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Cutting Across Defenders in Football

This document provides instructions for a soccer practice session focused on teaching players to cut across defenders when attacking. The session has players practice sprinting to beat defenders to the ball and cutting across their angle to deny tackle opportunities before shooting. Players start with individual drills against a defender and progress to small-sided scrimmages to apply the skill in game situations and focus on getting in front of defenders to score goals.

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280 views4 pages

Cutting Across Defenders in Football

This document provides instructions for a soccer practice session focused on teaching players to cut across defenders when attacking. The session has players practice sprinting to beat defenders to the ball and cutting across their angle to deny tackle opportunities before shooting. Players start with individual drills against a defender and progress to small-sided scrimmages to apply the skill in game situations and focus on getting in front of defenders to score goals.

Uploaded by

NAYIM OZNAIM
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Cutting across a defender

by Tony Carr in Attacking, Practice plans

 PRINT
 Save to My Activities

Cutting across a following defender when through on goal will increase your player’s chances of scoring as it denies the defender a
tackling opportunity.

What this session is about

1. Scoring goals.
2. Breakaway attacking.

What to think about

 The attacker must cut across the defender’s angle of recovery to put the defender behind him and make it impossible for
them to win the ball without committing a foul.
 Make sure that the attackers return balls to the coach after shooting or being tackled. Otherwise you will quickly run out of
balls and the session will grind to a halt.

Set-up

 Use attacking 1/3 of pitch.


 Divide players into two groups – attackers and defenders.
 Supply of balls.

Warm up Session Developments Game Situation Warm Down

7 minutes 15-20 minutes 20-25 minutes 15-20 minutes 7 minutes

What you get your players to do

Attacker and chasing defender stand 4-5 metres outside the “D”, with the attacker standing at a wider angle than the defender, who has
their back to goal. The coach passes the ball toward the goal, and the attacker and defender sprint toward it. The attacker must beat the
defender to the ball and cut across before shooting.

Vary the angle and weight of pass so the attacker can practice running across the defender both with the ball and before gaining
possession.
<img src="[Link]
class="aligncenter" alt="The coach plays a through ball for the attacker." />

The coach plays a through ball for the attacker.

Development

Increase the pressure by having the defender face the goal but starting on one knee to allow the attacker a slight advantage in order
that they can get in front and practice the skill.

Finally, remove all conditions on defender, although the pass should still slightly favour the attacker.
<img src="[Link]
class="aligncenter" alt="Who must cut across the defender to prevent a tackle being made." />

Who must cut across the defender to prevent a tackle being made.

Game situation

Using half a pitch, mark two lines across the width, one approx 20 yards away from goal and the second about 40 yards out. Play 4v3 in
this zone, and have a keeper in goal.

Play begins when the server passes the ball to one of the attackers, who must try to release a teammate from the central zone for a
shot on goal. Once a through pass has been made only the nearest of the 3 defenders can leave the central zone and give chase.
<img src="[Link]
class="aligncenter" alt="Take the skill into a game which focuses on getting in front of defenders." />

Take the skill into a game which focuses on getting in front of defenders.

What to call out

 “Sprint to the ball”


 “Get your body in front”
 “Now shoot”

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