Attacking
Underload Final Third Entry
Break into the final third with purpose
Attacking
Passing
Finishing
Underload Final Third Entry is a 20-minute attacking drill for 8-18 players, suitable for Under 10 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs, full goals. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
Back to drill libraryAttacking
Passing
Finishing
Skill Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Underload
Duration
20 min
Players
8-18
Pitch size
42 x 32 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Underload Final Third Entry — Finishing set-up — serve, receive, shoot · 42 x 32 yards
Step 1 of 5The attacking team builds up in the first zone with limited defenders.
- 1. The attacking team builds up in the first zone with limited defenders.
- 2. Entry into the final third releases two supporting runners.
- 3. The attack must finish inside ten seconds of entry.
- 4. The attacking group starts a player short, so every entry pass has to be sharp.
- 5. Defenders score a point for every clean turnover; attackers need three clean end actions to win the round.
- Cones mark the area
- Full goal
- GK = goalkeeper
- S = server
- Ball
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Shooter becomes the next server
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Break into the final third with purpose
- -Combine between midfield and attack
- -Finish the attack with a shot on goal
Setup
- 1A pitch split into a build-up zone and a final third in a 42 x 32 yards area.
- 2Add one extra defender to the working area and mark their start position with a flat cone.
- 3Balls with the build-up team, keeper in goal.
Coaching instructions
- 1The attacking team builds up in the first zone with limited defenders.
- 2Entry into the final third releases two supporting runners.
- 3The attack must finish inside ten seconds of entry.
- 4The attacking group starts a player short, so every entry pass has to be sharp.
- 5Defenders score a point for every clean turnover; attackers need three clean end actions to win the round.
Coaching points
- -Enter the final third with the head up
- -Runners go beyond, not around
- -Finish the attack quickly
- -Protect the ball and wait for the second runner rather than forcing it
Common mistakes
- -Slow, sideways build-up
- -Entering with no support
- -Trying to beat two players instead of releasing early
Where this drill fits
- More football attacking drills
- More football passing drills
- More football finishing drills
- football drills for U10s
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme