Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Session 5- Creating and Expoliting Overloads
FAW Coach Ed
Jacob David
Description
"Feedback is an important feature ofsimulation-based education."
Walsh, C.M., Ling, S.C., Wang, C.S. and Carnahan, H. (2009). Concurrent Versus Terminal Feedback: It May Be Better to Wait. Academic Medicine, [online] 84(Supplement), pp.S54–S57. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/acm.0b013e3181b38daf.
"502 chances created in the premier league in the 2019-20 season"League, P. (2024). Most Chances Created By Team In The Premier League 24/25 | StatMuse. [online] StatMuse. Available at: https://www.statmuse.com/fc/ask?q=most+chances+created+by+team+in+the+premier+league+24%2F25 [Accessed 29 Sep. 2025].
Brighton and hove Albion had the most overloads on both sides in the 2023/24 premier league season with 411 in total.
Hudl (2024). Identifying Attacking Overloads And Measuring Their Impact • Statsbomb Blog Archive. [online] Statsbomb.com. Available at: https://blogarchive.statsbomb.com/articles/soccer/identifying-attacking-overloads-and-measuring-thei... [Accessed 29 Sep. 2025].
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
10 mins
Basic passing pattern that we do before every training session and game to prepare. all 16 players in this drill. key things to take from this is Communication, movement, agility, scanning, passing technique and decision making.
Play starts with player 1 and player 2 on opposite ends passing to the furthest side player who will bounce it too their closest side player either in field or outfield to then return the ball back to the front who will then start it all over again. you will always follow your first pass.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
20 mins
Creating overloads wave game:
1v0
2v1
3v2
4v3
5v4
How this drill works is the blue team will start the phase off. once they have had their shot at goal immediately 2 red players will come out and attack the 1 blue now defender. After they have done that then 2 blue players come out and attack the now 2 red defenders and this keeps going until the coach says stop.
This wave game is designed for all players to have plenty of chances to get into situations where they can exploit the overloads and use that 1 man advantage they have to create them. Using intelligent passing and creativity to create space and overload opportunities in attacking areas having movement off the ball a key thing the players will need to do.
Conditions, Targets and Challenges:
Players need to try and score or create a chance in 10 seconds so it keeps the flow of the drill and game realistic. it will also allow quick attacking transitions.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
20 mins
Session type;
Specific practice:
Topic:
Creating and exploiting overloads
Learning objectives:
looking to move the ball out wide
Creating a 2v1 or 3v1 out wide or through the middle
Pitch setup;Half pitch
2 big goals
Corner cut for blue team
Equipment;
Balls
Bibs
Footballs
Tactics Board
Players;
16 players
8v8
2 goalkeepers
Practice description example;
8v8 SSG
Attacking team red and blue team defending
Attacking team are set up in a 2-2-3 formation emulating a real life 4-3-3 so take out are the two fullbacks and 1 midfielder. Defending team are set up in a 4-1-1-1 emulating a real life 4-2-3-1. taken out are the 1 DM, 2 wingers. The ball will start with the Red team where they will look to play through the midfield and then go out wide or to their lone striker to try and score.
Session timelines including interventions and the toolbox
5 mins- Session introduction
5 mins- Warmup
10 mins- Passing pattern
2 mins- go through any walkthroughs if players are struggling with the passing pattern
15 mins- Main drill
2 mins- Chance for freeze and concurrent feedback in the main drill
20 mins- SSG
5 mins- de brief on the whole session and go through anything that needed to be shown with the SSG but let this breath and flow for high BRT.
Total- 1 hour
Play animation
Play step-by-step
Repeat (toggle)
Full Screen
Pause
Stop
10 mins
Basic warm up with 3 lines going towards the centre circle.
it will be a mix of dynamic stretches with a few jogs
then all of the players will go into their static stretches around the square that the cones show
then back into the lines where they will up the intensity so they are ready to play football