Exercise 1:

• Defense vs offense.
• Concentrate on the Defense.
• Area: Half field.
• Goal plus keeper, three small goals.
• Supply of balls.
• Defense tries to stop the offense and play the ball out of the back.
• Offense goes to goal, defense tries to go to three small goals at midfield.
• 7 defenders plus keeper vs 6 attackers. Defense has the extra player!

Coaching Points:

• Focus on defensive fundamentals: Pressure, cover, balance, take away the past forward, ball-side and goal-side.
• How is your defense organized? Do you play with a sweeper? Flat back four? Zone? Man-for man? What about the organization of the midfielders?
• How is the transition from defense to offense and vice versa? Do players react quick?
• Do players recognize when to pressure? When and how to cover?
• Is their communication?
• Who is organizing the defense?
• Do the players understand high pressure and low pressure?

Exercise 2:

• Offense vs Defense
• Concentrate on the offense.
• Area: Half field.
• Goal plus keeper, three small goals.
• Supply of balls.
• Offense looks to score.
• Defense looks to stop the offense and play out of the back.
• 7 attackers vs 6 defenders plus a keeper.

Coaching Points:

• Do you play with 2 or 3 up front? Do you play with 3 or 4 midfielders?
• Look at first touch, is it good?
• Does the player with the ball look to penetrate? (Dribble, pass, or shoot).
• Are the decisions made quickly?
• What is the quality of the pass or shot?
• Are the players making intelligent runs off the ball?
• How is the positional play?
• Is their width and depth? Adequate spacing? How is the overall team shape?
• Do the players recognize their options?