Defending As A Two

To develop the ability of two defenders to work in tandem to delay, deny, and prevent central penetration while defending a target or protected zone.

• Set up a square pitch with a central target area (e.g., cone, mannequin, etc.). • Two defenders (green) work together to prevent attackers (red) from passing through and hitting the central target. • Attackers start on the outside and move the ball around the square using supporting neutral players on each side. • Once a pass is made into a teammate near the middle, they can attempt to play into the target. • Defenders must: ◦ Shift laterally and vertically as a unit. ◦ Cut passing lanes. ◦ Close down when the ball gets close to central access. • Points awarded to attackers for successful split passes or central hits. • Rotate defenders every 60–90 seconds. Pair with the lowest amount of points conceded wins. Progression: If the defenders can win the ball either by pressing or intercepting, they get out of the middle as defenders early. Progress this to two wins.