Set Pieces
Defending Corners As A Unit
Organise a defensive corner set-up
Set Pieces
Defending
Team Shape
Defending Corners As A Unit is a 18-minute set pieces drill for 8-20 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 librarySet Pieces
Defending
Team Shape
Match
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Defending Set Pieces
Team Tactics
Duration
18 min
Players
8-20
Pitch size
Penalty area
Ability levels
Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Defending Corners As A Unit — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · Penalty area
Step 1 of 3Set the structure: two posts, zonal front area, markers on the biggest threats.
- 1. Set the structure: two posts, zonal front area, markers on the biggest threats.
- 2. Defend eight corners, clearances must reach a target zone.
- 3. Attackers get a second phase shot when the clearance is short.
- 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
- -Organise a defensive corner set-up
- -Clear the first ball decisively
- -Deal with the second phase
Setup
- 1Full goal with a keeper and a corner taker.
- 2Six defenders and four attackers in the box.
- 3Clearance target zones marked outside the area.
Coaching instructions
- 1Set the structure: two posts, zonal front area, markers on the biggest threats.
- 2Defend eight corners, clearances must reach a target zone.
- 3Attackers get a second phase shot when the clearance is short.
Coaching points
- -Attack the ball, don't defend on your heels
- -Clear high, far and wide
- -Everyone has a job and knows it before the kick
- -Push out together after the clearance
Common mistakes
- -Ball watching and losing the runner
- -Weak clearances back into the danger area
- -Slow to push out for the second phase