Man-Marking - Communicate, take responsibility and pick them up!

This week we look at the Man-Marking system of defence, where your players pick up and take responsibility for their opposite number and aim to pressure and rush them at all times - giving your opponent very little time on the ball, forcing the error and winning your side possession. Read on to learn more!

A well drilled side where everyone knows what they're doing on the field is incredibly hard to break through. In this defensive system players start by marking their opposite number but in the case of the opposition switching or overlapping players should pass their man on - ensuring your side maintains their defensive shape and don't get pulled out of position.

Communication is the running theme throughout this session - just as they should be doing during a real game your players should be talking throughout the entirety of this session. If your back line is full of talkers no player should ever be in doubt as to what's going on.

To get your team defending as a well drilled unit we start this week's session with a couple of games of touch and an alignment running drill - encouraging communication throughout your squad before progressing into some tackling exercises - finishing with a man-on-man conditioned defending game.