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Free activity · 100 Possession ActivitiesCounter From the Press
Five attackers keep the ball while five defenders press. When the pressers win it, they counter on goal inside eight seconds, and the team that lost it has five seconds to win it back. A press only pays off if you can use the ball.
Setup
A 40x25 with a goal and keeper at one end. Five attackers keep the ball in their half; five defenders press.
How it works
- When the pressers win it, they counter on the goal inside eight seconds.
- The attackers have five seconds to win it back first.
- A counter goal is two points; a successful win-back is one.
Scoring
Most points in ten minutes.
- Press to win in the areas you can counter from.
- The moment it is won: one pass forward, then support.
- Finish before they recover.
Make it easier or harder
- Progression 1: Counter inside six seconds.
- Progression 2: Attackers have two touches, so losses happen faster.
Coach’s notes
- If It Stalls: Counters breaking down? The first pass after the win must go forward.
Why it works
Pressing and countering are usually taught separately. Here they are the same move. Players start to think about where they want to win the ball, not just whether they can.
The first pass decides everything. One forward pass and support behind it, and the chance is on.
Where it sits
This is activity 94 of 100 in 100 Possession Activities (Theme 10 · Counter-Attacks and Transitions). The book is ten themes of ten rungs each, from a 3v1 square to a full 9v9 transition game, and every activity has its setup, rules, scoring, two progressions, three coaching points and an animated video like the one above.
All counter-attacking drills ›
More like this
Ages 11+ · Pressing and transitionBreak From the RondoWin the ball in the rondo and break out 4v4 to goal.
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Ages 11+ · Pressing and transitionTransition to Two GoalsSix seconds after you win it, a goal counts double.
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Ages 11+ · Pressing and transitionFast or SlowWin it high and go. Win it low and keep it. Where you win it decides the speed.
Open the activity ›All ten rungs of this theme, and nine more themes
100 Possession Activities is a 115-page PDF with 100 animated MP4 videos: rondos, playing out from the back, through the lines, support, switching, overloads, movement, timing, counter-pressing and counter-attacks. Print the page, watch the clip, run the session.