By Ben Bartlett, FA Regional Coach
Development Manager (East)
DEFENDING
The Boot Room
Issue 02
December 2011
Grassroots
54 | 55
FA Regional Coach
Development Manager, Ben
Bartlett, outlines a series of
progressive practices to help
develop defending skills
As a theme for delivery, defending is sometimes
overlooked by coaches. For those that do brave the
subject, sessions are sometimes delivered in a sterile,
unrealistic and overly-organised fashion with defenders
positioned perfectly and favoured numerically.
The sessions outlined here seek to provide a four session
programme (or longer – depending upon duration of
sessions and progress made with your players) covering
a variety of situations that defenders face in the game.
The sessions encourage repetition of scenarios and can
be used to support players of different ages and abilities,
equipping them for defending. The sessions provide
situations where players can practice defending as an
individual, as part of a unit and as part of a team.
In keeping with The FA’s coach education programme,
Session 1 defending when organised, is an example of
how a session may be operated as part of an FA Level 2
themed session, progressing ‘up the steps’ from technique
(unopposed) to skill (opposed) into a game
related practice.
Session 2 and 3 are examples of sessions - repetition
circuits and half pitch practices - that may be experienced
within an FA Youth Award Module 2 course.
Session 4 is an example of a session from the new UEFA
B course moving from a skills practice into an 8 versus 8
small-sided game.
The following situations are covered:
1.Defending against an opponent who is receiving
the ball
2. Defending an opponent who is running at you
3.Defending when in balance including sliding
and screening
4. Defending when out of balance/disorganised
5. Defenders making recovery runs
6. The transition from defending to attacking
7. Goalkeepers role in defending the goal
Ben Bartlett
Ben Bartlett is Regional
Coach Development
Manager for the East.
Ben combines this role
with coaching an U14
group at Aldershot Town
Elite and The FA U15
Female Elite Performance
Centre.
Ben’s previous roles
include Technical Director
for Women’s and Girls’
football at Chelsea
FC and 9 years in a
range of coaching and
development roles at
Colchester United FC
Session 1: Defending – When Organised
PART 1: Technique Practice
Getting started
• 2 teams of 4 + 2 GK’s
• 3 balls placed at
various places on
each pitch. Each ball
designated a number
1, 2 and 3. GK calls
a number and the
two defenders react
to ‘defend’ that ball.
As they position
themselves – GK calls
next ball.
• Three calls per
pair – then the
defenders change.
Pitch 2
Getting started
• Two blues play
across and play into
attackers who seek
to attack and score in
the goal.
• At conclusion
attackers become
servers and
vice versa.
• If defender /
goalkeeper re-gains
possesion, they
attempt to play
into red target
player, who gives
the ball to blues
and repeat. Swap
target defenders for
defenders.
PART 2: Skill Practice
56 | 57
PART 3: Game Related Practice
Getting started
• 2 teams of
4 + 2 GK’s
• GK starts practice
Coaching points
• Deny space (starting position, line of
approach, press? not press?)
• Support/Cover
(angles, distances)
•Decision (Steal, spoil,
prevent turning)
• Mark players/Cover space
KEY
Players
Target player
Goalkeeper
Path of player
Path of ball
Session 2: Defending – Variety of Situations
Part 1: Individual Defending - Repetition Circuit
Pitch 1
Getting started
• Pitch 1 - Server plays
into attacker who
attempts to beat red
and score in goal
– server becomes
attacker and attacker
retrieves their ball
and joins end of other
pitch.
• Pitch 2 – Blue attacker
runs ball onto pitch –
defender deals with
the attacker running
at them – attacker
retrieves ball and joins
end of other pitch
Pitch 2
• On pitch 1 - If attacker
scores without using
support players
(yellows), 3 goals are
scored. If attacker
uses support to score,
1 goal is scored.
Getting started
• Pitch 1 – Blue server
plays in to blues who
attack to score past GK
PART 2: Defending in Two’s
Pitch 1
• If Red’s regain, score
by playing into the
blue server who then
dribbles onto pitch to
make a 3 vs. 2
• Pitch 2 – Blue dribbles
ball onto pitch to
make 2 vs. 2. As blue
enters the pitch, red
at the back of the
servers box recovers
onto pitch. Red’s score
by regaining and
dribbling into servers
box.
Pitch 2
58 | 59
PART 3: Back Four
Getting started
• Four vs. three + GK
in defensive third of
the pitch & 3 vs. 2 in
midfield
• Red’s trying to
defend goal . If
they do regain
possession, break
into middle area and
score into goal
• Try to keep at
least one player in
midfield area
• Encourage general
flow of game to allow
realistic situations to
occur
Session 3:Defending Outnumbered – Skills Practice into 8 vs. 8
Part 1: Skills Practice
Getting started
• Two practices
running at the
same time. GK +
3 defenders vs.
4 attackers on
each pitch. Teams
defending the goal
start with the ball
and work ball out
to target player in
central zone.
• Target player can
either pass onto
pitch and join in
or run onto pitch.
Attacking team seek
to score within
5 passes
Part 2: 8v8
Getting started
•Game – 8 vs. 8,
encourage free flow
to allow realism
in outnumbered
situations
• Team in possession
attempts to work ball
into central channel.
Central channel
player runs or passes
ball into opposition
half and joins in –
opposing central
channel player
makes recovery
run. Upon regain of
possession – one
player from each
team recovers into
middle area
Coaching points
• Deny – regain from poor touch/pass –
don’t track poor runs (offside)
• Deflect – prioritise risk allow play into less dangerous areas (wide)
• Delay – drop & narrow
• Defend – area of zero tolerance –
commit to prevent shots/block
60 | 61
Session 4:Sliding and screening - Defending as a team
Part 1: Skill Practice
Getting started
Pitch 1
• Two pitches playing
Skill practice
concurrently. 3 vs.
3 with GK starting
practice. Defending
team on each pitch
seek to prevent
attacking team
working ball to target
player in central
channel
• If defenders win ball
– try to score in goal
Pitch 2
PART 2: 8v8
Getting started
• 8 vs. 8 – defending
team playing 3-3-1
(+GK). Attacking
team playing 3-2-2
• 1st line of pressure at
halfway line
Coaching points
• Line of pressure
• Movement in relation to ball
• If we can’t pressure?
• Preventing penetrative passes
• Directing play
• Securing space ahead of & behind
back line
• Marking positions & distances