Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending against the Overload - Out of Possession

Defending against the Overload - Out of Possession

Welsh principles of play:

Understand when and how to deal with numerical advantages the opposition have.

Organisation:

Block 1 GP - A Beyaz

Block 2 GP - T Lee

Wave type game

In Possession (Blue):

• The blue team predominantly is an attacking team.

Out of Possession (Red):

• Red team defending out of possession.

• The game starts when the coach/ player feeds the ball to the Red team.
• Red attacks Blue goal and must get shot off.
• Blue team are then fed a ball and 2 Blue attacks Red goal, creating 1 Red v 2 Blue, 2 Red v 3 Blue, 3 Red v 4 Blue. 
• Once completed the cycle is repeated. 
• Players must rotate their starting positions. 

Equipment and layout:

• 30 x 25 area
• Can have 2 drills running at the same time or two teams on the sidelines that can swap in and out after each cycle.
• 12 - 16 players (each cycle needs 1 Red GK, 1 Blue GK, 3 Red v 4 Blue).
• Balls which will be with the coach on the outside area. 
• 1 Full size goal (Reds)
• 2 x small goals (Blues)
• Blue team in possession attacking Red goal.
• Red team out of possession attacking 2 Red goals.
• 2 x 4 Mins + 2 min intervention.
• 2 GK, 1 v GK, 1 v 2, 2 v 3, 3 v 4.

1 v 2

• Find the spare player
• Exploit the numerical advantage (when & how)
• Make the pitch big - Width and Depth in the attack.
• Fast passes and forward movement to create 2 v 1 or 3 v 2.
• Commit the opponent.
• Overlap/ Underlap
• Weight & accuracy of final pass - can the player finish shooting 1st time?
• Player movement to create the overload.
• Interchange positions (rotate)
• Ball speed.

Out of possession:

• Press quickly - prevent forward passed/ block passing lanes.
• Protect the middle/ central area - stay narrow and compact
• Leave the furthest player. 
• Protect against split passes/ blocking passing lanes.
• Stay narrow & compact/ protects space behind. 

Physical considerations - a 1-minute break between blocks for interventions and to also allow for recovery before progressing.

Psychological - conditions, challenges, and targets make players think and problem solve (Guided discovery, trial & error). Scoring systems make players think about the best movements.

Social-team discussions, questions, and answers between players and coaches. Coach-athlete relationship allowing for involvement in decisions. 

2 v 3

2 (Red) v 3 (Blue)

Red in possession of the ball, looking to drive towards one of the two smaller goals.

Blue looking to track back into space behind, protecting the central/ middle area. 

Looking to defend by staying Narrow and compact, pushing the Reds to the wider areas.

3 v 4

3 (Red) v 4 (Blue)

Blue and red both have a player looking to make a run onto the pitch area, to become involved in the practice. 

Blue and Red both need to look at getting into defensive or attacking positions.

Red is looking to put early pressure on the blues who have possession of the ball.

Blue is looking to create a body shape and movement to allow for them to create possession, creating overlaps and underlaps, looking at breaking passing lines by creating split passes. 

3 v 4

Blues have created an opportunity to create and break passing lines here, where they have the opportunity to play the ball to the furthest player who can then create a clear goal-scoring opportunity. 

This drill is then repeated.