Annual training plan · U14–U23

Week 22: Defending Against a Target Man

3 complete training sessions with 12 drills – created by licensed coaches. Open every drill in the easy2coach web app with one click.

This week’s focus

In training week 22, the individual tactical focus is on defending – defending 1 vs 1 against an attacker with his back to goal. In principle, it is an advantage for the defender when the attacker has his back to goal. The attacker can hardly see what the defender behind him is doing.

When a pass is played to the attacker, he often does not notice in time when the defender behind him tries to intercept the pass.

If the attacker still receives the ball, he still cannot see what the defender is doing, which makes turning very difficult. Only when the defender is very tight to the attacker and has physical contact with him can the attacker sense the defender's exact position. This gives the attacker the chance to spin into the defender.

However, the defender should not keep too much distance either. Because if the distance is too big, the attacker can turn in front of the defender. Provided that the attacker notices the distance is too big.

To prevent both turning in front of the defender and spinning into him, an arm's length is the ideal distance.

Of course, there are also position-specific points to bear in mind:

  • In the last line, do not get too tight, so that you can react to a running feint and a pass in behind
  • In central midfield and at centre-back, mark half a step in front of and to the side of the attacker so that you can see the ball and intercept a pass
  • On the flank, position yourself slightly inside to close the route into the centre

Author Luis Österlein

Session 1

4 drills

What matters in a defensive 1 vs 1 against an attacker with their back to goal is that the defender is neither too close to nor too far away from the attacker.

When the attacker has the ball, it can often be seen that defenders are very tight to the attacker, look for body contact and dive in. The result is usually a free kick for the opposing team or the attacker turning into the defender.

However, the defender should not act too passively either. Because this allows the attacker to switch into an open body position, which makes the starting position significantly worse for the defender. The attacker can now play the ball on forward and also watch what the defender is doing.

Based on these two observations, the aim is to find the right balance – roughly an arm's length away.

Coaching points for this session
  • Approx. 1 arm's length distance
  • Attack the ball as soon as the attacker turns
  • Watch the ball. Do not be put off by feints
  • Do not rush in
Drill 1

Passing in Fours

12 x 15 metres

Each group of four has a ball and works through the following tasks:

  1. Pass to a team-mate out of a dribble; the team-mate takes the pass in their stride securely and then passes on in turn.
  2. Deal with every pass with a visible change in the direction of play and increase the pace over a few metres.
  3. Play every second pass on first time.
  4. Only pass when a team-mate shows for the ball with a short burst.
  5. On a signal from the coach, carry out all the actions at maximum pace until the coach gives a second signal after five to 15 seconds.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones mark out the playing area.

Equipment: 4 cones and one ball per group.

Players: Two groups of four.

Coaching points
  • Take the ball straight into the movement.
  • Control the ball and play the passes with both feet.
  • Demand calls.
  • Carry out the actions with the ball at high speed.
Drill 2

1 vs 1: Attacker with Back to Goal

15 min12 metres long; the width depends on the number of players
  • On the coach's start signal, several 1 vs 1 situations begin in parallel.
  • The attackers try to dribble through the two blue cones.
  • The defenders try to win the ball in order to then dribble through the yellow cones.
  • The players may only act within their own duel.
  • Once all the duels are finished, attackers and defenders swap roles and the drill starts again from the beginning.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two red, two blue and two yellow cones mark the starting and finishing lines.

Equipment: 6 cones and several balls.

Players: The team is divided evenly into defenders — yellow — and attackers — blue. The attackers position themselves with a ball evenly along the line of the two red cones; one defender each takes up a position behind an attacker.

Coaching points
  • Keep an arm's length of distance.
  • Do not attack the ball too hastily.
  • Watch the position of the ball and do not be distracted by feints.
  • As soon as the attacker tries to turn, attack the ball.
Drill 3

4 vs 4 in 3 Zones

25 min55 x 40 metres
  • The game starts with a pass from the coach to a defender showing for the ball.
  • The aim is to play the ball from the defending zone into the middle zone and then into the attacking zone, in order to finish there on one of the two cone goals.
  • A back pass is not allowed in the middle zone.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: The playing area is divided into three zones; four mini goals stand at the ends.

Equipment: 4 mini goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of four players each. In the defending zone and in the attacking zone there is one striker and one defender each, and two midfielders each in the middle zone.

