- 1). Use 3v3 games to work on the concepts of pressure, cover and balance. Pressure is when the nearest defender to the ball applies delaying tactics in order to allow the other defenders to recover, as well as delaying the forward movement of the ball. Cover is the idea that another defender drops behind the pressuring player in case they are beaten. Balance is the idea that if the ball is central, there is cover left and right of the pressuring defender, and if the ball is on the wings, that there is coverage of the back post area.
- 2). Tie a rope around the waist of all three players in the back three. Use colored cones, three different colors, to show the positions of the ball, left, right and central. Call out a color, and have the nearest defender to that color move to the cone. The rope should then drag the other two defenders with the first defender. This shows how the back three must move as a unit. The distance between the defenders should be no more than 20 yards.
- 3). Play a 5v3 game, with one goal and counter attack targets. The five attackers attempt to shoot on the big goal, while the three defenders attempt to delay the attack and regain possession, before scoring in one of the three counter attack target goals at the halfway line.
- 4). Play 8v8 games, with the formation of the defending team being 3-3-1. This will work not only on the shape of the back three, but also by extension the shape of the midfield three, which is exactly the same as that of the defense. Divide the field into three horizontal zones in order to delineate the three lines in the formation. Coach for pressure, cover and balance in the back three
- 5). Use 11v0 shadow play to work on how the back three operates as part of the overall team shape. If possible move to 11v7 in order to apply light pressure to the defenders, and then 11v11 in order to paint the big picture and get closer to match conditions.
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