Sharpen Your Center Back's Decision-Making | 1v1 Ball Distribution Drill

Overview

• Center backs and defenders
• Players who want to read the ball quicker and distribute more accurately
• Players who want to work on both aerial balls and playing on the ground

Objectives

• Read the height, speed, and landing spot of long balls in a split second
• Clean up your clearances by getting the positioning right
• Play calm passes on the ground even under pressure
• Get the ball moving quickly and accurately after winning it back

Setup

One center back deals with balls served in from several spots and works on clearing and distributing. It sharpens their decision-making as a defender and cleans up their distribution.

1)Use about a third of the field

2)Put one center back around the center

3)Set out a handful of cones (4–6) around the penalty area to create pressure points

4)A server (coach or field player) feeds balls in turn — long balls dropping from above, and ground passes under light pressure

5)The player deals with the aerial ball, then plays an accurate pass into a designated area

6)Run several sets, changing the ball flight each time