Transition
Wide Channel Wave Attack Transition
Defend repeated waves of attack
Transition
Attacking
Defending
Defend repeated waves of attack. Set up the area, follow the steps and use the coaching points below.
Back to drill libraryTransition
Attacking
Defending
Skill Practice
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Wide Play
Age
Under 10 to Adults
Duration
20 min
Players
8-20
Area / pitch size
51 x 40 yards
Difficulty
Intermediate / Advanced
Equipment
Balls, Cones, Bibs, Full Goals
Coaching focus
Defend repeated waves of attack
Build a full 60-minute session around this drill
Warm-up to match, ready to print. Free — no card needed.
Objective
- -Defend repeated waves of attack
- -Attack quickly against a settling defence
- -Build game-realistic repetition
Setup
- 1A half pitch with attacking waves waiting on halfway in a 51 x 40 yards area.
- 2Mark five-yard channels down both touchlines with flat cones.
- 3Balls with each wave, keeper in goal, two sets of bibs.
How to play
- 1The first wave attacks the defenders and the goal.
- 2The moment the ball is dead the next wave attacks immediately.
- 3Defenders stay on for three waves before rotating.
- 4The practice is started by a pass into one of the wide channels.
- 5End actions only count when the ball has travelled through a wide channel first.
Coaching points
- -Defenders reset the line between waves
- -Attackers strike before the defence is set
- -Communicate the new picture every wave
- -Attack the outside shoulder and deliver early rather than over-dribbling
Progressions
- +Defender allowed into the channel to make it live
- +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful
Regressions
- -Channel is a free zone with no defender at all
- -Simplify the area or the service until success returns
Variations
- -Switch the ball to the far channel before the end action
- -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch
Common mistakes
- -Waves waiting too long
- -Defenders not resetting shape
- -Everything funnelling into a crowded middle
Related Football Drills & Sessions
- More football transition drills
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- Football drills for U12s
- Football drills for U13s
- Football drills for U14s
- Football drills for U15s
- Football drills for U16s
- Football drills for 8 players
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