What Are Overlapping And Underlapping Runs In Football? – Tactical Theory

In this tactical theory piece, we unveil the advantages and disadvantages of a certain attacking strategy on a group tactical level.

As many sides attempt to force the opposition out wide when defending, any team will face the challenge of finding a way to either break through on the wing or to play back into the centre when possessing the ball on either flank.

Wing-play allows several concepts and strategies to break the opposition defence and create goal-scoring opportunities.

Underlap and overlap runs are common and effective concepts when attacking through wide areas.

While the overlapping run is way more popular, underlapping runs hold some advantages that the overlap does not provide.

In our tactical analysis, we examine the anatomy of these runs and explain in their effects on teammates and opposition players in detail.

This will allow you to understand all the pros and cons of overlap and underlap.

What Are overlapping & underlapping runs?

To begin with, we have to define the meaning of overlapping or underlapping runs.

In general, either of the two strategies can be described as a players forward run from a more defensive position past the ball-carrier into the space behind the opposition defence.

Overlapping and underlapping runs are amongst the most vertical group tactical concepts during the attacking phase.

They are closely connected with the progression up the pitch and final third actions.

As a result, they are also connected with chance creation.

Nevertheless, as these runs require space (since the over- or underlapping player needs a free lane for his run) and time (because the over- or underlapping player has to run past the ball carrier), they are rather executed in wide areas than in the crowded centre of the pitch.

The difference between the overlap and the underlap lies in the path of the run in relation to the ball-carrier.

An overlapping player commits his run on the outside of the ball-carrier and thereby in a wide area.

An underlapping player commits the run on the inside of the ball-carrier and therewith in a more central area.

The overall goal of overlaps and underlaps is to achieve one of two things.

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