Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Attacking Overloads

Warm Up Sprints

Method: 10 Yard Sprints (5 Minutes)

Coaching Points:

• Getting the players Physically (Sprint) ready before we go into 2v1s High Intensity 2v1s
• All Players Line up in straight line 
• Coach Holds up a Red/Blue Cone
• Players Sprint to Red/Blue Cone
• After 6/8 Runs do Opposite (If Hold Up red run to Blue Etc.) 

Game - 6v6 with Overload grids (15 mins)

Game - 9 v 9 with Overload Grids Red Team 1-3-2-3 Blue Team 1-2-4-2

Duration - 20 minutes

Area Needed - L30/W25 Yards (3/10 YD Grids)

Objective - To improve our decision making in (overload) attacking scenarios out wide and ultimately Score Goals and Create more Chances in Final Third..

Method:

• Red Team 1-3-2-3 Blue Team 1-2-4-2
  
• Divide pitch into unit 3 grids - Defensive/Midfield/Attacking

Game One:

• (All in) Players Can move anywhere and score goals (Free Game) 

Game Two:

• Players Need to stay in there Grids And focus on Movement and Creating space. 

Game Three:

• Team in possession can pass into the next grid and one player can join that grid in order to create an attacking overloads

Orientation:

• Key players in key grids - GKs and DEF, Midfielders, Attackers
• Defending team's players must stay in their grids (don't track attacking passer creating overloads)

Coaching Points:

• Decision Making. (Can we pass the ball forward)
• Quality of Pass and Weight of pass
• Open your body to receive the ball
• Use width and depth to create space for overloading
• Def/MFs/Forwards rotate and make runs to create space to receive the ball
• Use bounce passes to create overloads
• Use overload to change point of attack when needed
• Shoot/Score Goals

Progressions:

• Allow defending team to make delayed recovery runs to pressure attacking overloads
• Maybe Add in Wingers out wide and Creating Overloads. (8v8/9v9)

Cool Down - 5 minutes

Session Review - 4 minutes

• Did we make the correct Decision in Possession 
• Did we use width and depth to create space for overloads??
• Did we vary our attacking runs to create options for penetrative passing?
• Did we use the extra player to change the point of attack when needed?
• Are we more confident in creating goal scoring opportunities from overloads in the attacking phase?  

Session Review & Reflection

Equipment  

• Pitch wasn't great and should have used a different venue
• VEO (I Could have been closer and I could have faced the VEO with Tactics board)

• 9v9 is ideal but also plan for 6v6/7v7 etc (Limits what you can do and what progression's you can add) *Add some wingers on the outsides who can join in attack and make overload for the attacking team) 

What went well:

• Good flow to the session 
• Used Tactics board and explained what was required In Phase Game
• Positive player feedback at End
• Good Engagement & Understanding 

What Could have been Better:

• I could have been more concise with my points 
• Asked more Open Ended Questions 
• Time Management (Phase Game 3 X 7 Minute Games) 
• Needed more Players for progression of session (9v9 or 8v8)
• Balance the teams on ability (One team was stronger) 
• Could have highlighted good Overloads more especially in Phase 3 of mini Games as there was 4/5 Really good examples)