Finishing around the area

This drill is designed to help decision MAKING around the area, movement off the ball and to encouraging players to get shots away early and look for rebounds

Set Up

Set up the players in 4 teams, red, blue, green and yellow (or 1,2,3,4 – a,b,c,d etc) On the coaches command the first player will attack the goal (red) in an attempt to score and once the shot has been released they then support the next player (green) and this sequence continues until all 4 players have attacked the goal, on the coaches command the first player of the next set of 4 players can begin.

Progression – once a player has supported they can become a defender creating 2 v 1s and 2 v 2s to goal. 

Once the red player shoots he will support the green player for a give and go towards goal

Once the green player shoots he will support the yellow player. The red player will become the defender creating a 2 v 1, meaning the yellow player has a decision to make. he can use the supporting player or he can go alone to goal.

Movement off the ball from supporting player is key, making sure he stays onside.

Once the yellow player has shot he will support the blue player, the green and red player will now become defenders creating a 2 v 2 to goal, again you are looking for good movement off the ball, effective 1 v 1 attacking and decision making, pass, dribble or shoot?

Important: Make sure you apply a rotation process so every player can play each role in the drill, for example once the play breaks down, collect your ball and join the next line

Coaching points:

• Technical points for shooting
• Look to penetrate quickly and take every opportunity to shoot
• Create space by passing and moving or dribbling with the ball
• Player off the ball must show good angles of support and be available for the pass
• Off the ball - run into space and take a defender with you to create a 1 v 1 situation for your team mate

Conditioned game

A GREAT SHOOTING DRILL, SUITABLE FOR MOST AGES AND ABILITY LEVELS, CREATING SPACE FOR AN EARLY SHOT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS EXERCISE SO ENCOURAGE PLAYERS TO PLAY WITH CONFIDENCE AND SPEED

Set Up

Set up an area of 30x40 with 2 goals and goalkeepers. Divide the group into 4 teams of 3 players.

3 reds will line up to play 3 blues, the other 3 reds will wait behind the red goal and the other 3 blues will wait behind the blue goal.

From here it is simply a case of winner stays on - as each team aims to score, if the red team scores then that group of 3 will stay on and the two blue teams will swap and vice-versa. If the ball goes out of play at any moment, both teams will switch. 

Important: Make sure the coach has a large supply of footballs at the side of the field in order to play a ball into the field when a goal is scored or the ball goes out of play, this is a high tempo exercise, therefor do not have players chasing the balls.

Coaching points:

• Technical points for shooting
• Look to penetrate quickly and take every opportunity to shoot
• Create space by passing and moving or dribbling with the ball
• Keep players wide to create space (diamond formation)
• Goalkeepers are also free to shoot