How to defend between the Lines with a Competitive Soccer Drill

Defending is a fundamental aspect of football, crucial for a team’s success. It involves strategies and tactics aimed at preventing the opposing team from scoring goals. . Teams use different tactics to do this. One strategy is to prevent the opponents from playing between the lines and break vertically the defensive block. Football Coaching is all about helping the players find the best solutions in any situation and defending against teams capable in ball possession is one of these. In this article I will present the most important key points to take into consideration when defending between the lines and also I will show a soccer drill on how to train it.

The defending team in situations where the opponents wish to progress forward in a vertical way, needs to defend between the lines. That means positioning players smartly to block passes and make it hard for the other team to move forward or to get out of the structure and aggressively press and attacker who receives a pass between the lines. This tactic needs teamwork, quick thinking, anticipation and fast players in the first 5-6 meters. Implementing a methodology to train defending between the lines, even with a simple soccer drill, it’s mandatory to start from the football academies and in youth soccer or even grassroots.

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Understanding Defensive Lines

When we talk about defensive lines in football, we’re essentially referring to how teams organize their players on the field to counter the opposition’s attacks. This organization is crucial for facing the opponent’s attempts to score goals and maintaining control over the game. Essentially, defensive lines encompass the positioning of players in different lines, the defensive, midfield and attacking one.

In football, teams have the flexibility to adopt various defensive formations based on their tactical preferences and the strengths of their players. Some common defensive formations include the classic 4-4-2, the versatile 3-5-2, or the dynamic 4-3-3. Each of these formations comes with its own set of tactical weaknesses and strengths, dictating how players position themselves on the field and how they collaborate defensively to nullify the opposition’s attacks. Using a positional, tactical focus soccer drill is essential to train basic fundamental principles.

What is Defending Between the Lines?

Defending between the lines involves the behavior of defenders regarding their positioning and readiness to press players who receive passes in the gaps between defensive lines. Before executing this defensive tactic, the team must establish a cohesive defensive block with optimal distances between the lines and the players. This arrangement aims to minimize spaces for the opposition to exploit while ensuring that the defensive line doesn’t retreat too far, thus leaving gaps for the opponents to exploit or allowing them to push high up the pitch.

In the context of modern football, characterized by an emphasis on possession-based strategies, the importance of defending between the lines cannot be overstated. This defensive approach plays a pivotal role in disrupting the flow and rhythm of the opponent’s possession game. By strategically positioning defenders to intercept passes and block passing lanes between the opposition’s midfield and defensive lines but also tightly press any ball receiver in these spaces, teams can effectively stifle the opponent’s buildup play. This behavior not only disrupts the opponent’s rhythm but also creates opportunities for regaining control of the soccer ball, initiating counter-attacks, and transitioning from defense to attack.

Key Tactics for Defending Between the Lines

• Pressing and Cutting Passing Lanes: Implementing effective pressing tactics not only applies immediate pressure on the opponent but also disrupts their decision-making process, often leading to rushed or inaccurate passes. By actively pressing the opposition players, defenders can force them into making hurried decisions, increasing the likelihood of turnovers and regaining possession. Simultaneously, cutting passing lanes involves strategically positioning defenders to block or intercept potential passing routes. This limits the options available to the opposition, forcing them to either play risky passes or resort to safer, less progressive options, ultimately increasing the chances of defensive success.
• Maintaining Compactness and Shape: One of the fundamental principles of a well-organized defense is maintaining compactness and shape. This means ensuring that the defensive unit remains tightly knit, with minimal space between players, thereby denying the opposition the opportunity to exploit gaps in the defensive line. By maintaining compactness, defenders can effectively close down space, restrict passing lanes, and limit the opponent’s ability to create goal-scoring opportunities. Furthermore, maintaining a cohesive defensive shape enables defenders to anticipate each other’s movements, provide cover, and support one another in challenging situations, thereby enhancing the overall defensive solidity of the team.
• Individual Marking and Awareness: Effective defending also relies on the ability of individual defenders to mark their opponents tightly and maintain awareness of their surroundings. Individual marking involves closely tracking the movements of opposing players, denying them space, and preventing them from receiving or making dangerous passes. Additionally, defenders must possess situational awareness, constantly scanning the field to anticipate potential threats, such as runs behind the defensive line or attempted through balls. By remaining alert and proactive, defenders can intercept passes, make timely tackles, and neutralize opposition attacks before they pose a significant threat to the team’s defensive structure.

