Marking session: marking attacking players

SESSION

England Football Learning

2 mins - Apr 8, 2024

This session will help players:

mark in a variety of situations
work with teammates to limit space
understand when to make a challenge.

If you like this idea, download the session plan and give it a go. And don't forget to share your experience on the England Football Community. We'd love to know how you got on.

Session setup

Set up two rectangular pitches. Have a marked-out end zone and a mini goal at one end of both pitches. Our example uses pitches of 10x20 yards and six players.

Marking attacking players

Split your players into groups of three. Have one defender and two attackers on each pitch. One attacker starts with the ball outside the box opposite the mini-goal. They pass to their teammate inside the area, creating a 1v1 situation. The defender's job is to force the attacker away from the goal.
Progress the session by moving to one pitch of 15x30 yards and having a 2v2. There will be an end zone with a mini-goal at either end of the pitch. A section of all four corners will be marked out to tighten the area of play.
The coach starts by playing the ball into one of the teams. The attacker aims to move the ball into the end zone before scoring in the mini-goal. The defending team aims to win the ball and score in the opposition’s mini-goal.

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Tactics board

Looking for a bit more detail? Check out Joe’s tactics board video for this session.

Coaching tips

In the 2v2, the first defender should look to mark the player who has just received the ball. If the ball is played across, the second defender aims to cover the other opposition player.

Try getting the attackers to start in a wider position. This will provide a different situation for the defenders to attempt.

Try adjusting the space of your area using the STEP framework (Youth Sports Trust, 2002). Using a range of tight and wide spaces will help your players adjust for real game scenarios.

Ensure you get your players to think about scanning all over the pitch. It's important they’re aware of where the ball and players are. Effective scanning will help players move effectively and position themselves correctly.

Have your players consider when to time their runs to close down and put pressure on the ball.

Encourage your players, especially the defenders, to focus on verbal and non-verbal communication.