Start & organisation
- Split group into three teams as shown
- The middle zone is the ‘defending’ zone; the team here is trying to intercept any pass through this zone. If they do, they swap with the last team to touch the ball
Timings: 20-30 minutes
Pitch area: Large rectangle with narrow middle strip
Other rules: N/A
Progressions/regressions:
- Make the area bigger or smaller
- Make the middle zone bigger or smaller
- Limit the number of touches players can take before passing, or limit passes to below knee height only
What to look for
- Are the defenders working together to close the space for the attackers to pass through?
- Are the defenders furthest away from the ball moving closer to their teammates to close the space?
What the coach can do
- Demonstrate how the other defenders can move to close the space
- Encourage the attackers to try and move the ball quickly, to incentivise the defenders to move quickly to close the space