Defence
A good defence is the building block of any great team. The articles in this section will help you coach your players to work as a defensive unit. We look at how your players should organise themselves, what are their roles and responsibilities as defenders, and how they should react in different defensive situations. With work, you should be able to coach your players to control the game at the back and to start great passing moves leading to goals at the other end.
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Defending as a unit
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In this session we look at developing teams ability to defend as a unit.
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Never Concede from a Corner Again
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Giving players specialist positions during matches can be extremely effective. Tell them where to stand, what to do and how to do it, particularly in situations where your team is under pressure. Are you conceding a lot of goals from corners? Then you need a player to stand BIG at the front of your penalty area to block the corner taker. Do this properly and you need never concede from a corner again.
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Tony Carr on Defending Corners
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One of the key elements of a defensive strategy for your team is getting your players to know their positions at corners, says Tony Carr, Academy Director at West Ham United.
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How to Pass the Ball Out from the Back
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Good teams can pass the ball out from the back in a structured controlled manner. Tony Carr, Academy Director at West Ham United, explains how to coach your players to do it.
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Shape up your team to defend all over the pitch
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Shapes are important in football. They happen all over the pitch, but you must make sure your players know how they work. Playing 3v3 matches shows you how to use triangles, says David Clark
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How to Keep Attackers at Bay
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When your defender is the last man, if he jumps into a tackle and doesn't win it, the attacker is through on goal. So, you need to teach your players ways to hold up an opponent until help arrives, says David Clarke.
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How to Coach Effective Marking
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What you tell your players the session is about:
1. How to mark opponents effectively.
2. When to mark players and when to cover spaces.
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The Attacking Defender
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When a defender plays the ball out of his penalty area to one of his midfielders or attackers he should not stop running. He should run outside the attacker, to help put pressure on the opponents, says David Clarke.