Transition
Defence To Attack Breakout: Five Second Counter-Press
Break out of the defensive third at speed
Transition
Playing Out From The Back
Attacking
Defence To Attack Breakout: Five Second Counter-Press is a 20-minute transition drill for 10-20 players, suitable for Under 11 to Adults at 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 libraryTransition
Playing Out From The Back
Attacking
Skill Practice
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Pressing
Counter Press
Duration
20 min
Players
10-20
Pitch size
Three-quarter pitch
Ability levels
Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Defence To Attack Breakout: Five Second Counter-Press — Marked area · Three-quarter pitch
Step 1 of 4Defending team wins the ball and breaks out to score in the halfway goal.
- 1. Defending team wins the ball and breaks out to score in the halfway goal.
- 2. They must complete three passes before scoring.
- 3. Ten repetitions then swap.
- 4. On losing the ball the team has five seconds to win it back before dropping into shape.
- Cones mark the area
- Dashed lines = zones / thirds
- Ball
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Break out of the defensive third at speed
- -Find the first forward pass
- -Support the breakout in numbers
Setup
- 1Defending unit plus keeper in their own third.
- 2Attacking unit pressing them, with a target goal at halfway.
- 3Balls with the coach behind the goal.
Coaching instructions
- 1Defending team wins the ball and breaks out to score in the halfway goal.
- 2They must complete three passes before scoring.
- 3Ten repetitions then swap.
- 4On losing the ball the team has five seconds to win it back before dropping into shape.
Coaching points
- -First pass out of the pressure zone
- -Wide players push high immediately
- -Carry the ball if the pass is not on
- -Nearest player presses the ball instantly
- -Others screen the forward pass and squeeze up
Common mistakes
- -Everyone dropping deep on the regain
- -Aimless clearance
- -Slow support runs