What good is a soccer team with out an effective defense? The answer is pretty obvious, without a good defense your team is going to fall apart, so you need to make sure that you players are aware and able to play effectively on defense, and these drill s will teach them how. By using these drills you will improve a soccer teams defense, footwork, and overall skill in soccer.
Stick em’: This drill involves a narrow field and two players, one for offense and one defender. The field should only allow minimal movement from side to side, and the point is for the defender to take the ball away from the offensive player. The player on offense starts with the ball and tries to get past the defender. The defender must move with the offense trying to not only block his pass through the narrow field, but also to kick the ball away from the offense in any way possible. This drill teaches a defender to stick with an opponent and to use any means necessary to take the ball away.
Two on Two: This drill involves a half field and uses two offense and two defense. This drill is played much like Monkey in the Middle where the offense has a ball and the two defenders have the objective of trying to take the ball away. This drill can be used in a variety of way, but usually just goes on until the coach calls time or the defense has possession of the ball. This drill teaches teamwork on defense and will allow your players to work in a wider area for a longer amount of time.