Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Creating overloads - UEFA B - OA2

Creating Overloads - UEFA B - OA210 mins

Creating Overloads - UEFA B - OA2

Pitch set up

- Full size goal is placed on the half way line
- Sidelines are coned out from the edge of the 18 yard box to the half way line.
- The playing area section of the pitch is separated into 3 equal zones: defensive, midfield, attacking. Flat cones are used for this to allow players to play over them uninterrupted.

Teams set up

For the purpose of creating overloads in an 8v8 game, I have removed the fullbacks of both teams, and one attacking play from both teams to leave a 2-3-2 formation that is mirrored by both teams.

The Game

- Reds - attackers, Blues - defenders
- The red team begin with the ball in their defensive zone. The goal is to progress the ball through the zones and to score a goal.
- The blue team must win the ball back, upon winning the ball back the blues are free to play without zone restriction
- The red team must pass the ball to a teammate in the next zone to progress the ball forward. To create an overload in each zone, the red player who passed the ball into the zone can join that zone (i.e if defender passes into midfield zone, that player moves forward and the reds will have a 4v3 overload).
- If the play breaks down, one (any) red player can move backwards into the last zone to attempt to stop the blue team progressing the ball and scoring a goal.

Coaching Points
- Using the space in the zone to receive the ball (width, depth)
- Rotation and movement of players to create space
- Using the bounce pass/1-2 pass to utilize the player entering the space
- Creating space as a unit (players occupy one side of the zone to free entering player)

Adaptations (Progressions & Regressions):

regress - if pass into new zone is difficult allow a dribble.
regress - use neutral player or remove defensive player to allow overloads throughout the pitch, easier to progress ball forward

progress - must play bounce pass/1-2 to play into the next zone
progress - if attackers find it easy, allow defensive player to follow the ball into a new zone after certain time (i.e 5, 10 seconds)

Challenges, Conditions or Targets:

Challenges
- Time limits in zones
- Change rules in one zone (i.e when reaching the attacking zone, attackers have 10 seconds to score a goal)
- Allow defensive team to add a player when the ball transitions into a new zone (recovery run)
- can you progress a defensive player to the attacking third to score a goal

Targets
- Can you progress the ball using 5 passes or less in each zone.
- Can you maintain possession of the ball for 10-15-20 passes