Drill category

Football team shape drills

Team-shape drills help older groups understand distances, cover and moving as a unit in and out of possession.

What to coach

Stay connected as a unit
Shift together, not individually
Recognise the trigger to drop

Filter the team shape drills Football session plans

All 117 football team shape drills

Every drill below has its own page with the full setup, coaching points, progressions and a pitch diagram.

Possession 4v4+3 — possession drill, 20 min, Under 8 to Adults
2v2 Defending Units — defending drill, 18 min, Under 5 to Adults
Pressing Triggers — pressing drill, 20 min, Under 10 to Adults
Playing Out From The Back — playing out from the back drill, 25 min, Under 10 to Adults
Team Shape Walkthrough — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 11 to Adults
Switch The Play Practice — possession drill, 20 min, Under 8 to Adults
Rebound Board Clearance & Recovery — defending drill, 14 min, Under 5 to Adults
Back Four Shifting Shape — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Front Three Pressing Traps — pressing drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Attacking Shape & Width — team shape drill, 22 min, Under 12 to Adults
Defending Corners As A Unit — set pieces drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
6v6 Thirds Conditioned Game — small-sided games drill, 22 min, Under 10 to Adults
Long And Short Switching: Two-Touch Limit — passing drill, 15 min, Under 10 to Adults
Long And Short Switching: Weak Foot Only — passing drill, 15 min, Under 10 to Adults
Long And Short Switching: Tempo Clock — passing drill, 15 min, Under 10 to Adults
Long And Short Switching: Scan and Cue — passing drill, 15 min, Under 10 to Adults
Long And Short Switching: Shadow Pressure — passing drill, 15 min, Under 10 to Adults
Long And Short Switching: Score Challenge — passing drill, 15 min, Under 10 to Adults
Long And Short Switching: 1-to-1 Session — passing drill, 15 min, Under 10 to Adults
Back Four Shifting Unit: Switch To Score — defending drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Back Four Shifting Unit: Five Second Counter-Press — defending drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Back Four Shifting Unit: Target Zone Bonus — defending drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Back Four Shifting Unit: Overload Rotation — defending drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Back Four Shifting Unit: Restart Realism — defending drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Back Four Shifting Unit: Two-Goal Decision — defending drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Back Four Shifting Unit: Limited Touch Build-Up — defending drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Defending A Low Block: Switch To Score — defending drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Defending A Low Block: Five Second Counter-Press — defending drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Defending A Low Block: Target Zone Bonus — defending drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Defending A Low Block: Overload Rotation — defending drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Defending A Low Block: Restart Realism — defending drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Defending A Low Block: Two-Goal Decision — defending drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Defending A Low Block: Limited Touch Build-Up — defending drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Cover And Balance Triangle: Switch To Score — defending drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
Cover And Balance Triangle: Five Second Counter-Press — defending drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
Cover And Balance Triangle: Target Zone Bonus — defending drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
Cover And Balance Triangle: Overload Rotation — defending drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
Cover And Balance Triangle: Restart Realism — defending drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
Cover And Balance Triangle: Two-Goal Decision — defending drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
Cover And Balance Triangle: Limited Touch Build-Up — defending drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
Mid Block Pressing Shape: Switch To Score — pressing drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Mid Block Pressing Shape: Five Second Counter-Press — pressing drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Mid Block Pressing Shape: Target Zone Bonus — pressing drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Mid Block Pressing Shape: Overload Rotation — pressing drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Mid Block Pressing Shape: Restart Realism — pressing drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Mid Block Pressing Shape: Two-Goal Decision — pressing drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Mid Block Pressing Shape: Limited Touch Build-Up — pressing drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Positional Possession Grid: Switch To Score — possession drill, 20 min, Under 11 to Adults
Positional Possession Grid: Five Second Counter-Press — possession drill, 20 min, Under 11 to Adults
Positional Possession Grid: Target Zone Bonus — possession drill, 20 min, Under 11 to Adults
Positional Possession Grid: Overload Rotation — possession drill, 20 min, Under 11 to Adults
Positional Possession Grid: Restart Realism — possession drill, 20 min, Under 11 to Adults
Positional Possession Grid: Two-Goal Decision — possession drill, 20 min, Under 11 to Adults
Positional Possession Grid: Limited Touch Build-Up — possession drill, 20 min, Under 11 to Adults
Four Corner Possession: Switch To Score — possession drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
Four Corner Possession: Five Second Counter-Press — possession drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
Four Corner Possession: Target Zone Bonus — possession drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
Four Corner Possession: Overload Rotation — possession drill, 16 min, Under 9 to Adults
Four Corner Possession: Restart Realism — possession drill, 16 min, Under 9 to Adults
Four Corner Possession: Two-Goal Decision — possession drill, 16 min, Under 9 to Adults
Four Corner Possession: Limited Touch Build-Up — possession drill, 16 min, Under 10 to Adults
Half-Space Attacking Patterns: Switch To Score — attacking drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Half-Space Attacking Patterns: Five Second Counter-Press — attacking drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Half-Space Attacking Patterns: Target Zone Bonus — attacking drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Half-Space Attacking Patterns: Overload Rotation — attacking drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Half-Space Attacking Patterns: Restart Realism — attacking drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Half-Space Attacking Patterns: Two-Goal Decision — attacking drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Half-Space Attacking Patterns: Limited Touch Build-Up — attacking drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Split And Drive Out: Switch To Score — playing out from the back drill, 16 min, Under 11 to Adults
Split And Drive Out: Five Second Counter-Press — playing out from the back drill, 16 min, Under 11 to Adults
Split And Drive Out: Target Zone Bonus — playing out from the back drill, 16 min, Under 11 to Adults
Split And Drive Out: Overload Rotation — playing out from the back drill, 16 min, Under 11 to Adults
Split And Drive Out: Restart Realism — playing out from the back drill, 16 min, Under 11 to Adults
Split And Drive Out: Two-Goal Decision — playing out from the back drill, 16 min, Under 11 to Adults
Split And Drive Out: Limited Touch Build-Up — playing out from the back drill, 16 min, Under 11 to Adults
Rest Defence Organisation: Switch To Score — transition drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Rest Defence Organisation: Five Second Counter-Press — transition drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Rest Defence Organisation: Target Zone Bonus — transition drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Rest Defence Organisation: Overload Rotation — transition drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Rest Defence Organisation: Restart Realism — transition drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Rest Defence Organisation: Two-Goal Decision — transition drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Rest Defence Organisation: Limited Touch Build-Up — transition drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Shadow Play Shape Work: Switch To Score — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Shadow Play Shape Work: Five Second Counter-Press — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Shadow Play Shape Work: Target Zone Bonus — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Shadow Play Shape Work: Overload Rotation — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Shadow Play Shape Work: Restart Realism — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Shadow Play Shape Work: Two-Goal Decision — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Shadow Play Shape Work: Limited Touch Build-Up — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Compact Defensive Shape: Switch To Score — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Compact Defensive Shape: Five Second Counter-Press — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Compact Defensive Shape: Target Zone Bonus — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Compact Defensive Shape: Overload Rotation — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Compact Defensive Shape: Restart Realism — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Compact Defensive Shape: Two-Goal Decision — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Compact Defensive Shape: Limited Touch Build-Up — team shape drill, 18 min, Under 11 to Adults
Line Breaking Shape Game: Switch To Score — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Line Breaking Shape Game: Five Second Counter-Press — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Line Breaking Shape Game: Target Zone Bonus — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Line Breaking Shape Game: Overload Rotation — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Line Breaking Shape Game: Restart Realism — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Line Breaking Shape Game: Two-Goal Decision — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Line Breaking Shape Game: Limited Touch Build-Up — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 12 to Adults
Formation Switch Practice: Switch To Score — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Formation Switch Practice: Five Second Counter-Press — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Formation Switch Practice: Target Zone Bonus — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Formation Switch Practice: Overload Rotation — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Formation Switch Practice: Restart Realism — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Formation Switch Practice: Two-Goal Decision — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Formation Switch Practice: Limited Touch Build-Up — team shape drill, 20 min, Under 13 to Adults
Directional Possession Match: Switch To Score — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 10 to Adults
Directional Possession Match: Five Second Counter-Press — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 10 to Adults
Directional Possession Match: Target Zone Bonus — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 10 to Adults
Directional Possession Match: Overload Rotation — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 10 to Adults
Directional Possession Match: Restart Realism — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 10 to Adults
Directional Possession Match: Two-Goal Decision — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 10 to Adults
Directional Possession Match: Limited Touch Build-Up — small-sided games drill, 20 min, Under 10 to Adults

Drills by age group

Team Shape drill questions coaches ask

How many football team shape drills are there on Football Coach Hub?

There are 117 football team shape drills in the library, each with a setup, coaching points, common mistakes, a progression and a regression so you can run it with mixed abilities.

What equipment do I need for team shape drills?

Most drills need only a ball per player, cones and bibs. You can filter the drill library by the kit you actually have, including mini goals, full goals, poles, ladders and rebound boards.

How long should a team shape practice last?

Ten to fifteen minutes on one technical practice is usually enough before players need a change of picture. Follow it with the same theme inside a small-sided game.