IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
LMAAMBASSADOR Iain Dowie
Back four under- standing
This overview session is about the responsibilities of the back four, and how they use distance, movement and angles in order to produce a formidable defensive unit.
This is an important session for improving confidence, because a proficient defensive base acts as a springboard for the whole team, not least in a side’s ability to counter-attack well.
More and more in the Premier League, successful sides are shown to be the ones able to break forward from defence at pace, but a solid backline must be established first.
BACK FOUR UNDERSTANDING
SET-UP AREA
40x30 yards EQUIPMENT
Balls, goals, poles NUMBER OF PLAYERS 12 (8 reds, 4 whites)
What do I get the players to do?
Across three channels of 10 yards, two lines of four reds sandwich a line of white defenders. The ball starts with a red; his team’s aim is to thread a pass through the line of white players to a fellow red.
To prevent that happening, the whites must retain solid defensive shape at all times, using a blocking player. This member of the back four steps forward whenever his opposite number is in possession of the ball. The blocking player’s team-mates move in to cover the line of possible through- passes to the other bank of four reds.
“Successful sides are the ones able to break forward from defence at pace, but a solid backline must be established first.”
The blocking player must not chase the ball, and if it gets switched to a different red, he drops back and lets another designated team- mate step forward.
If a ball makes it to the other bank of reds, defenders turn and repeat the task.
What are the key things to look for technically/ tactically?
The defensive line never chases the ball, but must ‘recover on the diagonal’ – in effect, moving towards the
68 Elite Soccer: The Collectors’ Series Volume 1 KEY
Ball movement
Player movement
Dribble
As the ball is moved along the line, the back four work as one to block the lead attacker and his passing lines
1
2 KEY
Ball movement
Player movement
Dribble
Attackers play a quick pass, missing out a man and releasing a ball down the channel
3 KEY
Ball movement
Player movement
Dribble
Defenders turn and react well to an attempted through-pass
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