Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): Keep The Ball / Overload & Counter Attacks

Keep The Ball & Overload (25 mins)

Keep The Ball / Overload & Counter

Aim & Objective.

This game aims to highlight the importance of keeping possession as it "punishes" loose or poor passes or poor ball retention.

Organisation 

The game is setup as per the diagram with player(s) (dependant on numbers) waiting by the sides has to keep on moving to the opposite half of where the ball is being attacked.

There are no kick ins or corners because at the conclusion of each phase of possesion play is restarted by the GK of the team that is in possesion. 

How to play

The game starts 3v3 (adjust dependant on your numbers) with both teams trying to score, you can have goalkeepers but they are encouraged to take risks and come out of goals when their team is attacking. 

In most cases the ball will go out of play at some point and this game uses this aspect to create attacking overloads for a short time. If the blue surrenders possesion as a result of pass going astray, a shot going wide then the player involved in this loss of possesion has to run to the spare player(s) and tag them whom come onto replace them and join that team. 

While this is happening the GK of the red team gets a ball and throws it to either of their team. For a brief time, while the new blue player is coming on and recovering the reds have a have an overload / counter attack. This is when they have the best chance of scoring. If the ball goes out a red player, then they have to then swap with a waiting player. 

Whenever the ball goes out of play there is an exchange of players and the GK for the other team starts an attack for their team to play with the numerical advantage.

Coaching Advice

Players are looking to exploit the brief time when they have an overload by attacking quickly, opening passing lines and breaking defensive lines with their runs. If the player without the ball in an overload is able to break the defensive line this causes more problems for the opposing team than remaining in position for a "safer" pass. There will be a player recovering from the other team so the attack has to be swift and effective.

Progression / Adaptation

This game can also be played as a 4v4 etc. The mechanism for creating the overload (Possesion being given away) will occur in each format so choose the starting numbers in line with what you want your players to get better at.

The waiting players can be in different positions waiting to come on so that their recovery angles and distances can be made to fit their individual needs, strengths and weaknesses.