Pressure Half-Turn Box

Objective

• -Receive on the half turn facing forwards
• -Take the first touch into space, not into the feet
• -Scan before the ball arrives

Setup

1. 1A box with a server on each side and a receiver in the middle in a 14 x 14 yards area.
2. 2Position a recovering defender behind each working player, starting two yards back.
3. 3One ball with each server.

How to play

1. 1Servers play in and the middle player receives on the half turn.
2. 2The receiver plays out to a different server each time.
3. 3Rotate the middle player every 60 seconds.
4. 4The defender is released the moment the ball leaves the server's foot.
5. 5The working player scores by completing the action before pressure arrives; the defender scores by blocking it.

Progressions

• +Defender starts level rather than behind
• +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful

Regressions

• -Defender presses at jogging pace only
• -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

• -Two defenders alternate so pressure is constant
• -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

• -Receiving square with a closed body
• -Touch too close to the standing foot
• -Facing your own goal and getting trapped by the press