Possession

Overload Rondo Ladder

Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area

Possession
Passing
Receiving

Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area. Set up the area, follow the steps and use the coaching points below.

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Possession
Passing
Receiving
Technical Practice
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Overload

Age

Under 8 to Adults

Duration

16 min

Players

5-12

Area / pitch size

16 x 16 yards

Difficulty

Intermediate / Advanced

Equipment

Balls, Cones, Bibs

Coaching focus

Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area

Objective

  • -Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area
  • -Find the pass through or around the press
  • -Improve body shape and support angles

Setup

  1. 1A rondo circle with defenders in the middle in a 16 x 16 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. 3One ball, bibs for the middle players.

How to play

  1. 1Outside players keep the ball away from the middle defenders.
  2. 2Ten consecutive passes wins the round.
  3. 3The defender who wins the ball swaps with the player who lost it.
  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

  • -Open the body to see both sides
  • -Split the defenders when the gap appears
  • -Support at an angle, not flat
  • -Find the free player quickly before the defence shuffles across

Progressions

  • +Remove the overload for the last two rounds
  • +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful

Regressions

  • -Give the attack two spare players
  • -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

  • -Rotate the spare player every 90 seconds
  • -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

  • -Passing round the outside only
  • -Standing flat on the cone
  • -Spare player standing still instead of offering an angle

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