Practice: Delay, deny, defend

WHY USE IT

This session works on players’ organisation and communication when out-of-possession, helping delay the opponent’s attack, deny time and space, dictate the play and ultimately, defend the goal.

Set-up

Using the penalty area, set up with a goalkeeper, two defenders and three attackers (it can be three defenders and four attackers if numbers require).

HOW it works

The coach plays the ball in to the attackers who play 3v2 to goal. If the defenders win the ball, they get a point for passing back to the coach.

PROGRESSIONS

Add a small target goal or gates further up the pitch for the defenders to score in, to encourage them to regain possession and progress the play. 

Alternatively, there could be three target players for the defenders to pass to, who rotate with the attacking players every few turns.

COACHING POINTS

Encourage the defenders and goalkeeper to consider where they want to force the attackers, and how their organisation, body shape and communication will allow this.

Encourage them also to consider where their line of confrontation/engagement needs to be and, in a numbers-down situation, what are they willing to concede - space, time, areas of the pitch etc?