Defending

Our defending training plans from professional managers cover every aspect of team and individual defending. You can use the filters below or click on these links to find sessions on defensive shape, pressing, setting a block, defending in the area and many more besides.

Christopher Evans

Compact defending

This session is all about learning how to defend in our own half, while tactically forcing the opposition into wide areas and encouraging crosses, whi...

Graham Alexander

Defending in the final third

This session is all about defending in the final third. It’s a practice that we use regularly as it replicates situations that defenders face in gam...

Graham Potter

Defending in a mid block

This session is all about defending in a mid block and making a team hard to play through. It will teach players to work as a block and it will help t...

Stephen Constantine

Defending crosses

This session is designed to rehearse players in defending against different types of cross from a variety of positions on the pitch, so we set things ...

Gary Rowett

Defending the danger zone

This session is designed to work on defending in the ‘danger zone’, but it also works on attacking in the danger zone too. Studies have shown that...

Phil Brown

Diagonal balls and regains

This session looks at the use of diagonal balls from defenders and midfield players into wide and attacking players, and is designed to isolate oppone...

Nigel Adkins

Defending crosses

This session enables defenders to learn how to best to repel a number of different crosses into the box. We test defensive strength against four diffe...

Graham Westley

Defending set plays

A high percentage of goals are scored from set plays. For that reason, it is vitally important to create a skill set in players which maximises set pl...

Neil Ardley

Defending principles in units

This session is about working with team mates to stop opposition teams playing beyond you, by simple balance and communication that can be taken into ...

Joe Dunne

Defending the phases from crosses

This session helps players improve their ability to defend the first ball into the box, then subsequent phases of crosses. The word ‘phases’ is u...

David Kemp

Defensive headers

This session examines the skill and art of defensive headers. It’s a simple exercise, but practice makes permanent. It’s my belief that this sort...

Tony Mowbray

Defending the box

QUESTION My defenders tend to panic when winning the ball in defence and punt the ball out, only for it to come straight back. How can I get them to ...

Lee Carsley

Pressing within a shape

Pressing within a shape is a vital part of any team’s set-up. It ensures strength, control and organisation, and provides a crucial element to any s...

Kevin Blackwell

Pressing as a unit

This session is used throughout the season, particularly when there is a rest from the intense fixture schedule. It’s great for enabling players to ...

Russell Martin

Pressing as a unit

This session is all about recognising when to press as a unit in the middle and final third of the pitch. It is a quick and high-tempo session that pl...

I would recommend it to any coach

Roy Hodgson

1 2 3 … 7 Next »

Defending

Christopher Evans

Compact defending

Graham Alexander

Defending in the final third

Graham Potter

Defending in a mid block

Stephen Constantine

Defending crosses

Gary Rowett

Defending the danger zone

Phil Brown

Diagonal balls and regains

Nigel Adkins

Defending crosses

Graham Westley

Defending set plays

Neil Ardley

Defending principles in units

Joe Dunne

Defending the phases from crosses

David Kemp

Defensive headers

Tony Mowbray

Defending the box

Lee Carsley

Pressing within a shape

Kevin Blackwell

Pressing as a unit

Russell Martin

Pressing as a unit

ELITE SOCCER

More from us

QUICK LINKS