Stop Making Attacking Exercises Too Easy! 3 Games to Challenge Your Players
We spend so much time designing attacking exercises that give our players a numerical advantage. Whether it's a 3v2, 4v3, or 6v4, the objective is often to find the free player and exploit the overload. But what happens when our attackers find themselves outnumbered in the penalty area? Are we preparing them to recognize and create opportunities in those situations, or are we conditioning them to always look for an extra pass?
Jérémy Doku's brilliant attacking play against Liverpool was a perfect example of why this matters. Manchester City had three attackers against six Liverpool defenders inside the box, yet Doku still had the confidence and ability to create something from a 1v2 situation.
Rather than waiting for support or looking for a numerical advantage, he attacked the space available. It's an important reminder that we need to expose our players to these challenges on the training ground, developing their creativity, confidence, and ability to find solutions when the numbers are against them.
In the video below, we break down three attacking exercises designed to challenge players in numerical underloads and encourage them to create goalscoring opportunities in difficult situations.
Below you can get a full breakdown of each exercise discussed in the video
Exercise 1: 2v3 Attacking Underload
This exercise challenges two attackers to create a goalscoring opportunity against three defenders and a goalkeeper. The numerical disadvantage forces attackers to be creative with their movement, use combinations, and recognize opportunities to isolate defenders. It also encourages the central forward to manipulate the covering defender, creating space for a finish or a combination. The defensive team can counterattack upon winning possession, adding an important transition element to the game.
Exercise 2: 3v3v3 Finishing Game
Three teams compete against each other inside the playing area, with additional servers positioned around the outside. The coach calls a numbered server to initiate play, and each team must react quickly to create scoring opportunities. What makes this game particularly interesting is the unpredictability. Players must recognize rebounds, react to loose balls, and find opportunities to finish without always having a clear numerical advantage. It's a competitive environment that encourages instinctive attacking play, creativity, and quick decisions around goal.
Exercise 3: Build-Up Into an Attacking Underload
The final exercise connects the build-up phase with attacking decisions in the final third. Teams must first play through an opposition press before finding their forwards, who are challenged to create opportunities against a defensive numerical advantage. This introduces more tactical detail, including opposite movements, one forward checking short while another runs long, and recognizing when to attack rather than waiting for additional support. It recreates the type of situation Doku faced against Liverpool and challenges players to solve problems in the final third without relying on an overload.
