Team Shape
Finishing Numbers Up Shape Game
Hold shape while outnumbered
Team Shape
Possession
Defending
Finishing Numbers Up Shape Game is a 22-minute team shape drill for 9-18 players, suitable for Under 11 to Adults at intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs, mini 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 libraryTeam Shape
Possession
Defending
Small-Sided Game
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Finishing
Duration
22 min
Players
9-18
Pitch size
46 x 36 yards
Ability levels
Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Finishing Numbers Up Shape Game — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · 46 x 36 yards
Step 1 of 6The attacking team has a two-player advantage.
- 1. The attacking team has a two-player advantage.
- 2. The defending team stays compact and counters into the halfway goals.
- 3. Swap roles every five minutes.
- 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 every five minutes.
- 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
- -Hold shape while outnumbered
- -Coach compactness under sustained pressure
- -Reward organised defending with a counter chance
Setup
- 1A pitch with a goal to defend and two counter goals on halfway in a 46 x 36 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 attacking team, two sets of bibs.
Coaching instructions
- 1The attacking team has a two-player advantage.
- 2The defending team stays compact and counters into the halfway goals.
- 3Swap roles every five minutes.
- 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.
Coaching points
- -Protect the middle first
- -Delay rather than dive in
- -Counter as soon as the ball is won
- -Head up before the strike — pick the side, then commit
Common mistakes
- -Chasing the ball out of shape
- -No outlet after winning the ball
- -Rushing the shot and leaning back over the ball
Where this drill fits
- More football team shape drills
- More football possession drills
- More football defending drills
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme