Team Shape
Wide Channel Numbers Up Shape Game
Hold shape while outnumbered
Team Shape
Possession
Defending
Premium
Wide Channel Numbers Up Shape Game is a 20-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
Wide Play
Duration
20 min
Players
9-18
Pitch size
48 x 38 yards
Ability levels
Intermediate / Advanced
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 48 x 38 yards area.
- 2Mark five-yard channels down both touchlines with flat cones.
- 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.
- 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
- -Protect the middle first
- -Delay rather than dive in
- -Counter as soon as the ball is won
- -Attack the outside shoulder and deliver early rather than over-dribbling
Common mistakes
- -Chasing the ball out of shape
- -No outlet after winning the ball
- -Everything funnelling into a crowded middle
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