U8 Practice Plan - Pressuring Defender

Set Up:

• Make fields of 20 x 10 yards. Place small goals on each endline.

• The players go 2 v 2 on the field. On balls put out of play, use a throw-in or kick-in to get ball back in (coach's choice).

• After a goal is scored, play is restarted with a goal kick

Coaching Points:

• None. Let the players play and make mistakes. Only intervene if it is taking too long to get ball back in play.

Set Up:

• Ten players are set up inside the square, three players start WITHOUT a ball.
• The players without a ball try to steal a ball from an attacker. When an attacker loses their ball, they become a defender.
• Balls kicked out of the circle remain with the attacker.
• Play for 45 seconds and stop. The three players who don’t have a ball at the end have a goofy activity to do. Examples: donkey kicks, star jumps, etc

Coaching Points:

• Patience as defender: Try and stay with an attacker and wait for them to take a poor touch before attempting a tackle.
• Tackling technique: Don’t stab at ball. Step in along side of the ball and get weight behind your tackle.

Set Up:

• Set up the game as shown with all the balls with the line behind the goal.

• The game starts with a pass from the first person in the defending line to the first person in the attacking line.

• The attacker tries to score on the small goal. If defender wins the ball, they try to dribble over attacker’s endline for a point.

• If the ball goes out of bounds or a goal is scored, the game is over and next two players start. Players switch lines after each turn.

• As soon as ball goes out, the next two have to be ready to play. Get game moving fast.

Coaching Points:

• The pressuring defender needs to approach with speed, but then slow down as they get closer so attacker isn’t able to run by them.  

• Try to make play predictable by forcing the defender one way or the other.

• Don’t dive in. An attacker will eventually make a mistake, so just keep in between him and the goal. Wait for the attacker to take a bad touch.​​​

Set Up:

• Remove the endzones in the previous game, and add two 3 yard goals on each end (field is now 31x20yds)

• Let players play 4v4, coach decides how restarts happen, depending on local rules

Coaching Points:

• None. Just let them play. However, get excited when you see a player try a try a dribbling move or attempts to get a defender off balance.

• Always highlight positives you see, but don’t stop play and don’t correct their decision making. This is their time to play how they want.