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Free activity · 100 Possession ActivitiesOverload the Middle
A 25x20 in thirds, with 3v1 in the middle and 1v1 at each end. Keep the ball in the middle, then after four passes one player goes forward to make it 2v1. Win the middle first, then use it.
Setup
A 25x20 split into thirds. 3v1 in the middle third, 1v1 in each end third.
How it works
- Middle players keep the ball. After four passes, one may enter an end third, making it 2v1.
- Score by beating the 2v1 and stopping the ball on the end line.
- The end defender may not leave their third.
Scoring
First to five.
- Keep it in the middle until the moment is right.
- The entering player carries the overload: go with the ball or arrive for the return.
- Finish the 2v1 quickly.
Make it easier or harder
- Progression 1: The end attacker must receive before the middle player enters.
- Progression 2: End thirds shrink.
Coach’s notes
- If It Stalls: Middle team rushing? Any entry before four passes hands the ball to the defenders.
Why it works
Teams that win the middle usually win the game, but only if they do something with it. This links the two ideas: patience in the center, then speed when the moment comes.
Watch how the player arrives. Going with the ball is one choice and arriving for the return is another. Players should learn both.
Where it sits
This is activity 55 of 100 in 100 Possession Activities (Theme 6 · Overloads: Numbers Up). The book is ten themes of ten rungs each, from a 3v1 square to a full 9v9 transition game, and every activity has its setup, rules, scoring, two progressions, three coaching points and an animated video like the one above.
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Ages 11+ · Attacking and finishingFull-Back JoinsTwo wide players and a striker against three defenders and a keeper on a 30x25.
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100 Possession Activities is a 115-page PDF with 100 animated MP4 videos: rondos, playing out from the back, through the lines, support, switching, overloads, movement, timing, counter-pressing and counter-attacks. Print the page, watch the clip, run the session.