CREATING

AN OVERLOAD
TO BUILD OUT
AG E P H AS E : U 1 2 - U 1 6
SESSION PLAN
SESSION OVERVIEW CREATING AN OVERLOAD TO BUILD OUT

LEVEL PART 2: BUILD-OUT WAVE GAME KEY

• U12-U16 • This wave game is played on a pitch that is split in half. Ball movement
Each half features a goalkeeper in a main goal, two
attackers, a neutral player and two defenders. Player movement
SESSION OBJECTIVES • The ball is played into one of the goalkeepers, who without the ball
must then combine with the two possession players and
To outline key technical and tactical principles that the neutral player before one of them passes into one of Player movement
underpin creating overloads in the bottom and middle two mini-goals positioned on halfway. with the ball
thirds when building out, including: • The defenders must attempt to win the ball back and
score past the goalkeeper in that half.
• Technical ability and detail when passing and receiving • Once one phase is finished, a coach passes into the
• Combination play to find the spare player opposite keeper for the same game in the other half.
Players
• Recognising when to play through or over to beat • The game can progress to include an initial challenge
the pressure for the goalkeepers, of trying to play long into one of
two goals positioned at the far corners of the pitch.
Cones
PART 1: TECHNICAL PASSING PRACTICE
PART 3: THEMED PHASE OF PLAY
Flat marker
• This is an unopposed technical practice in which two
teams of seven, including goalkeepers, repeat a series • This is a themed phase of play set up as a 9v9, plus
of set passing patterns within a set formation. goalkeepers, but focusing on the possession team.
• Two balls are in play at any given time, and each pattern • The phase is played over three-quarters of a full-sized Cones with
should start with one goalkeeper and finish with the pitch. Two mini-goals at the top of the practice act as flat marker
goalkeeper at the opposite end. target players, and there are also two target boxes in
• Players are set in their positions but can move to each top corner, with a neutral player in each.
receive, as they would in a game. • The practice challenges the coached team to build out Goal
• To progress, the coach can allow the players to use successfully in an opposed scenario, but also allows for
whatever passing pattern they see fit to move the ball defensive transitional moments.
from one goalkeeper to the other. Mini-goal

Mannequin Pole

Football

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

TECHNICAL PASSING PRACTICE CREATING AN OVERLOAD TO BUILD OUT

FUNCTION
1
• This is a technical passing practice that features two
teams of seven, including goalkeepers. It gives the
B B
coach an opportunity to work the players on building 2
out in an unopposed environment. 3
• Both teams set up in a 1-2-3-1 formation, as shown in A
the diagram. B
5
B
4
B
• Each team should complete the same set passing

65 yards
practice, at the same time, which starts with one
6 A
goalkeeper and ends with the opposite goalkeeper.
• An example of Team B completing this pattern is shown A B A

in the diagram.
• Once the ball has gone from one goalkeeper to the A A
7
other, the practice will repeat in the opposite direction.
• All players should stay in their fixed positions
throughout the practice. If the group has larger
numbers, players can double up in positions and take it
in turns to complete each technical action.
• The practice can progress by giving the players the
35 yards
freedom to complete whatever passing pattern they
want, with a maximum of seven passes to move the ball
from keeper to keeper.
• Play for four working blocks of three minutes.

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

TECHNICAL PASSING PRACTICE CREATING AN OVERLOAD TO BUILD OUT

COACHING DETAIL:
TECHNICAL
PASS DETAIL
• Players should pass the ball with an appropriate speed
and accuracy throughout, to ensure a certain level is
met in every action.

MOVEMENT TO RECEIVE
• The players’ starting positions are set, but they can
move freely to create the right passing angle within the
practice. Players should make late, quick movements to
replicate game scenarios.

BODY SHAPE & FIRST TOUCH

• Players will experience chances to receive the ball in
different positions. They should position their body in
order to take a maximum of two touches before passing
to the next target.

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

BUILD-OUT WAVE GAME CREATING AN OVERLOAD TO BUILD OUT

FUNCTION
• This wave game challenges goalkeepers to build out
2
from the back, using different passing techniques and
over varied distances. A 4 3 A
• It uses 10 outfield players, two goalkeepers and two
coaches, who also act as servers.
N
• The pitch split into halves. Both halves have a goal at
1 5
the end and two target mini-goals opposite the goal.
• Team A is the attacking team, with players in either half. B B

65 yards
Team B has all four players start in the central channel, C C
B B
as shown in the diagram. Two neutral players (N) – one
in each half – play for whichever team is in possession.
• Play begins with a coach passing into a goalkeeper.
Once the pass is played, two players from Team B can N
6
enter the half in which the ball has been played into.
• The goalkeeper, both players from Team A and the A A
neutral player must attempt to build out successfully
and score in either of the mini-goals in that half. An
example of them doing so is shown in the diagram.
• If the defending team wins the ball, they must attempt
to score past the goalkeeper within five seconds.
• Once the attack has finished, the coach will serve the
ball into the opposite half for the practice to repeat 30 yards

from the opposite direction.

