PositioningRepresentativeTactics
Positioning to defend a corner
Fix the starting position on corner defence that gives reach to most of the goal — set-piece positioning was one of the least-covered topics and is where avoidable goals are won or lost.
Choose a session and the exercise is added to today’s plan.
Load
- minutes
- 14
- dives/set
- 1
- Sets and reps
- 3 × 4
- Intensity
- Medium
dives per set, per goalkeeper
Microcycle days it fits
MD-3, MD-2, MD-1
Each bar’s height is that day’s dive ceiling.
Setup
- Goalkeepers
- 1
- server
- 1
- outfield player
- 6
Space: 24 × 16 m
Equipment: Balls, Full goal, Bibs
The coach serves and manages the breaks.
1 steps
Corners with the marking set up. The goalkeeper starts from a position that lets them attack the central zone and the far post, adjusting to the corner type and spin.
Exercise sequence
Coaching points
- Start from a position about two-thirds across the goal, to cover the far post without uncovering the near post protected by the defender.
- Weight forward and feet alive, ready to come — never hugging the line or static.
- The read starts at the striker: spin, trajectory and the attackers’ first movements give the decision before the flight.
- The position adjusts to the corner: inswinger asks for more advanced, outswinger for deeper.
Progressions
- Position adjusted to the corner type.
- Add more attackers in the box.
Regressions
- Fixed position two-thirds across.
- Reduce the number of attackers.