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Overload Attacking Header Target
Direct headers downwards towards goal
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Finishing
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Premium
Overload Attacking Header Target is a 12-minute heading drill for 3-14 players, suitable for Under 12 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, full goals. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
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Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Heading Guidance
Overload
Duration
12 min
Players
3-14
Pitch size
32 x 26 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Overload Attacking Header Target — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · 32 x 26 yards
Step 1 of 6Server clips the ball to the marked target zone.
- 1. Server clips the ball to the marked target zone.
- 2. The striker attacks it and heads downwards into the goal.
- 3. Rotate after two headers each so volume stays low.
- 4. The spare player joins whichever side has the ball, so the attack always works with a plus-one.
- 5. A goal or completed end action counts double if the spare player touched the ball in the build-up.
- 6. Rotation: Rotate after two headers each so volume stays low.
- Cones mark the area
- Full goal
- GK = goalkeeper
- C = coach serving, S = second server
- Ball
- Cones mark the keeper's starting positions
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Keeper distributes back to the server
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Direct headers downwards towards goal
- -Time the jump to meet the ball at the peak
- -Keep heading volume within guidance
Setup
- 1A near-post and back-post target zone in front of goal in a 32 x 26 yards area.
- 2Split the group so the attacking side always has one spare player, and park the spare bibs on the halfway cone.
- 3Soft balls with the wide server, keeper in goal.
Coaching instructions
- 1Server clips the ball to the marked target zone.
- 2The striker attacks it and heads downwards into the goal.
- 3Rotate after two headers each so volume stays low.
- 4The spare player joins whichever side has the ball, so the attack always works with a plus-one.
- 5A goal or completed end action counts double if the spare player touched the ball in the build-up.
Coaching points
- -Meet the ball at the top of the jump
- -Head down towards the corner
- -Arms used for balance, not leverage
- -Find the free player quickly before the defence shuffles across
Common mistakes
- -Heading up and over the bar
- -Excessive repetitions
- -Spare player standing still instead of offering an angle
Where this drill fits
- More football heading drills
- More football finishing drills
- More football crossing drills
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme