Defending as a unit — marking, covering, tracking and the offside line
25 drillsStay goal-side and tight to your assigned player. The foundation of individual marking within a team...
Defend a zone and pick up whoever enters it. Teaches the zonal system and communication between zone...
Follow a runner making a forward run, staying tight all the way. Teaches not losing your man....
When one defender presses, the next covers the space behind. The press-and-cover pairing....
A back line steps and holds together to keep a flat shape. Teaches line discipline and the offside t...
Two defenders communicate to mark, cover and win the ball. Builds the basics of paired defending....
Slide the whole back line across as the ball moves. Teaches collective lateral movement....
Position the line and time steps to cut out splitting passes. Teaches defending the space behind....
On a turnover, the whole team sprints back to shape together. Teaches collective recovery runs....
Outnumbered defenders delay and funnel to even up the numbers. Teaches defending when down a man....
Pick up and stay tight to runners on a corner or free kick. Teaches marking discipline at dead balls...
Step up together to compress space when the ball goes backward. Teaches collective compactness....
Organise the box to mark runners and attack the cross first. Teaches defending wide deliveries as a ...
A midfielder tracks a runner all the way into the box. Teaches not switching off when the run is lon...
The unit presses together, keeping lines connected. Teaches coordinated team pressing....
Outnumbered on a break, delay and force play wide until help arrives. Teaches defending the fast cou...
Hand off markers cleanly when attackers cross or rotate. Teaches communication to avoid being unmark...
Position so you can see both your man and the ball at once. The cardinal rule of marking....
Step out to deny a player receiving in the dangerous half-space. Teaches protecting the key pockets....
A scramble where defenders block, clear and recover under pressure. Teaches defending the box in cha...
Step the line up together at the right moment to catch attackers offside. Teaches the timing and tru...
A wide defender delays a 2v1 until the full-back recovers. Teaches defending wide overloads....
Players call the press trigger and react together. Teaches communication as the glue of team defendi...
A unit defends, wins the ball and immediately counters. Links team defending to attacking transition...
A defensive unit holds shape, marks, covers and steps against a full attack. The complete team-defen...