Overload

1v1 RECOVERY RUNS AND FINISHING

We set up in one half of the pitch. We place players in two groups on either side of the goals. A player will dribble to get past the gate in the middle [1a] and look to score against the goalkeeper. As soon as they shoot, a player from the opposite line will start dribbling to get through the gate the other way [1b] and finish before the first player manages to get back in to block their shot or take the ball off them [1c]. It is a continuous drill until the coach stops it. We run it for two reps of four minutes.

In the second round we change the side of approach to the gate.

[1a]

1. Red player dribbles through gate in the middle

[1b]

1. Red player shoots at goal

2. Blue player begins to dribble towards the gate

[1c]

1. Blue player seeks to shoot before red player runs back to intercept or block

1v0 TO 3v2 TO 1v0 

We set up in a space that is a narrow double penalty box pitch. We will start by having a player dribble and finish quickly against the keeper [2a]. As soon as they are done, another attacker with the ball and a defender join, and they look to finish in a 2v1 situation on the opposite goal [2b]. Then another pair join to make it 3v2 [2c].

[2a]

1. Blue starting player dribbles and looks to finish quickly

[2b]

1. Another blue attacker joins, plus a red defender, creating 2v1

2. Blues attack opposite goal

[2c]

1. Another blue attacker joins, plus another red defender, creating 3v2

2. Blues attack opposite goal

The first attacker and the first defender leave the pitch to make it 2v1 again [2d] and we finish with another 1v1 with the keeper [2e]. The players rotate so they go through all the starting positions and all the situations. We limit the time of attacks so we make sure to keep the intensity high at all times. We will run this game for 15 minutes.

[2d]

1. First blue player and first red player both leave the pitch, creating a 2v1 again

[2e]

1. Next blue player leaves, creating 1v1 again

TRANSITION

We set up on half of the pitch. Starting with a 4v2 box close to the halfway line, when the two players in the middle gain possession [3a] they will look to join their two forwards and finish. One of the players in possession in the box will transition to defence and join their two team-mates who were marking the two opposition attackers, thus making it a 4v3 situation [3b]. We limit the time of attacks to make sure the intensity stays high at all times.

Players can be in their set positions or rotate, depending on our goals for the session. 

We can change the positions of boxes to be central, or on the sides. Also the strikers can have a different set-up. They can start as two up front, or one striker and one winger. 

We will run this drill for 20 minutes.

[3a]

1. Red players in the box by the halfway line look to keep possession
2. Blue players press

[3b]

1. When blue players win the ball, they join their team-mates to forge an attack
2. One red player also joins to create a 4v3
3. Blues look to shoot on goal

5v5

We set up in half of the pitch. This is a 5v5 game where we look to create overloads [4a]. Every time a play finishes, we ask for the player who took the shot from the in-possession team to make a run around one of the corner flags, and a coach quickly gets another ball to the opposition team so they then have a short overload to try and use quickly [4b]. We can intensify the overloads at times by having players make the flag runs every time they lose possession. Goals are rewarded with no runs
to be made. We run this game for four reps of four minutes.

[4a]

1. Blues are in possession
2. Blues take a shot at goal
3. Goalkeeper saves

[4b]

1. Player from blue team runs round corner flag
2. Coach puts another ball into play
3. The red team have an overload