team has three players on each sideline and one player in the middle of the area, with five defenders in the middle.

 

HOW TO DO IT

The attacking players on the outside of the area cannot enter until a transition moment. All attacking players can pass to one another with the intention of connecting five passes to earn a point.

 

If the defensive team wins the ball, they attack the goal to the opposite half from the one in which they gained possession. In this transition moment, all players from the attacking team recover into defensive shape. If they win the ball back, they can then attack the opposite goal.

 

PROGRESSIONS

Implement touch restrictions on the initial attacking team.

After a transition moment, if the original attacking team wins the ball back, instead of going to goal they expand back to the outside of the area and continue in possession to earn points.

 

COACHING POINTS

Try to win the ball back immediately. If it is not possible to get pressure to the ball, find team shape. This can also be taught as supporting shape, connecting to your teammates.

Recover centrally towards goal, head on a swivel.