Whenever a team have lost possession, they must immediately look to concentrate, react to the change in play, get organised and defend as individuals and as a unit. This transition, from having possession, to losing possession is one of the key elements to defending well. The transition period when players switch off, lose concentration and lose focus is when they are very vulnerable defensively. The quick counter attack is a very effective attacking tactic. For this tactic to be effective, it requires lost possession and the team who have gained possession to break quickly into dangerous attacking areas and to gain a numerical advantage on the opposition. It also relies on the opposition committing players into attacking areas, leaving them at a numerical disadvantage and for them to momentarily lost concentration and defensive shape.

For the purposes of the new Level 2 curriculum, this section will focus on two areas of defending. The first area is when possession is lost and the opposition momentarily have a numerical advantage. This would require the defending team to adopt defend and delay tactics, to allow team mates to recover, so that numerical equilibrium is restored. This then leads onto defending when organised and the number of players in the attacking and defending teams being matched up numerically. For example in a 4 v 4 situation.

The first area focuses on how individual players and the defensive unit should react when possession is lost and they are faced with a numerical disadvantage when defending. The four D's of defending should look to be employed.

Delayed Defending

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Defend when outnumbered and disorganised

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The following are considered the key technical coaching factors to improve defend and delay:

• Deny - Look to win the ball if there is a poor touch. For the defending unit to tighten up and hold their line if one forward makes a silly run into an offside position. Try and eliminate the numerical advantage if the man in possession can be isolated or channeled into a tight area or away from the goal which can be more easily defended
• Delay - By players dropping away from the ball and narrowing play. This will make it difficult for the team in possession to play effective forward passes into danger areas and force play backwards or sideways. This will buy time to help recovery runners
• Deflect - Prioritise which forward passes to allow. This might be to feet, across the front of the defenders, to wide areas, all which buys time for the defenders to adjust and recover. The defenders should make it as difficult as possible for the ball to be played into dangerous areas behind them.
• Defend - When to press despite being outnumbered. This will mainly be when the team in possession are within shooting distance. The decision will be on who pressures the ball and who covers.
• Recovery Runs - Players who are wrong side of the ball, will need to quickly recover to get goal side of the ball to restore the numerical equilibrium
• Communication - Good information and encouragement between defenders
• Goalkeeper -To play an active role in the defensive unit, with good positioning and communication

Defending when matched up

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Defending when organised

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The second area concentrates on how individual players and the defensive unit should react when they are defending with equal numbers.

The following are considered the key technical coaching factors to improve defending when organised and matched up numerically:

• Decision on how tight the pressure player gets to the ball - This will depend on how far away the attacker is when they receive the ball and what danger they pose to the defenders goal.
• Decision on if to show inside to cover player or down the line away from the goal - Generally, the further the player on the ball is away from the defenders goal, play should be forced inside, into traffic and the covering players. If the attacker receives the ball wide and in a more attacking, advanced position, play can be forced down the line and away from the danger of the attacker cutting inside to shoot.
• Good cover angle and distance - The cover player and balance players will need to communicate and provide a good angle and distance of cover and balance
• Communication - It is vitally important that defenders provide clear and good information to each other
• Pivot roles if ball is switched - Players will need to understand how their roles change if the ball is switched between attackers
• Tighten up pressure and cover the closer the attackers get to the goal - The closer to goal, the more the need for tighter pressure on the ball
• Decisions on when and how to pressure shooting opportunities - The angle and speed of approach from a defender to an opponent who is in a position to shoot is very important for players to understand.
• Goalkeeper -To play an active role in the defensive unit, with good positioning and communication.

The practices you will see in this section are suggested practices, they aren't definitive. Why not use these as a basis for ideas and design, save and share your own shooting and finishing sessions and games with Coaches Chalkboard?