Coaching points
  • Be close enough to the attacker to prevent a first touch in an open body position.
  • Use overlapping cover in order to be able to intercept passes.
  • Do not stand too tight to the attacker, so as to be able to react to running feints.
Drill 4

4 vs 4 Man-Marking

25 min
  • The game is 4 vs 4 with two goalkeepers on two goals.
  • Because the drill targets endurance, it is played with fixed assigned opponents.
  • The pairs — for example A1 against A2 — essentially play a 1 vs 1, since they may only be challenged by the player assigned to them. This creates a lot of movement.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area; two goals stand at the ends.

Equipment: 2 goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of four plus two goalkeepers. Each player is assigned a fixed opponent.

Coaching points
  • Demand a high tempo, especially towards the end of the drill.
  • The players should get to the finish quickly.
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Session 2

4 drills

The 2nd training session is mainly about the defender's behaviour before a pass is played to an attacker with their back to goal.

Ideally, the defender positions themselves behind the attacker in overlapping cover in order to be able to intercept the pass. However, a certain caution is needed here, because the attacker could break away in behind at any time. This caution applies above all to defenders in the last line.

This behaviour in the last line is trained in the final part, in Exercise 4.

But the first three exercises also train the defender's behaviour against an attacker with their back to goal. In Exercise 2 exclusively in a direct 1 vs 1. Here the defender must also be ready for sudden changes of pace, running feints and above all runs in behind, because the attacker can call for the ball from several positions. At the same time, however, the defender should prevent a first touch in an open body position.

Coaching points for this session

1 vs 1 against an attacker with their back to goal (before the pass):

  • Use overlapping cover (holding midfielder and centre-back)
  • Position yourself on the inside (on the wing)
  • Intercept the pass outright where possible
  • Be ready for sudden changes of direction in behind
Drill 1

Laying Off and Turning Without a Call

15 min
  • Player B first makes a preparatory movement and shows for the ball to Player A.
  • Player A plays the ball to Player B.
  • Depending on the distance of Player C, Player B plays the ball straight back and sets off forward — or takes the ball into the turn straight away.
  • Then Player B runs with the ball to the outside position.
  • Player C is now the team-mate; Player A immediately moves back into the middle and takes up a position as opponent behind Player B.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones mark the positions.

Equipment: 4 cones and several balls.

Players: Teams of three with Players A, B and C.

Coaching points
  • At first let the defenders act only passively.
  • Turn when the opponent is an arm's length away.
  • Allow a cue from the team-mate.
Drill 2

Power 1 vs 1

25 minDouble penalty area
  • The blue player plays against the red player on the two goals.
  • The blue player may call for a pass from any outside player.
  • On receiving a pass, the blue player should get to a finish as quickly as possible under pressure from red.
  • After a goal, a save or a ball going out of play, blue may immediately call for a new ball from an outside player.
  • After a maximum of three passes in, the two players in the middle are swapped.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Tall cones mark out the playing area; two goals stand at the ends.

Equipment: 2 goals, tall cones and one ball per outside player.

Players: Two players are in the playing area — blue in attack, red in defence. All the other players stand outside with a ball. In addition there are goalkeepers.

Coaching points
  • Be close enough to the attacker to be able to intercept passes and to prevent a first touch in an open body position.
  • At the same time do not defend too tight, so as to be able to react to the attacker's running feints.
Drill 3

2 vs 2 from Target Player to Target Player

25 min12 x 15 metres
  • The game is played 2 vs 2.
  • The aim is to play from target player to target player; the attackers combine back and forth between the two target players as often as possible.
  • There is one point for every combination from one target station to the other.
  • If the other pair wins the ball, play continues straight away.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Tall cones mark out the playing area.

Equipment: Tall cones and several balls.

Players: Two groups of four. For each team two players are in the playing area and two players outside as target players.

Coaching points
  • Use the numerical advantage to make the game wide and to make the opponent run.
  • As a defender, press aggressively in order to win the ball.
Drill 4

4 vs 4 with Striker Zone

25 minFrom the penalty area to the halfway line, played across
  • The game is played 4 vs 4 or more.
  • Each team nominates a striker who has to stay in the striker zone; no other attacking player may enter it.
  • The defenders may enter and leave the zone, but no more than one defender may be inside it at any one time.
  • The aim is to bring the striker into position, who then has to win the 1 vs 1.
  • Goals scored by the striker inside the zone count double, goals from outside by the other players count once.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Red cones mark the pitch, yellow ones the striker zone; two goals stand at the ends.

