Soccer Drills: The Pressure Cover Drill

A team looking to have a strong showing on the pitch will want to have solid communication between players, a defense that won’t break down and solid ball control.

The Pressure Cover Drill helps train all three at once.

To start, place cones in a 5×5 grid on the field. This will create 16 spaces inside one large square. Each space will be occupied by a player, and they must remain in their own small square throughout the drill. These players will then be split into two teams, alternating each row with four players from the same team, including the goalies.

After the drill has been set up, a ball will be introduced to the square to get the action going. The goal of the drill is for each team to try and maintain possession of the ball while passing back and forth between rows. The opposing team will look to increase their defensive pressure to get possession of the ball.

When a player gains control of the ball, the opposing players in the squares adjacent to them must turn up the defensive pressure while their teammates drop back to cover the pass. The team that possesses the ball will need to make sure it executes accurate passes as well as solid first touches.

The Pressure Cover Drill can help players work on aspects of their offense, defense and communication in a competitive setting.

Looking for even more soccer drills? Check out all of our soccer training tips and videos.