Defending
Rotation Back Four Slide
Coach the defensive line sliding across together
Defending
Team Shape
Pressing
Rotation Back Four Slide is a 20-minute defending drill for 8-18 players, suitable for Under 11 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs, full goals. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
Back to drill libraryDefending
Team Shape
Pressing
Skill Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Rotation
Duration
20 min
Players
8-18
Pitch size
44 x 34 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Rotation Back Four Slide — Two lines working across the area · 44 x 34 yards
Step 1 of 5Ball is switched between attacking stations and the line slides across.
- 1. Ball is switched between attacking stations and the line slides across.
- 2. The nearest defender presses while the others tuck in and cover.
- 3. Freeze the picture occasionally to check distances.
- 4. Play starts at station one and the ball works round the numbers in order.
- 5. Every player must complete each role once before the round is scored.
- Ball
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Two facing lines — pass and follow
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Coach the defensive line sliding across together
- -Maintain distances between defenders
- -Cover and balance behind the pressing player
Setup
- 1A back line facing three attacking stations across the pitch in a 44 x 34 yards area.
- 2Number every station so players know exactly where they travel to next.
- 3Balls at each attacking station, bibs for the defensive unit.
Coaching instructions
- 1Ball is switched between attacking stations and the line slides across.
- 2The nearest defender presses while the others tuck in and cover.
- 3Freeze the picture occasionally to check distances.
- 4Play starts at station one and the ball works round the numbers in order.
- 5Every player must complete each role once before the round is scored.
Coaching points
- -Slide as a unit, not as individuals
- -Nearest player presses, next player covers
- -Keep the line compact and connected
- -Follow your pass — the movement is part of the practice
Common mistakes
- -One defender flying out alone
- -Line stretching across the pitch
- -Staying in a favourite role and avoiding the harder one
Where this drill fits
- More football defending drills
- More football team shape drills
- More football pressing drills
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme