specific defender sessions
Personal Training & DevelopmentTactical Drills

SPECIFIC DEFENDER SESSION: HOW TO DEFEND FROM CENTER

Introduction

This training session from iCoachFootball.pro aims to improve the ability of your defenders to defend well from the opponent’s cross. This evolving defense soccer drills will allow them to confront a multitude of centers, you will be able to define your defensive principles (zonal or individual marking, zone of intervention of your goalkeeper, etc.) and, through your corrective interventions and your feeds -back, help them better manage these defensive situations.

Defense soccer drills: how to defend from center (zonal and individual)

Goals scored following a cross are an important part of a football team’s offensive efficiency.

These centers can be of numerous types depending on the location on the field from which they are addressed as well as their shapes (returning or outgoing center, aerial or ground centers, rolled or stretched centers, recessed center, 1st or 2nd post, etc.).

Your defenders must therefore be ready to intervene on different centers and to manage runs or attacking positions collectively and individually.

In addition, goals scored indirectly, in the continuity of the action of the center (ball poorly cleared or cleared in a bad area, corners conceded, fouls in the area, csc, etc.) significantly increase the impact of the actions of focuses on the end result.

It is therefore essential for your defenders to be in the right intervention zones and to master the gestures, attitudes, postures, communication, which will make them the most PERFORMANT AND EFFECTIVE when defending on centers.

IN ALL EXERCISES, the coach must be vigilant on the contact surfaces used by the defender at the time of the intervention and on the zone in which the ball returns.

BE CAREFUL OF THE DANGER OF FULL AXIS CLEAR BALLS AND CONCEEDED CORNERS

Exercise 1 – SPECIFIC DEFENDER SESSION FROM CENTER

Material

  • CUPS
  • PEGS
  • MINI-GOALS

Organization

  • Alternate between 2 working groups (10 players +2 goalkeepers)
  • Sequence on 4 balls in a row (2 on each side)

Instructions

  • Starting position of the 2 central defenders = outside the area
  • The player in possession must eliminate his stake
  • Center from zone 1
  • If the ball is recovered = restart in the mini-goals or gates to enhance the recovery

Variant 

  • modify the positions of centrals and/or attackers at the start of the action
  • use false feet for re-entrant centers

Expected behaviors

  • Pelvis/shoulder orientations that allow you to quickly defend towards the goal
  • Quality of support to be dynamic and be able to intervene effectively
  • Taking information on the crosser and the movements of the attackers on the surface, maintaining control by positioning yourself between the ball and the attacker
  • Communication between the two defenders and the goalkeeper to manage the attackers’ calls, their markings and announce the intervention

Chronology

12/15min

Exercise 2 – Defense soccer drills From Cross

Material

  • CUPS
  • PEGS
  • MINI-GOALS

Organization

  • Alternate between 2 working groups (10 players +2 goalkeepers)
  • Sequence on 4 balls in a row (2 on each side)

Instructions

  • Starting position of the 2 central defenders = entry into the area
  • The player in possession must eliminate his stake
  • Center from zone 2
  • Possibility of going inside to center (center only, no hitting from eccentric players)
  • If the ball is recovered = restart in the mini-goals or gates to enhance the recovery

Variant 

  • modify the positions of centrals and/or attackers at the start of the action
  • use false feet for re-entrant centers

Expected behaviors

  • Pelvis/shoulder orientations that allow you to quickly defend towards the goal
  • Quality of support to be dynamic and be able to intervene effectively
  • Taking information on the crosser and the movements of the attackers on the surface, maintaining control by positioning yourself between the ball and the attacker
  • Communication between the two defenders and the goalkeeper to manage the attackers’ calls, their markings and announce the intervention
  • Clearly define the zone of intervention of the goalkeeper and central players (individual/zone or mixed marking)

Chronology

12/15min

In the situation where the crosser is in the area, the central defenders must be located at the entrance to the 6m. It will then be necessary to be vigilant in the RAPID RESPONSIBILIZATION OF PLAYERS in the face of an emergency situation (Priority marking/zone to defend/Position of the goalkeeper) Obtaining information on the crosser and on the movements of the attackers on the surface will be essential in particular on the call/counter-call for the center behind.

Exercise 3 – SPECIFIC DEFENDER SESSION in the zone

Defense soccer drills (Zonal)

Material

  • CUPS
  • PEGS
  • MINI-GOALS

Organization

  • Alternate between 2 working groups (10 players +2 goalkeepers)
  • Sequence on 4 balls in a row (2 on each side)

Instructions

  • Starting position of the 2 central defenders = in the area
  • The player in possession must eliminate his stake
  • Center from zone 3
  • If the ball is recovered = restart in the mini-goals or gates to enhance the recovery

Variant 

  • modify the positions of centrals and/or attackers at the start of the action
  • False foot option can be interesting if using the less good foot for center or center from the outside of the strong foot

Expected behaviors

  • Pelvis/shoulder orientations that allow you to quickly defend towards the goal
  • Quality of support to be dynamic and be able to intervene effectively
  • Taking information on the crosser and the movements of the attackers on the surface, maintaining control by positioning yourself between the ball and the attacker
  • Communication between the two defenders and the goalkeeper to manage the attackers’ calls, their markings and announce the intervention
  • Clearly define the zone of intervention of the goalkeeper and central players (individual/zone or mixed marking)

Chronology

12/15min

Exercise 4 – Defense specific drills (Zonal)

Defense soccer drills

Material

  • CUPS
  • PEGS
  • MINI-GOALS

specific defender sessions

Organization

  • Alternate between 2 working groups (10 players +2 goalkeepers)
  • Sequence on 4 balls in a row (2 on each side)

Instructions

  • Starting position of the 2 central defenders = entry into the area
  • 2 against 1 in the hallway
  • Cross from zone 2 (possibility of crossing from Z1 and possibility of scoring from z3 for the lane player)
  • If the ball is recovered = restart in the mini-goals or gates to enhance the recovery

Coach’s choice

  • It is up to the coach to define the full-back’s course:
    • wingman chase
    • returns immediately to the surface
  • Define the role of the central
    • full-back cover
    • keep position on the surface
  • Define the goalkeeper’s intervention zone and the surface defense mode (individual / zone / mixed)

Developments in the situation

  • Finish with the line of 4 defenders
    • Opposite side closure
    • Off-center thrown into the area
  • Possibility of joining a red environment
    • On axis clearance: possibility of striking

Expected behaviors

  • Pelvis/shoulder orientations that allow you to quickly defend towards the goal
  • Quality of support to be dynamic and be able to intervene effectively
  • Taking information on the crosser and the movements of the attackers on the surface, maintaining control by positioning yourself between the ball and the attacker
  • Communication between the two defenders and the goalkeeper to manage the attackers’ calls, their markings and announce the intervention
  • Clearly define the zone of intervention of the goalkeeper and central players (individual/zone or mixed marking)

Chronology

12/15min

 

Shares: