Showing The Opponent Wide
THEFOOTBALLCOACH
DEFENDING SESSIONS
SHOWING THE
OPPONENT WIDE
DEFENDING THE ITALIAN WAY
Session Description
This is a simple 1v1 defending session that focuses on the technique required to defend in 1v1 situations. In this example the red passes the ball to the yellow to start the practice. The yellow then looks to break out and attack the yellow gate situated in the top left of the practice. As this happens the red looks to win possession back, but importantly must look to try and force the yellow away from the wide goal.
If the red regains possession they can look to transition out and score by entering the red gate in the bottom right of the practice. However, it is important to stress that the red must look to force the player and the ball away from the outside goal and towards the opposite touchline.
Defending High
Once the red passes to the yellow, can they look to engage them high, look to run quickly towards the yellow, getting further away from their own goal. This will mean that the yellow isn’t able to gather much speed to attack, but will also keep the ball further away from the goal. The risk here, is that there will be space left in behind the red that could be exposed if the defender doesn’t effectively defend 1v1.
Showing wide
Once the red is high and engaged in the 1v1, it is vital that the defender uses correct body positioning to force the attacker away from goal. The red dotted line shows how arching the run, using that curved line, can force the opponent away from goal. It is then important that the defender gets side on with an open shoulder position that shows the opponent towards the wide area, this reduces the risk of the attacker moving towards our goal and reduces the chance that the opponent will be able to score.
Session Aims
Session Aim 1
Developing players who are comfortable defending 1v1 from a young age. These simple practices help players become comfortable with the individual defending situations
Session Aim 2
Arching Runs - This is a key component of showing the opponent away from the goal. The defender must be comfortable using their body and movement to show the attacker wide and away from goal
Individual Aim
This session is perfect for young players who play in defensive positions. Challenge individuals to enjoy the challenge of keeping clean sheets and forcing the opponent away from goal