Small-Sided Games
Underload Three Team Rotation Game
Keep intensity high with short, sharp games
Small-Sided Games
Transition
Possession
Underload Three Team Rotation Game is a 20-minute small-sided games drill for 9-18 players, suitable for Under 9 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs, mini 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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Transition
Possession
Small-Sided Game
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Underload
Duration
20 min
Players
9-18
Pitch size
30 x 24 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Underload Three Team Rotation Game — Marked area · 30 x 24 yards
Step 1 of 5Two teams play a three-minute game while the third rests.
- 1. Two teams play a three-minute game while the third rests.
- 2. The winner stays on and the resting team comes in.
- 3. Play a full round-robin and keep a running score.
- 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
- Dashed lines = zones / thirds
- Ball
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Keep intensity high with short, sharp games
- -Give every team regular rest and reflection
- -Reward teams that keep winning
Setup
- 1One pitch with a resting team waiting on the side line in a 30 x 24 yards area.
- 2Add one extra defender to the working area and mark their start position with a flat cone.
- 3Balls beside the resting team, three sets of bibs.
Coaching instructions
- 1Two teams play a three-minute game while the third rests.
- 2The winner stays on and the resting team comes in.
- 3Play a full round-robin and keep a running score.
- 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
- -Start fast — the games are short
- -Use the rest to talk tactics
- -Fresh legs press hardest
- -Protect the ball and wait for the second runner rather than forcing it
Common mistakes
- -Slow changeovers
- -Resting team switching off completely
- -Trying to beat two players instead of releasing early
Where this drill fits
- More football small-sided games drills
- More football transition drills
- More football possession drills
- football drills for U10s
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme