The attacking soccer drills in this section aim to help you coach your players to make the most of the opportunities that come their way during a game. We look at ways to create chances for your attackers, small-sided games that will sharpen their reactions in front of goal, and tips on how to coach your attackers to be goal-machines.
in Attacking, Email newsletters
A couple of weeks ago I was on a course discussing what got youth players thinking during a game and how they could react to that. If their team has the ball what should they be thinking about and if they have lost the ball how should they react. MORE
By constantly probing the opposition’s defence by switching the point of the attack from side to side, eventually a space will open up that can be exploited. This session will help you teach your players how to work the ball into such posi MORE
in Attacking, Small Sided Games
The session splits the work into two parts: getting the ball wide and attacking in the final third. There are lots of individual responsibilities here, with the pitch in three parts and a job to be done in each zone. MORE
in Attacking, Email newsletters
Scoring last minute goals can be due to the opposition tiring or suddenly becoming less attacking and sitting back hoping for the final whistle – but it can also be because your team is putting in a big effort to score a winner or to rescue a point with clever use of tactics. MORE
To make your attacking midfielders effective in front of goal you need to get them to shoot at every opportunity. This session is about scoring and reacting, beating a keeper or getting past a defender. MORE
in Attacking, Small Sided Games
Use this game to teach your players how to beat stubborn defenders. This session gives the attacking team a deadline to win the ball and score goals. MORE
in Attacking, Small Sided Games
When you have a fast player quick thinking is vital to giving him the ball in areas he can exploit. In this game a wide ball can be create opportunities in midfield or to get him up the pitch to go 1v1 with the keeper. MORE
This session is all about combining in tight spaces in the penalty area and creating room for a shot.You want players to be scoring and creating goals, so that’s what’s replicated in this session. MORE
It is vital to encourage inventive play in the attacking. third of the pitch, your players should practise co-ordinated forward runs off the ball that will enable them to open up space and therefore create opportunities to shoot for goal. MORE
in Attacking, Small Sided Games
This session pulls defences apart with two strikers playing different roles, one higher up the pitch than the other. It gives space for clever midfielders to put attackers clear in the penalty area with space to shoot at goal. MORE
in Attacking, Email newsletters
One of the stand out features of the Premier League and the Championship in England this season has been the relation of ball possession to the number of goals scored. There's something wrong with it. MORE
Use this session to improve the link play between your midfielders and forwards. Midfielders who are looking to get the ball to an attacker need to create space to thread passes through, while target men need to learn to receive and control the ball MORE
in Attacking, Other, Small Sided Games
When you watch an attacker like Alex Morgan of the US Women’s National Team you know how hard she has to work in training to be that good on match days. Try these sessions based on her style of play MORE
in Attacking, Small Sided Games
This session is all about making full use of the width of the pitch when attacking the final third using wingers or wing backs to rip the opposition apart the way Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan attack their opponents. Why use it Spreading play wide when attacking means it is much harder for the defending team... MORE
Try using this training game to encourage your team to build up patiently until an opportunity for a lightning fast attack presents itself. Players learn to work the ball from the back four to the front players. MORE
Overlapping is a particularly important tactic in the final third of the pitch where full backs can combine with wingers to get into dangerous crossing positions. MORE
in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork
If you want your team to have more creative options in the final third, use this session to encourage players to support team-mates and improve first-touch and accurate passing. MORE
Use this session to show your players how to attack with accurate through ball behind the defence and what they can do once they get the ball with that much space around them MORE
When a team is on the attack it is vital midfield support is quick and the passes are the correct weight and into space. MORE
A good winger can be a real advantage for your team when it comes to attacking. This session focuses on developing the dribbling and crossing technique of the team’s wide players. MORE
Passing sequences are fun ways to get your team used to linking play and using the ball with good direction and weight. MORE
in Attacking
The objective of this game is to practise attacking and defending skills in a variety of different situations – for instance, 2v1s, 3v2s, 4v1s, and so on. MORE
In this session lose possession and the team faces a 4v1 attack – keep the ball though and they have a 7 v 4 in their favour. MORE
in Attacking, Small Sided Games
This session is designed to help coaches look at the decision-making of the players. Can they take on the defender 1v1? Or is the right decision to keep possession by passing to a team-mate? MORE