• To progress, the goalkeeper who receives the ball from
the coach can attempt to play a long pass into either
of the large target goals positioned in the opposite
corners. If they manage to hit either target goal, the
second ball will come from the coach into the same
keeper, for the attacking team to attempt to build up
and score in one of their target mini-goals as before.
• If the goalkeeper misses the the initial long pass, the
coach will pass into the opposite goalkeeper.
• Play for six blocks of two minutes, with the teams
swapping roles after each block.

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

BUILD-OUT WAVE GAME CREATING AN OVERLOAD TO BUILD OUT

COACHING DETAIL:
IN POSSESSION
SUPPORT POSITIONS
• Depending on where the ball and pressure is coming
from, players should be challenged to recognise when
to show towards or away from the ball when making
support angles.

USING THE OVERLOAD

• As the practice includes an attacking overload, even
though it’s delivered within a small area, players should
find the spare players as often as possible to progress.

COMBINATION PLAY
• Using a limited amount of touches and coming quickly
within the small area will restrict how close the pressing
players can get to the ball.
• Players should look to use a maximum of two touches
to combine before playing forwards.

DRAWING PRESSURE
• If the player in possession is under heavy pressure, there
could be an opportunity to play through or around the
press once the pressing player has committed.

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

THEMED PHASE OF PLAY CREATING AN OVERLOAD TO BUILD OUT

FUNCTION
• This is a 9v9 (plus goalkeepers) phase of play with the
coach focusing on the team building out from the back N N
– in the diagram here, this is Team A.
8
• There are also two neutral players (N), who are
positioned in boxes at the the top of the practice.
• The second goalkeeper is positioned in between the B
neutral players and acts as a server. They can also play B
for whichever team is in possession. A
• Play initially always starts from a goal-kick with the
7
Team A goalkeeper, as shown.
B
• Team A should attempt to build out from the back,
A A
progress up the pitch and score in either of the two
target mini-goals at the top of the practice. An example
of this is shown in the diagram.

90 yards
B
• There should also be a coned line 10 yards in front of 6 B
the 18-yard box, designated by the shaded area in the
A
diagram. If Team A maintains control of the ball beyond B
this line, they will get one point. If they score in any of B
5
the mini-goals, they will score a further two points.
• If at any point Team B wins the ball back, they must B
A 4
attempt to score in the main goal within 10 seconds. B
A A
• As a first progression, each phase now has two start
points: from a goal-kick, as before, or by asking the
second goalkeeper to play a long pass into the working
3
keeper’s hands, for them to then build from open play.
• In a second progression, the working keeper now has A A
2
the option of playing over the pressure and into either
of the two neutral players. If they complete a pass into 1
one of the neutral players, Team A scores one point. As
soon as the neutral player receives the ball, they enter
the playing area to start a counter-attack for Team B.
• Play for 15 to 20 minutes, swapping players around or 70 yards
pausing to deliver coaching points as necessary.

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

THEMED PHASE OF PLAY CREATING AN OVERLOAD TO BUILD OUT

COACHING DETAIL:
IN POSSESSION
MAKING THE PITCH BIG PLAYING OVER PRESSURE
• Team A should be attempting to make the pitch as big • If the defending team is applying aggressive pressure
as possible. This will create space all over the pitch to in the defensive third, the goalkeeper and back four
allow for possession and progress through the thirds. should spot chances to play over pressure and into
This will also give the player completing the technical forward players. This will ensure territory is gained
action more time. within a small amount of passes.

TECHNICAL ABILITY DEFFENSIVE TRANSITION

• The coach should reinforce players’ need to make • If Team A loses possession, they should apply quick
passes with good detail and receive with the correct counter-pressure on the ball in a bid to win it back.
body shape. This will increase the chances of success in • If they can’t win the ball back immediately, they should
progressing through the thirds. attempt to show play outside and away from goal.

RECYLING POSSESSION
• If forward passing lanes are blocked down one side,
Team A should look to recycle possession as quickly
as possible from one side to the other, where they can
exploit the space. Recycling possession must come with
good ball speed and accuracy.

AGE PHASE: U12-U16