Tackling
Poke Tackle Pressing: Target Zone Bonus
Nick the ball with a poke tackle
Tackling
Pressing
Defending
Poke Tackle Pressing: Target Zone Bonus is a 12-minute tackling drill for 4-16 players, suitable for Under 10 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
Back to drill libraryTackling
Pressing
Defending
Skill Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Playing Through The Thirds
Positioning
Combination Play
Duration
12 min
Players
4-16
Pitch size
15 x 15 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Poke Tackle Pressing: Target Zone Bonus — 2 gates — score by travelling through · 15 x 15 yards
Step 1 of 5Dribbler tries to reach either gate, defender uses the poke tackle to knock the ball away.
- 1. Dribbler tries to reach either gate, defender uses the poke tackle to knock the ball away.
- 2. Point for the defender if the ball leaves the square.
- 3. Rotate every thirty seconds.
- 4. Extra points for playing into marked pockets between the lines before finishing.
- 5. Rotation: Rotate every thirty seconds.
- Cones mark the area
- Cone gates to dribble / pass through
- Ball
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Nick the ball with a poke tackle
- -Press without diving in
- -Recover after the tackle attempt
Setup
- 1A fifteen yard square with two exit gates.
- 2One dribbler and one defender inside.
- 3Spare balls outside the square.
Coaching instructions
- 1Dribbler tries to reach either gate, defender uses the poke tackle to knock the ball away.
- 2Point for the defender if the ball leaves the square.
- 3Rotate every thirty seconds.
- 4Extra points for playing into marked pockets between the lines before finishing.
Coaching points
- -Time the poke as the attacker touches the ball
- -Stay balanced and ready to recover
- -Use the front foot without overcommitting
- -Find the pocket on the back foot of the defender
- -Support the receiver quickly on both sides
Common mistakes
- -Lunging and getting beaten
- -Standing off and never engaging
- -Fouling in the tackle