Overlapping in the final third

by Tony Carr in Attacking, Practice plans

 PRINT
 Save to My Activities
Overlapping runs beyond the player in possession of the ball give a team the option of using
that player, or the one in possession, the chance to go forward into open space. Here’s how
your players can create such attacking scenarios.
What this session is about
1.  Overlapping runs.
2.  Clever and disguised play.
3.  Creating chances to score.
What to think about
When a winger receives a pass from an overlapping full back, in the final third of the pitch,
the receiving player must draw his opponent to the ball and wait for the overlapping team
mate to be level with him before releasing a pass in front of him.
The wide player can also pretend to pass then dribble inside the pitch and into the space that
has opened up because the defender is covering the runner.
In summary, an overlap creates two very effective attacking situations:
1.   The option of using a 2v1 and passing outside.
2.  Using the overlap as a decoy run and then dribbling into space.
Set-up
Warm
Warm up Session Developments Game Situation
Down

10 minutes 15 minutes 15 minutes 15 minutes 5

minutes
What you get your players to do
Put two mannequins/flags together and line up players on either side, as shown in the top
picture.
The full back (FB) passes to the wide player (W), who moves to the side of mannequins/flags
to receive the ball.
The full back now makes an overlapping run past the wide player. The wide player now has
two options:
1. He can pass into space for the full back to collect and dribble to the opposite side.
2. He can use a dummy pass and then dribble inside the mannequins/flags and to the
other side of the pitch.
Both players join the opposite line and play continues in the other direction.
The wide player (W) receives a pass from the full back (FB) then waits for his team mate to
overlap.

Development
Use half a pitch and two teams. The white team defends using a goalkeeper and four
defenders – and mannequins/flags are used as midfield obstacles.
The black team attacks with a full back (FB), wide player (W), two centre forwards (F1 and
F2) and an attacking midfielder (M).
Attacks alternate from the left and right side of the pitch.
The full backs start the attack by passing to the wide player and then making an overlapping
run behind them.
The black team uses an overlap to attack the white team’s goal.

Game situation
Play a small-sided game between two teams.
Each team has a goalkeeper, three defenders, one midfielder and one centre forward.
Two wide neutral players (N) are used by the team in possession to create 2v1 overlap
situations in attack.
The offside rule must be used. The team that scores most goals wins.
Each team uses neutral wide players to create overlap situations to score.

What to call out

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About Tony Carr

Tony Carr is one of the most influential figures in English football. The former West Ham
Academy director has brought through – from the youth team to the first team – players like
Glen Johnson, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole and
Jermain Defoe.
View all posts by Tony Carr >
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