One ball over the top should change the players’ awareness, not destroy the team’s confidence.
I’d show them the difference between a bad high line and a high line with pressure on the ball.
If the opponent has time to look up, the defenders may need to protect the space earlier. If there is good pressure, dropping ten yards creates a completely different problem for midfield.
In training, use a game with an offside line and deliberately vary how much pressure the passer has. Let the defenders decide whether to hold, step or drop.
After the mistake, I would avoid shouting “push up” repeatedly.
Ask: “What is the ball carrier able to do right now?”
At U13, rebuilding confidence comes from giving the defenders information they can trust.
The answer is not always high or always deep. It is reading the pressure together.
