Rampaging full backs

by Tony Carr in Attacking, Practice plans

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Having players who are able to both defend and attack from the full back position will give
your team an extra dimension in attack and the opportunity to gain overload situations in
wide areas. This increases your team’s chances of scoring a goal.
What this session is about
1.  Using attacking full backs.
2.  Increasing width in attack.
3.  Using wide areas to create goalscoring opportunities.
What to think about
The role of a modern full back has changed… no longer can a full back just be a good
defender.
The full back must now have similar attributes to a midfielder and be able to receive and pass
the ball with accuracy.
The full back must also have similar attributes to a wide attacker and be able to dribble or run
with the ball to beat defenders and be able to provide crosses into the opponent’s penalty
area.
The full back must have good speed and bundles of energy to work up and down the length of
the pitch.
The modern full back is therefore technically excellent, has very good physical attributes and
offers the team both security in defence and an extra attacker when in possession of the ball.
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
Use half a pitch with full backs and a wide player on each wing, forwards and a keeper, as
shown in the top picture.
The exercise works on continuous attacking build-up play in wide areas.
The full backs (FB) always start the attack with a forward pass to the wide player (W).
1) The full back passes to the wide player and runs inside to receive a return pass and cross
for the forwards (F) to attack (one forward runs to the near post and another to the back post).
2) The full back passes to the wide player and runs around the outside to receive a return pass
to cross for the forwards.
Full backs (FB) pass to wide players (W), run either an under-lapping (1) or overlapping (2)
run then cross in for forwards (F) to attack.

Development
Mark out an area with a goal at each end and play a small-sided game.
Each team has four defenders and one goalkeeper inside its defensive half and three forwards
in the attacking half.
Forwards are not allowed back inside their defensive half of the pitch while defenders are
free to go inside both halves of the pitch.
The aim is for the team to play out of defence and to one of the team’s forwards.
The full back nearest to the ball is now free to go inside the opponent’s half to create a 4v4.
The full back and forward try to create a 2v1 in wide areas.
Full backs are brought into play to create 4v4s and, hopefully, 2v1 overloads out wide in a
small-sided game.

Game situation
Play a small-sided game. Each team has a goalkeeper and five outfield players.
Two neutral full backs (FB) wait by the side of each goal. Two full backs enter the pitch and
play for the team in possession of the ball.
After a goal is scored, full backs leave the pitch and allow the resting full backs to enter.
This rule gives the team in possession a 7v5 overload and emphasises the advantage of
having two attacking full backs.
This role forces the full backs to be high in energy. So, the rest between each goal being
scored is important meaning full backs are not fatigued early in the game.
The team that scores most goals wins.
Two neutral full backs play for the team in possession and swap with two other neutrals so all
full backs remain fresh.

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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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