Gafferbook
Defending ยท U11 to adult

Defending crosses in the box

Wide players cross from both sides while two or three defenders and the keeper deal with two attackers in the box. Teaches body position, marking and clearing wide.

U11 to adultAges
8 to 12 plus a keeperPlayers
Penalty area and wide channelsArea
15 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

  • Crossers in both wide channels, two attackers and three defenders in the box, keeper in goal.

Equipment: Balls, goal, cones, bibs

How it works

  1. Crosses come alternately from each side.
  2. Attackers score; defenders clear past a line 20 m out for a point.
  3. Rotate crossers and defenders.

Coaching points

  • See the ball and your player at the same time: open body.
  • Attack the ball, head or clear it high, wide and far.
  • Keeper: shout early, 'keeper' or 'away'.

Formations this drill suits

3-3-2 (9v9) drills3-2-3 (9v9) drills2-4-2 (9v9) drills3-4-1 (9v9) drills4-3-3 (11v11) drills3-5-2 (11v11) drills4-4-2 (11v11) drills4-2-3-1 (11v11) drills3-4-3 (11v11) drills

Add this drill to a session plan โ†’

Make it easier

  • Crosses thrown in by hand

Make it harder

  • Three attackers
  • Crosses from a moving winger

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

Questions about this drill?

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More defending drills

1v1 defending: show them outside

The defender passes to the attacker, closes them down and shows them towards the touchline, away from goal. Teaches the approach, the side-on stance and patience.

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2v2 cover and balance

Two defenders against two attackers. One presses the ball, the other covers behind at an angle, and they swap jobs every time the ball moves.

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Back line shifting with the ball

Four (or three) defenders stay connected and shift across as the attackers move the ball across the pitch, before the attackers try to play through. Works for a back four or a back three.

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Recovery runs: get goal-side

The attacker gets a head start and the defender must recover goal-side before they can shoot. Teaches the sprint back that turns a chance into a tackle.

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Jockeying in pairs

The attacker dribbles slowly from side to side down a channel and the defender jockeys backwards, staying side-on and close. Builds the footwork for 1v1 defending without the pressure of a tackle.

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Defend the gates (3v3)

Attackers score by dribbling through one of three gates on the end line; defenders must work together to protect them. Teaches pressure, cover and balance as a unit of three.

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