Partial 11v11: attack, lose, counter-press
Eight players, two of them centre-backs as rest defence, attack a back four, two midfielders and a goalkeeper, who counter through gates at halfway.
Rules
- Two-thirds of the pitch; attacks start from halfway
- Attacking side's centre-backs stay in a rest-defence zone up to about 15 m behind halfway
- Defenders counter by dribbling through one of three 4 m gates on halfway
- Regain within 6 s followed by a goal counts double
- 2 min active rest (passing in pairs); rotate the front six
To make it harder
- Add a defending-side forward waiting at halfway, creating a 2v1 against the rest defence
- Replace the gates with a full-size goal and goalkeeper
Coaching points
- Rest-defence centre-backs stay narrow and step up as the attack advances
- Three nearest players close the ball from different angles; far players narrow to cut the switch
- Countering team looks forward to a gate first, then chooses carry or pass
Common mistakes
- Attacking with everyone high and wide, leaving nobody near the ball when it is lost
From the session “Transition Drills for U14–U15: Counter-Press and Counter-Attack”
Read the full session →
First pressing on a trigger
Coordinated high press
2v2 pressure and cover