Defending

Defending Recovery Runs

Recover goal-side quickly when the team is exposed

Defending

Transition

Team Shape

Defending Recovery Runs is a 16-minute defending drill for 8-18 players, suitable for Under 10 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, full goals, bibs. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.

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Defending

Transition

Team Shape

Skill Practice

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Full Squad

Youth Friendly

Adult Suitable

Goals Needed

Recovery Runs

Opposed

Duration

16 min

Players

8-18

Pitch size

Half pitch

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Defending Recovery Runs — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · Half pitch

Step 1 of 3Coach releases the ball to a 3v2 attack; defenders recover from behind.

1. Coach releases the ball to a 3v2 attack; defenders recover from behind.
2. Defenders delay and force play wide until the third defender arrives.
3. Six reps then swap the groups over.

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

-Recover goal-side quickly when the team is exposed
-Delay the attack until support arrives
-Defend an overload without panicking

Setup

1Half pitch, full goal and keeper.
2Attackers start on the halfway line, defenders start five yards behind them.
3Balls with the coach beside the halfway line.

Coaching instructions

1Coach releases the ball to a 3v2 attack; defenders recover from behind.
2Defenders delay and force play wide until the third defender arrives.
3Six reps then swap the groups over.

Coaching points

-Sprint the first ten yards of the recovery
-Nearest defender delays, second covers the pass
-Force the attack away from the middle of the goal

Common mistakes

-Jogging the recovery run
-Both defenders attacking the ball
-Diving in and giving up the shot

Equipment needed

Balls

Cones

Full Goals

Bibs

Age groups

Under 10

Under 11

Under 12

Under 13

Under 14

Under 15

Under 16

Adults

Progressions

+Switch To Score: two switches before scoring
+Five Second Counter-Press: three seconds to win it back
+Target Zone Bonus: only goals started from a pocket count
+Add a competitive scoreline for the last round

Regressions

-Switch To Score: switch earns a bonus point rather than being compulsory
-Five Second Counter-Press: eight seconds and fewer opponents
-Target Zone Bonus: widen the pocket zones
-Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

-Switch To Score — A goal only counts after the ball has been switched from one side of the pitch to the other.
-Five Second Counter-Press — On losing the ball the team has five seconds to win it back before dropping into shape.
-Target Zone Bonus — Extra points for playing into marked pockets between the lines before finishing.
-Overload Rotation — One team plays with an extra player for two minutes then the overload rotates.
-Restart Realism — All restarts are played as in a match — throw-ins, goal kicks and corners rather than a coach ball.
-Two-Goal Decision — Each team attacks two small goals, so defenders must decide which threat to cover.
-Limited Touch Build-Up — Maximum three touches in your own half, unlimited once you pass the halfway line.
-Flip the practice to the opposite side of the pitch