In the situation described, it’s when the ball is under pressure and a long pass isn’t viable. In such instances, the defensive back line can advance forward to narrow the gaps between the lines and stay near potential receivers.

The center back passes the ball to his teammate, freeing the ball. The defensive line takes a few steps back (not too many) to prepare to defend the dangerous space behind them.

A pass between the lines should only be tightly pressed if there is an advantage at the back, and the gaps left behind can be covered.

Training Methods for Enhancing Defending Between the Lines

• Drills for Positioning and Decision Making: Training drills focused on positioning and decision-making help defenders comprehend their roles and responsibilities when defending between the lines. A soccer drill positioned in specific areas on the pitch, where the soccer coach aims to enhance the team’s performance, and placing players in their regular positions, can offer the team valuable visual feedback. This helps the development of habits that enable the effective execution of “defending between the lines”.
• Improving Communication among Defenders: Enhancing communication among defenders is essential for fostering cohesive defensive play and facilitating effective teamwork on the field. Clear and concise communication enables defenders to coordinate their movements seamlessly, ensuring that they are well-positioned to anticipate and react to the opposition’s attacks. By communicating effectively, defenders can transfer and utilize important information such as marking assignments, tracking the movement of opposing players, and alerting teammates to potential threats or opportunities. This communication allows defenders to operate as a cohesive unit, covering for each other, providing support, and making timely interceptions to thwart the opponent’s advances.

Challenges and Common Mistakes in Implementing this Defensive Strategy

• Overcommitting and Leaving Gaps: Overcommitting to tackles or pressing can leave vulnerabilities in the defensive line, creating spaces that skilled opponents can exploit with swift passes and agile movements. When defenders commit too aggressively to challenges or pressing, they risk being bypassed by opponents, leaving gaps in the defense that can be exploited for scoring opportunities.
• Lack of Coordination and Communication: Inadequate coordination and communication among defenders can lead to disorganization and confusion within the defensive block, resulting in gaps that the opposition can exploit to penetrate the defensive lines. When defenders fail to communicate effectively with each other, they may neglect their defensive responsibilities or duplicate efforts, leaving gaps in coverage and allowing opponents to capitalize on defensive lapses.
• Dealing with Dynamic and Creative Opponents: Dynamic and creative opponents present unique challenges for defenders, as they possess the ability to disrupt traditional defensive structures with their unpredictable movements and inventive passing combinations. These opponents can overcome markers, exploit spaces, and create scoring opportunities through their creativity and improvisation on the field. Defenders must adapt their defensive tactics to counteract the creativity of such opponents, employing strategies such as zonal marking, man-to-man coverage, and proactive pressing to limit their time and space on the ball. Additionally, defenders must remain alert and responsive to the movements of dynamic opponents, anticipating their next actions and adjusting their positioning accordingly to minimize the threat posed by their attacking maneuvers.

Below is a positional soccer drill directly from Coach’s Corner. If you found it helpful, don’t hesitate to explore further.

There are many more soccer drills available to assist you in training your team, starting from the basics and progressing to more specific tactical topics.

Positional Game – 6 v 4 + 4 neutrals soccer drill

Description: We will play a 6 v 4 + 4 neutral players soccer drill. The attackers must move the ball from one side to the other side and complete another one pass to score a goal. The defenders must recover the ball and complete 4 passes to score a point.

Space: 40m x 40m with a zone inside 40m x 4 m

Rules:

• The outside neutrals cannot pass the ball between them
• The defenders can enter the yellow zone to press but cannot stay there
• A long ball from outside attackers to outside attackers is allowed
• Defenders: 1 point for every recovery and completion of 4 passes
• Attackers: 1 point for transferring the ball to the other side

Key points:

• Identify when to press forward and when to be ready to drop back for a long ball
• Communication to coordinate pressure

Conclusion

Defending between the lines in football is a sophisticated strategy that requires a combination of tactical understanding, individual skill, and teamwork. By effectively positioning defenders to intercept passes and disrupt opposition play, teams can gain a competitive advantage and control the flow of the game. Using the soccer drill presented in this article, can help the football coach to train the fundamentals of defending between the lines.

P.S: If you liked this great soccer drill, check out the Coach’s Corner, the coach personal drill’s book! If you want to find a defending drill, shooting drill, conditioning drills, passing drills, a full training session, a soccer warm up, exercises to train soccer formations, a detailed attacking coaching session, a practice to train left foot or right foot, a soccer game to train dribbling skills, this is the best choice.