Defensive Overlapping Drill
DEFENSIVE ATTACKING, DEFENSIVE OVERLAPPING SOCCER DRILL
Drill Equipment
Soccer Balls, Full-Size Goal
Drill Quick Glance
The Defensive Overlapping Drill is a great drill to teach fullbacks to overlap midfielders and getting the defenders into the attack. This is a great starting point to teaching defensive overlaps.
Drill setup
- Use half of the field with a full-size goal.
- Place a keeper in the goal.
- You will need two attackers, a central and outside midfielder, and a defensive player.
- Set the players up as shown in the diagram. Adjust the spacing to make the drill flow according to the field size and player skill set.
- The defensive back should start with the ball.
Drill Coaching Points
- Quickly get into attacking half of field.
- Good timing of runs.
- Precise passes and 1 and 2 touch passing.
Drill Instructions
- The ball will start with the right fullback player (1) who passes to the ball to the right midfielder player (2).
- The right fullback (1) makes an overlapping run around the outside midfielder player.
- The right outside midfielder player (2) passes to the checking forward player (4).
- The forward player (4) drops the ball off to the center midfield player (3) who plays a ball towards the right corner flag onto the run of the right defensive player (1).
- The right defensive player should prep the ball and cross the ball into the two forwards (4) & (5) who have advanced towards the face of the goal.
- Continue on both sides of the field.
Drill Variations
- Add players to run the same pattern on the left side of the field.
- Add passive defensive players to simulate pressure on the attackers.
Drill Focus
Passing, Crossing