Defending

Finishing Delay and Show

Coach the approach and set position of the defender

Defending

Tackling

Pressing

Finishing Delay and Show is a 16-minute defending drill for 4-16 players, suitable for Under 8 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, mini goals. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.

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Defending

Tackling

Pressing

Skill Practice

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Full Squad

Foundation Phase

Youth Friendly

Adult Suitable

Goals Needed

Finishing

Duration

16 min

Players

4-16

Pitch size

28 x 20 yards

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Finishing Delay and Show — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · 28 x 20 yards

Step 1 of 6Attacker drives at the defender who must delay and show one way.

1. Attacker drives at the defender who must delay and show one way.
2. The defender wins a point for forcing the attacker wide or winning the ball.
3. Swap roles after each duel.
4. Every sequence starts with a pass out and ends with a strike on goal.
5. Goals score one, first-time finishes score two, and rebounds must be followed in.
6. Rotation: Swap roles after each duel.

Cones mark the area
Full goal
GK = goalkeeper
C = coach serving, S = second server
Ball
Cones mark the keeper's starting positions
Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
Keeper distributes back to the server
Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble

Objectives

-Coach the approach and set position of the defender
-Show the attacker into the least dangerous area
-Win the ball at the right moment

Setup

1A defending channel with two mini goals to protect in a 28 x 20 yards area.
2Set a goal at the end of the area with a keeper or a target zone if no keeper is available.
3Balls with the attackers, bibs for defenders.

Coaching instructions

1Attacker drives at the defender who must delay and show one way.
2The defender wins a point for forcing the attacker wide or winning the ball.
3Swap roles after each duel.
4Every sequence starts with a pass out and ends with a strike on goal.
5Goals score one, first-time finishes score two, and rebounds must be followed in.