Tactics / Out of possession
Delay, cover, balance
Three jobs when defending: the nearest player slows the attacker down, the next one covers behind, and the far one balances across.
Why it works
A defender who dives in alone is easy to beat. With cover behind, the first defender can be braver. With balance on the far side, a pass across doesn't find a free runner.
What players do
- First defender: close down quickly, then slow down. Stay on your feet.
- Second defender: a few metres behind, at an angle, close enough to help.
- Third defender: tucked in on the far side, watching the runner.
With young players
This is defending in its simplest form. Start with the 1v1 "defend the gate", then 2v2.
Drawn on a 105 × 68 m pitch. Orange attacks left to right; numbers are the usual shirt numbers for each position.