Underload Possession Conditioning

Objective

• -Build endurance inside a football practice
• -Keep decision quality high under fatigue
• -Avoid running without a ball

Setup

1. 1A large possession area with two teams and neutral players in a 34 x 28 yards area.
2. 2Add one extra defender to the working area and mark their start position with a flat cone.
3. 3Balls with the coach, two sets of bibs.

How to play

1. 1Play possession in four-minute blocks with 90 seconds rest.
2. 2The team out of possession must press for the full block.
3. 3Rotate the neutrals so nobody rests inside the block.
4. 4The attacking group starts a player short, so every entry pass has to be sharp.
5. 5Defenders score a point for every clean turnover; attackers need three clean end actions to win the round.

Progressions

• +Add a second extra defender
• +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful

Regressions

• -Even the numbers up again
• -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

• -Attackers get one 'free pass' per round they can call
• -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

• -Walking in possession
• -Individual pressing that wastes energy
• -Trying to beat two players instead of releasing early