Practicing Soccer Defense

Small-sided soccer varies from regulation soccer in that there are fewer than 11 players per side playing at once. While the number of active players per team varies, the reduction in players often results in a smaller field, the absence of a goalie or shorter halves. With respect to conditioning, many regulation teams engage in small-sided games in practice in order to give players more touches and looks on the field.
3 Vs. 3 Defense Passing Drill
This 3 vs. 3 drill is designed to help improve your players' abilities to intercept passes on the field. With three players on offense and three on defense, throw a ball into play to start the drill. Once a team has the ball on offense, a player has three seconds to pass the ball before you blow you whistle, resulting in a change of position. As a result, there will be numerous passes going back and forth. Instruct each player on defense to run forward and extend a leg in an effort to deflect and intercept a pass. If a pass is successfully intercepted, the team who intercepted the pass is now on offense. The team with the most interceptions in five minutes wins.
No Goalie Drill
This small-sided defensive drill tests your players' abilities to defend without the aid of the goalie. Set up two teams of five on either side of the field, removing both goalies from play. On your whistle, have the kids engage in a normal scrimmage. Due to the absence of the goalie, defenders will have to be more aggressive with their slide tackles and steals in an effort to prevent any shots on goal. Every shot on goal results in one point for the shooting team. If the team makes a goal, it get two points. Have the kids play up to 10.
War Drill
This small-sided drill emphasizes one-on-one defensive skills. Create a reduced 20- by 40-yard field with four cones. From here, place two cones on each side to indicate goals. Divide your team into two groups, assigning each player in a group a number. Have the kids stand behind the goals in a huddle. Call out a number while simultaneously rolling a ball into the center of the field. The kids in each group with the corresponding number should run to the middle to gain possession of the ball and try to score. If a player does not get to the ball first, he must play aggressive defense in an effort to steal the ball and score on the other side of the field. The team with the most goals after every number has been called wins.
Defensive Shooting Drill
This small-sided defensive drill will improve your defenders' ability to shoot and score. Create a small field (18 by 44 yards) using cones. Create a dividing line in the center of the field using additional cones. Have four defenders stand on one side while two attackers stand on the other. On your whistle, have the attackers penetrate the defense in an effort to score. While the attackers are outnumbered, the defenders cannot cross the middle line. As a result, defenders must shoot on goal from behind the line, forcing them to work on long range shots as well as their accuracy on goal.