Equipment: 2 goals, cones in two colours and several balls.

Players: Two teams of four or bigger plus two goalkeepers.

Coaching points
  • Secure the ball with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • If the opponent defends very tightly behind the striker, the striker turns into that opponent with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • In the striker zone either break free with a short running feint or seek body contact with the defender before the pass in order to keep that defender behind.

Session 3

4 drills

After the first two sessions worked on defending 1 vs 1 against an attacker with their back to goal, once with the ball and once before a pass, today's session continues in a more position-specific way. This session takes a closer look at the duel between centre-back and striker.

What matters for a centre-back is how they position themselves behind the attacker. A common misconception is that the central defender always operates on the inside. Especially when the ball is in the half-space or on the wing, the ball-side centre-back provides overlapping cover on the striker in order to be able to intercept a pass. Here, too, a small safety distance is needed in order to be able to react to a sudden run in behind.

If the opposing team still manages to play the ball to the striker, the striker is first closed down so that they cannot turn. However, the ball is not attacked hastily, but only if the attacker tries to turn. Once the attacker has been closed down, a holding midfielder should, as a rule, also be able to step in quite quickly to double up from behind.

Coaching points for this session
  • Take the ball in your stride straight away
  • Variation: perform a body feint before the 1st touch
Drill 1

Receiving and Taking the Ball in the Triangle

20 minAs shown in the graphic
  • Player A passes the ball to Player B, who comes towards the ball.
  • Player B takes the ball in their stride and dribbles to the next starting cone.
  • Player A takes over the position of Player B.
  • After a while the direction of play is changed.

Variations:

  • Take the ball with the inside or with the outside of the foot.
  • Change the direction of the first touch and the dribbling distance.
  • Stop the ball on the left and take it away on the outside or on the inside.
  • Let the ball run through the legs and play it with the heel.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Nine cones form three cone triangles in three different colours; three further cones mark the position of the passer.

Equipment: 12 cones and several balls.

Players: Two players with a ball at the starting cones, plus one player behind each of the triangles.

Coaching points
  • Take the ball straight into the movement.
Drill 2

Attack Through the Centre - Attacker with Back to Goal

20 min
  • The number ten dribbles forward; the number nine stands with the back to goal.
  • The number nine performs a preparatory movement and demands the ball.
  • With the pass, a 1 vs 1 starts between the striker and the centre-back.
  • After winning the ball, the centre-back can counter-attack on the mini goals.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: One goal plus two mini goals for the counter-attacks.

Equipment: 1 goal, 2 mini goals and several balls.

Players: One goalkeeper, one centre-back, one striker (number nine) and one midfielder (number ten).

Coaching points
  • Watch for a clean preparatory movement — the feint before the sprint.
  • Demand a quick break away from the defender and use of the body.
  • Demand a quick turn towards goal.
  • Start explosively into the 1 vs 1.
  • Look for the finish.
Drill 3

Attack Through the Centre at/in the Penalty Area | Attacker with Back to Goal 2 vs 2

20 min
  • The number ten dribbles forward; the number nine stands with the back to goal.
  • The number nine performs a preparatory movement and demands the ball.
  • This starts a 2 vs 2: the number ten and the striker against the two centre-backs.
  • On winning the ball, the defenders counter-attack quickly on the mini goals.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the pitch; plus one goal and two mini goals for the counter-attacks.

Equipment: 1 goal, 2 mini goals, cones and several balls.

Players: One goalkeeper, two centre-backs, one striker (number nine) and one midfielder (number ten).

Coaching points
  • Watch for a clean preparatory movement — the feint before the sprint.
  • Demand a quick break away from the defender and use of the body.
  • Demand a quick turn towards goal.
  • Start explosively into the 1 vs 1.
  • Look for the finish.
  • Demand clear calls — turn and lay off.
Drill 4

Overlapping Runs in the Wide Zone

30 minHalf a pitch
  • The game is played freely.
  • As soon as the ball is played to a player in a wide zone, another attacker makes an overlapping run — ideally the passer.
  • In this way attacking variations with overlapping runs or play through a third player are created. The defender in the wide zone becomes active in the process.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark the playing area and the wide zone; there are two goals at the ends.

Equipment: 2 goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams and goalkeepers.

Coaching points
  • Switch play quickly to the wings and create a numerical advantage there.
  • If a goal is scored after an overlapping run or play through a third player, there is an extra point.
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