Choose the defensive priority
Separate the immediate aim from the overall outcome. In one practice the defender may need to slow an attack; in another the focus may be winning the ball with support nearby. Dortmund React & 1v1 and City 2v1 Overlap to Finish present different numerical situations. Read their instructions before deciding which defensive behaviour to emphasise.
Give attackers a useful challenge
Explain how attackers score or reach their target, where they begin and when support can enter. Those conditions give defenders information to respond to. If the attack always follows a fixed route, consider whether that is intentional rehearsal or whether you need an opposed decision. Do not change the attacking rules so often that defenders cannot recognise the original problem.
Watch relationships between players
Look at the nearest defender, the next supporting defender and the space they are protecting. Ask what each player can see and what happens if the first defender is beaten. In pressing or recovery activities, observe the starting trigger and the route back into the action. Feedback is easier to use when it describes a specific moment rather than a general demand to work harder.
Include what happens after the regain
Check whether winning possession ends the repetition or starts another phase. A clear next action gives defenders a reason to look up and support each other once the ball changes hands. This collection also includes possession and attacking practices with a defensive focus. Use their categories, opposition and coaching points to select the right role for your session, and rotate players deliberately.
