Midfield Shield: Three

Set up

Field

Use a 40x30 yard area, or 30x20 for younger players.

Players

9 or more players. Play Red and White against Yellow. Use 3 Red midfielders to defend against two target teams positioned at opposite ends. Put a coach or assistant on the sideline. Shape the midfield with two defensive midfielders and one attacking midfielder to resemble a 4-3-3.

How it runs

1. 1.Play 5 minute games, then rotate roles.
2. 2.Yellow and White try to play penetrating ground passes through the grid while Red defends the middle.
3. 3.Every pass must stay on the ground.
4. 4.Target players may move sideways but cannot be tackled.
5. 5.The defending midfielders may press freely but are not allowed to tackle.

After each rep

When a penetrating pass gets through, the Red unit turns and immediately defends the target at the opposite end.

How to win

If the defenders intercept or otherwise win the ball, they earn a point by passing to the coach.