Possession

Overload Four Zone Keep Ball

Keep possession while moving the ball between zones

Possession
Team Shape
Passing
Premium

Overload Four Zone Keep Ball is a 20-minute possession drill for 8-18 players, suitable for Under 10 to Adults at intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs. 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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Possession
Team Shape
Passing
Skill Practice
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Overload

Duration

20 min

Players

8-18

Pitch size

36 x 32 yards

Ability levels

Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Pitch set-up: Overload Four Zone Keep Ball123436 x 32 yards

Overload Four Zone Keep Ball — Four-corner square · 36 x 32 yards

Step 1 of 5The team in possession must complete three passes before changing zone.

  1. 1. The team in possession must complete three passes before changing zone.
  2. 2. A zone change scores one point.
  3. 3. Defenders press with limited numbers per zone.
  4. 4. The spare player joins whichever side has the ball, so the attack always works with a plus-one.
  5. 5. A goal or completed end action counts double if the spare player touched the ball in the build-up.
  • Cones mark the area
  • Dashed lines = zones / thirds
  • Ball
  • Cones mark each station in the shape
  • Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble

Objectives

  • -Keep possession while moving the ball between zones
  • -Create numerical advantages in each zone
  • -Coach when to keep and when to progress

Setup

  1. 1A square split into four equal zones in a 36 x 32 yards area.
  2. 2Split the group so the attacking side always has one spare player, and park the spare bibs on the halfway cone.
  3. 3Balls with the coach, two sets of bibs.

Coaching instructions

  1. 1The team in possession must complete three passes before changing zone.
  2. 2A zone change scores one point.
  3. 3Defenders press with limited numbers per zone.
  4. 4The spare player joins whichever side has the ball, so the attack always works with a plus-one.
  5. 5A goal or completed end action counts double if the spare player touched the ball in the build-up.

Coaching points

  • -Move the ball to move the defence
  • -Occupy all four zones
  • -Change zone when the press arrives
  • -Find the free player quickly before the defence shuffles across

Common mistakes

  • -Everybody in the ball zone
  • -Forcing the zone change too early
  • -Spare player standing still instead of offering an angle

Where this drill fits

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