Defending
Defending A Low Block: Restart Realism
Stay compact in and around the box
Defending
Team Shape
Set Pieces
Defending A Low Block: Restart Realism is a 20-minute defending drill for 8-18 players, suitable for Under 12 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs, 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
Team Shape
Set Pieces
Skill Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Game Realistic
Organisation
Duration
20 min
Players
8-18
Pitch size
Half pitch
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Defending A Low Block: Restart Realism — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · Half pitch
Step 1 of 4Attackers try to break the block, defenders hold shape and clear.
- 1. Attackers try to break the block, defenders hold shape and clear.
- 2. On a clearance beyond the cones the defenders score a point.
- 3. Twelve attacks then swap.
- 4. All restarts are played as in a match — throw-ins, goal kicks and corners rather than a coach ball.
- 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
- -Stay compact in and around the box
- -Protect the central areas
- -Clear and step out together
Setup
- 1Defensive unit of six in front of a full goal with keeper.
- 2Attacking unit of seven around the edge of the final third.
- 3Cones marking the compact block zone.
Coaching instructions
- 1Attackers try to break the block, defenders hold shape and clear.
- 2On a clearance beyond the cones the defenders score a point.
- 3Twelve attacks then swap.
- 4All restarts are played as in a match — throw-ins, goal kicks and corners rather than a coach ball.
Coaching points
- -Deny the pass into the pocket
- -Slide across as a unit and stay narrow
- -Step out together after every clearance
- -Shape up quickly on every restart
- -Talk to organise before the ball is live
Common mistakes
- -Dropping too deep as a unit
- -Individuals jumping out of the block
- -Slow reactions to the second ball