INDIVIDUAL

DEFENDING
TECHNIQUE
AG E P H AS E : U 8 - U 1 1
SESSION PLAN
SESSION OVERVIEW INDIVIDUAL DEFENDING TECHNIQUE

LEVEL KEY
• U8-U11 Ball movement

Player movement
SESSION OBJECTIVE without the ball

• To develop players’ ability to defend in 1v1 and Player movement

1v2 situations with the ball

PART 1: 1v1 LINE BALL

Players
• This practice provides individual players with the
opportunity to defend 1v1 against an opposition
attacker.
• Players will be able to focus on their individual Cones
defending technique throughout the game.
Flat marker

PART 2: KING OF THE COURT

• This is a 1v1 carousel that enables players to be able Cones with
to develop their individual defending and attacking flat marker
against opposition players.
• The game provides the variable of players being able to
defend 1v1, but also progressing to 1v2 situations. Goal

PART 3: 1v1 WINNERS MOVE UP Mini-goal

• This is a 1v1 tournament with players moving up a pitch

if they win and moving down a pitch if they lose.
• The game provides players with opportunities to defend Mannequin Pole
against opposition players and practice individual
defending technique.
Football

AGE PHASE: U8-U11

1v1 LINE BALL INDIVIDUAL DEFENDING TECHNIQUE

FUNCTION
• Set up this practice in a 30m x 20m area with a player 1
at each end. The attacker – Player A – begins with the
ball and must travel with the ball and attempt to stop
the ball on the line opposite them.
• If the defender – Player B – wins possession, they must A
B
also try and stop the ball on the opposite line.
• If the ball goes out of play, the game can restart with
players dribbling in.
• To progress the practice, the defender can begin the
game by passing into the attacker before going 1v1 –
as shown in Diagram 3.
• In addition, you may look to adapt the pitch shape 2
and size to provide different challenges for both the
attacker and defender.
• To add competition to the game, keep score and play
first to five, for example.

B A

B A

AGE PHASE: U8-U11

1v1 LINE BALL INDIVIDUAL DEFENDING TECHNIQUE

COACHING DETAIL: COACHING DETAIL:

TECHNICAL DEFENSIVE TRANSITION
APPROACH PRESS
• The defender should angle their approach based on the • Once the attacker has lost possession of the ball, they
position of the attacker on the pitch. should look to regain the ball immediately by pressing
• For example, if the attacker is travelling with the ball on their opponent as quickly as possible.
their right foot on the left side of the pitch, this may be
an opportunity for the defender to force the attacker DROP
outside and win possession. • If they cannot win the ball back immediately, they
should drop and recover back behind the ball to delay
POSITIONING the attack.
• Encourage the defender to position themselves an
arm’s length away from the ball when defending, and to
try to force the attacker to the outside of the pitch.

USE OF BODY
• Encourage defenders to use their arm and hip to help
them to win possession of the ball before coming away
with it and attempting to attack themselves.

COACHING DETAIL:
ATTACKING TRANSITION
SPEED OF ATTACK
• Once the defender has won possession of the ball,
encourage them to attack quickly at speed to begin
a counter-attack.
• This will give the attacker, who is now the defender, less
time to recover after losing the ball.

AGE PHASE: U8-U11

KING OF THE COURT INDIVIDUAL DEFENDING TECHNIQUE
A

FUNCTION 1

• This game should be organised on a 40m x 30m pitch.

Split the pitch in half and position one goal in each half, B
at opposite ends – as shown in Diagram 1.
• There should be a goalkeeper in each goal, plus a
defender (Player B) in front of them. One attacker
(Player A) should start next to the goal on the other
side of the pitch from which they will attack.
• Both attackers should try and dribble to beat their
defender before scoring. If they score, they stay on and
move around to the next pitch. B
• If the defender wins possession, they must travel with
the ball off the pitch – as shown in Diagram 2.
• Each time the defender wins the game, they swap roles
with the attacker.
• Encourage defenders to focus on their individual A
defending technique throughout.

Practice continues on the next page...

2

A
B

AGE PHASE: U8-U11

KING OF THE COURT INDIVIDUAL DEFENDING TECHNIQUE

DEVELOPING THE PRACTICE

• To progress the practice, allow more than one attacker 3
to go at a time – as shown in Diagram 3. The attackers
can work together to try to beat the defender and
B
score.
• If the defender wins possession, they then swap with
A
the player who they stole the ball from. That attacker
then becomes a defender and faces the 1v2 situation. A

B
A

AGE PHASE: U8-U11

KING OF THE COURT INDIVIDUAL DEFENDING TECHNIQUE

COACHING DETAIL: COACHING DETAIL:

TECHNICAL DEFENSIVE TRANSITION
APPROACH PRESS
• The defender should angle their approach based on the • Once the attacker has lost possession of the ball, they
position of the attacker on the pitch. should look to regain the ball immediately by pressing
• For example, if the attacker is travelling with the ball on their opponent as quickly as possible.
their right foot on the left side of the pitch, this may be
an opportunity for the defender to force the attacker DROP
outside and win possession. • If they cannot win the ball back immediately, they
should drop and recover back behind the ball to delay
POSITIONING the attack.
• Encourage the defender to position themselves an
arm’s length away from the ball when defending, and to
try to force the attacker to the outside of the pitch.

USE OF BODY
• Encourage defenders to use their arm and hip to help
them to win possession of the ball before coming away
with it and attempting to attack themselves.

COACHING DETAIL:
ATTACKING TRANSITION
SPEED OF ATTACK
• Once the defender has won possession of the ball,
encourage them to attack quickly at speed to begin
a counter-attack.
• This will give the attacker, who is now the defender, less
time to recover after losing the ball.

AGE PHASE: U8-U11

1v1 WINNERS MOVE UP INDIVIDUAL DEFENDING TECHNIQUE

FUNCTION
1 2
• Set up four 25m x 15m areas with a goal at either end
of each pitch. If you do not have enough goals, you can
use cones or a zone instead. Give each pitch a number,
as shown in the diagram.
A B
• Players must try and score in the opposition goal. If
A
the ball goes out of play, the opponent should dribble in B
to restart.
• Games should be three minutes long. At the end of
each game, the winner from each game moves up to a
higher-numbered pitch while the loser moves down.
• The winner on Pitch 1 always stays there, as does the
loser on Pitch 4.
• At the end of the working block, the winner in the final
game on Pitch 1 is named the overall winner.

INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGES
• The coach gives the players individual challenges that
A
can be focused on during the game. Examples of these B
could be as follows:
A
B
In possession
• Show your must exciting skills.
• Keep the ball on the foot furthest from the defender. 3 4
How can you hide the ball from your opponent?
• Try to use speed when you have space in front of you.

Out of possession
• Don’t let your opponent play forwards.
• Recognise when to press and when to drop.
• Slow down on your approach to your opponent
when defending.

AGE PHASE: U8-U11