Gafferbook
Defending ยท U10 to adult

Clearances: high, far, wide

Defenders clear balls served into the box towards wide target zones. Teaches the three rules of a good clearance when there's no safe pass.

U10 to adultAges
6 to 12 plus a keeperPlayers
Penalty areaArea
10 minsTime

Your assistant coach: turn this drill into a full session, plan the weeks around it and tell me how it went.

โž• Put it in tonight's session๐Ÿ—“ Build my season around itโœ๏ธ Make my own version

Set-up

  • Servers wide and central; wide target zones by the touchlines.
  • Defenders in the box.

Equipment: Goal, cones, balls

How it works

  1. Server plays a ball into the box.
  2. Defender attacks it and clears high, far and wide (volley or half-volley; headers only for age-appropriate groups).
  3. Point for landing in a target zone.

Coaching points

  • Attack the ball, don't wait.
  • Lean back slightly to get height.
  • Aim wide, away from the middle.

Add this drill to a session plan โ†’

Make it easier

  • Rolled balls

Make it harder

  • Add a passive attacker

AttackersDefendersKeeper / neutral- - โ†’ Passโ†’ Runใ€ฐโ†’ Dribble

Questions about this drill?

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Back line shifting with the ball

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