Week 21

Outcomes

• ✓Players can identify their role (zonal post, zonal area, or man marker) within the team's corner defensive system
• ✓Players can time a zonal jump to win headers in their designated area
• ✓Players can communicate assignments before the ball is delivered
• ✓Players can transition from a defensive set-piece to a counter-attack within 3 seconds of clearing

Equipment

• 20 cones
• 6 flat markers
• 6 bibs (2 colours)
• 6 balls
• 2 full-size goals

Run of show

1. 1. Activation & 11+ Warm-Up

   15m

   Set up: Full team in the penalty area. Groups of 3, one ball per group.

   How to run it: Heading warm-up: light volleys and headers in the box, building height and pace over 5 minutes. Add 11+ strength: hamstring curls (partner holds ankles), Copenhagen side plank 15 seconds each side, lateral hops. Finish with two 20-yd sprint-and-brake exercises simulating a set-piece break.

   • ›Attack the ball in the air – jump into the header, do not wait for it to arrive
   • ›Side plank: body in a straight line from head to heel

2. 2. Technical/Functional Practice – Zonal Corner System Walk-Through

   15m

   Set up: Full penalty area. 11 defenders set up in the team's corner defensive shape (2 on posts, 4 zonal in the 6-yard box and near post, 3 man-marking late runners, 2 on the edge of the box). Coach or player delivers corners.

   How to run it: Walk through the corner system at 50% speed first: each player knows their exact starting position and their run assignment. Then deliver 5 corners at match pace, with coach freeze-framing after the first two to correct positioning. Players swap assignments after each set of 5 to learn all roles.

   • ›Post players do not leave their post until the ball is clearly gone from the danger zone
   • ›Zonal players step forward to meet the ball – never wait on the back foot
   • ›Man markers must be goal-side of their runner before the delivery
   • ›On clearance: two players immediately look to transition forward, others hold shape briefly

3. 3. Skill/Phase Game – Corner Defend and Counter

   15m

   Set up: Full goal area. 7 attackers take corners against 11 defenders. After each defensive clearance, two nominated defenders sprint to a cone 30 yds away to receive an outlet pass.

   How to run it: Deliver 8 corners. Defending team earns 2 points for every headed clearance over 15 yds, and 3 points for successfully playing the outlet pass to the two sprinting targets. Attacking team earns 2 points for each goal or shot on target. Encourages clean clearances over panic headers.

   • ›Call the clear: 'keeper's!' or 'away!' before the header
   • ›Clearance should go wide or long – not across the face of goal
   • ›Outlet players call for the ball immediately after the clearance – do not wait for eye contact

4. 4. Conditioned Tactical Game – Set-Piece Transition 9v9

   20m

   Set up: Full pitch. 9v9 with goalkeepers. Teams alternate attacking corners every 3 minutes.

   How to run it: Teams take corners alternately. After each corner sequence (regardless of outcome), the team that was defending immediately transitions to attack with the ball from their GK or a nominated player. Attacking team must also transition from their corner into a pressing shape. Coach awards a bonus point for each successful counter-attack finishing with a shot within 8 seconds of a cleared corner.

   • ›The moment the corner is cleared, the GK should look to distribute to a wide or central target immediately
   • ›Do not lose all shape attacking a corner – leave two recovery players at the halfway line
   • ›Transition from set-piece defending is often the fastest transition opportunity in a match

5. 5. Scrimmage

   15m

   Set up: Full pitch 9v9 free play. Corners triggered normally by play.

   How to run it: Free scrimmage. Coach notes every corner situation and whether the defensive shape was correct. Note whether the team transitions from set pieces quickly.

   • ›Are players taking their assigned positions without being told?
   • ›Watch for zonal players back-pedalling when they should step forward

6. 6. Cool-Down & Debrief

   5m

   Set up: Players in the penalty area, walking through the zonal positions one last time at a walk.

   How to run it: Walk the corner defensive shape one final time while cooling down. Then static stretches: hamstring, calf, shoulder. Debrief: each player names their corner assignment. Coach confirms or corrects. Close: 'Our corner defence is a system – everyone must know their job before the ball is delivered.'

