Defending
Tempo Recovery Run Defending
Recover goal-side at speed
Defending
Transition
Speed & Agility
Premium
Tempo Recovery Run Defending is a 15-minute defending drill for 4-16 players, suitable for Under 10 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, 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
Transition
Speed & Agility
Skill Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Tempo
Duration
15 min
Players
4-16
Pitch size
42 x 30 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Tempo Recovery Run Defending — Finishing set-up — serve, receive, shoot · 42 x 30 yards
Step 1 of 5Attacker starts five yards ahead and runs at goal.
- 1. Attacker starts five yards ahead and runs at goal.
- 2. Defender recovers, gets goal-side and forces the attacker wide.
- 3. The rep ends with a shot, a tackle or the ball out of play.
- 4. The clock starts the moment the first pass is played in.
- 5. The sequence must reach the end action inside eight seconds or the rep is void.
- Cones mark the area
- Full goal
- GK = goalkeeper
- S = server
- Ball
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Shooter becomes the next server
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Recover goal-side at speed
- -Defend while running towards your own goal
- -Decide between tackling and shepherding
Setup
- 1A long approach to goal with a defender start cone behind the attacker in a 42 x 30 yards area.
- 2Set a visible timer or have an assistant count aloud from the side of the area.
- 3Balls with the attackers, keeper in goal.
Coaching instructions
- 1Attacker starts five yards ahead and runs at goal.
- 2Defender recovers, gets goal-side and forces the attacker wide.
- 3The rep ends with a shot, a tackle or the ball out of play.
- 4The clock starts the moment the first pass is played in.
- 5The sequence must reach the end action inside eight seconds or the rep is void.
Coaching points
- -Recover on the inside line, not directly behind
- -Get goal-side before engaging
- -Force away from the middle
- -Pass with pace and intent — under-hit passes cost the clock
Common mistakes
- -Tackling from behind
- -Running alongside instead of ahead
- -Slow, sideways passing that burns the clock
Where this drill fits
- More football defending drills
- More football transition drills
- More football speed & agility drills
- football drills for U10s
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme