Close attacking passes
Often in crowded areas of the pitch teams lose the ball by trying to hold on to it or with misplaced passes. Short passing in areas like the penalty area is key to keeping the ball and creating space for the goal scorers. MORE
Attacking
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.
Striker anticipates through balls
Playing a ball into a striker in space gives that player the chance to run with the ball and beat a player and smash the ball into the net. Use this session to give your receiving strikers practice in beating players and scoring goals. MORE
Long pass to switch play
This gets players to understand the importance of playing a long ball after keeping possession. It comes in handy in a match situation when your team is attacking and switching play from one side to the other or when hitting a long ball to the strikers to start an attack. MORE
No tackle zones
Young players need to have success in training or they will not know what to do in matches – this session gives them time to think about exploiting the final third MORE
Transitions: react to change in possession
in Attacking, Defending, Tactics
Transitions are a vital part of match play - players must react quickly to winning or losing the ball because in these instances games are won or lost. It is vital that as soon as the ball is won or lost teams react instantly. An attacking team that has lost the ball must work hard to immediately win it back and a team that has won the ball must attack at pace. MORE
Counter revolution
This session helps teams turn defence into attack as quickly as possible, creating temporary overloads. MORE
Locked on goal
This is a good session to teach players to shoot or combine to shoot quickly from varied distances under pressure. The more players shoot, the more chance the team has of scoring goals. MORE
Attack high balls in the box
Session on heading for older age groups 16+. Please check your local rules on heading during practise. This is all about making the most of high balls in the penalty area to score more goals. MORE
Hunt like twins
When you play with two up front you need to get them to work together to hunt down the ball and communicate like twins MORE
Moving into space with the ball
Whether committing a defender in a 2v1 situation, bursting through a defence into space, or starting an attack from the back, moving with the ball quickly into space is a fundamental attacking skill. MORE
Goal scoring tactics
in Attacking, Small Sided Games
This tactical game is great for getting players thinking about who should be the attacker and how to make the most of points given to players MORE
Accurate long passes
Use this session to train your players to hit a team-mate with pinpoint accuracy. Good long passing from side to side or to an advancing player is important to the development of young players. MORE
Shoot from wide angles
Shooting from wide angles is all about accuracy, confidence and skill. Young players are often scared to try shooting from outside the box, but this session will give them the confidence to try outrageous shots. MORE
The one show
in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork
Use this game and it will develop the ability of your players to use dribbling skills to win one-on-one situations. Individual skills develop players so they can keep the ball when facing an opponent. MORE
Running with the ball
in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork
Train your players to run at opposition defenders with the ball, making it difficult for the defenders to either tackle or turn and chase. MORE
Rapid forward breaks
Use this session to train your players to make darting runs behind the defence in order to pick up the ball and score goals. Rapid forward breaks put your team on the front foot when they are attacking. MORE
Penalty area decisions
in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork
This session is all about making decisions in the penalty area, communicating with a team-mate and using both feet to score. It gives all players an understanding of winning 1v1s in important areas and helps them to learn where to run to receive the ball in dangerous areas. MORE
One up front
If you’re defending a lead and don’t want to commit to attack, or if you’re facing a strong team and want to counterattack, this teaches the importance of winning the ball by flooding the defence and having a lone target man up front. MORE
Midfield into attack
In this fast, passing game midfielders must keep the ball and pass it through to the attackers quickly. Your players learn to make the right decisions and develop skills such as disguise using tight touch and quick release with limited space available. MORE
The Ultimate Striker
Soccer is an unpredictable game and the complete striker needs to have the tools to be able to react to all situations. This session gives your players the chance to attempt a range of finishing techniques in a short and intense period of time. MORE
One-two, three – shoot!
Combination play in the form of quick, accurate passing and movement can be the key to unlocking defenses to create opportunities to shoot at goal. MORE
Wingers attack the box
This session develops quick, instinctive interplay on the wing, finishing with a cross into the danger area. It helps young players to fine-tune the quality of delivery and encourages inventive combinations on the wing. MORE
Get centrebacks scoring
This is a fast, technical game that forces central defenders to support the attack and get themselves on the score sheet. It also shows them how hard they have to work to get back to defend if the ball is lost. MORE
Find the target man
A challenging drill to teach your players the importance of build up play when setting up a target man with a clear goal scoring opportunity. MORE