   • ›Check that every player can name every other player's role – this is collective defensive intelligence
   • ›Preview: next session applies set-piece defending in a wider game context with all set-pieces

Outcomes

• ✓Players can set a defensive wall of correct size and positioning within 10 seconds of a free kick being awarded
• ✓Players can man-mark runners around the wall simultaneously with wall organisation
• ✓Players can execute a rapid defensive recovery for free kicks in deeper areas where no wall is needed
• ✓Players can launch a counter-attack from a free-kick clearance within 5 seconds

Equipment

• 20 cones
• 8 bibs (2 colours)
• 6 balls
• 2 full-size goals
• 1 whiteboard

Run of show

1. 1. Activation & 11+ Warm-Up

   15m

   Set up: Full team in two lines either side of the centre circle.

   How to run it: Warm up with a free-kick readiness game: on the coach's whistle, one team must form a wall of 4 at a cone (representing the ball), and the other team must send runners around the wall. First team to set a correct wall earns a point. Rotate after 5 whistles. Add 11+ exercises: glute bridge, hip rotation, two sprint-brake sequences.

   • ›Wall must be perpendicular to the near post, not facing the ball directly
   • ›Sprint-brake: brake is as important as sprint for injury prevention – do not coast to a stop

2. 2. Technical/Functional Practice – Wall Setup & Runner Coverage

   15m

   Set up: Full pitch. Free kicks placed at 5 different positions: 25 yds central, 25 yds wide left, 30 yds wide right, 20 yds central, and 18 yds edge of box.

   How to run it: For each position, 11 defenders set up their full defensive structure: wall (size determined by position and angle), GK positioning, runner coverage, and spare player at the edge. Deliver the free kick at each position (coach or designated player). Review after each delivery. After all 5 positions, switch to quick restart scenarios: opposition plays quickly before wall is set – what is the response?

   • ›Wall size: 4-player for central direct shots, 2-player for wide angles
   • ›The GK positions to cover the far post around the wall – not directly behind it
   • ›Spare player at the edge of the wall faces outward to cover a layoff, not inward toward the ball
   • ›Quick restart response: nearest player sprints to pressure the ball immediately

3. 3. Skill/Phase Game – Free Kick Defend-and-Go 6v6

   15m

   Set up: Half-pitch. Alternating free kicks from 5 positions. 6 defenders vs. 6 attackers. After each sequence, the defending team transitions to attack via a target on the halfway line.

   How to run it: Attacking team takes each free kick. Defending team sets up correctly and defends. If they win or the shot misses, they immediately play the ball to the target player (coach) on the halfway line who plays it back into the counter-attack. Defending team earns 2 points for a clean defensive sequence and 2 more for completing the counter-attack.

   • ›The GK's hands touch every ball they can reach – do not leave saves to defenders if the keeper can get there
   • ›Counter-attack target pass must be played within 2 seconds of winning the ball
   • ›Players coming out of the wall must sprint into attack immediately – they are already ahead of the ball

4. 4. Conditioned Tactical Game – 11v11 Set-Piece Tactical Match

   20m

   Set up: Full pitch 11v11. Coach awards set pieces (corners and free kicks) at regular intervals regardless of normal game flow to get maximum reps.

   How to run it: Normal 11v11 match. Every 3 minutes, coach pauses play and awards a set piece to either team in a different position on the pitch. This gives 6–7 set-piece scenarios per half. Bonus point: any team that defends a set piece correctly and scores a counter-attack goal within 8 seconds earns triple points.

   • ›Organisation time must reduce with each repetition – aim for under 8 seconds from whistle to wall set
   • ›Watch who calls the organisation – it should be the GK and captain, consistently
   • ›After the set piece, the team must return to their game model (mid-block or press)

5. 5. Scrimmage

   15m

   Set up: Full pitch 11v11, free play.

   How to run it: Free scrimmage. Coach awards realistic set pieces when they would naturally arise from game incidents. Observe whether set-piece organisation is becoming automatic.

   • ›Are players self-organising walls without the GK telling them individually?
   • ›Note the average time to set the wall – track improvement over the session

6. 6. Cool-Down & Debrief

   5m

   Set up: Seated in the centre circle.

   How to run it: 2 minutes walking, then 3 minutes of static stretches. Debrief: coach names three free-kick positions and players collectively call the wall size and runner coverage. Close: 'Set pieces are organised chaos. Our job is to remove the chaos.'

   • ›Reinforce that set-piece organisation is a leadership moment for the GK and captain
   • ›Preview week 22: pressing in a high-press 4-3-3 system – putting it all together