Session drill · 13 seconds
Finishing Drill with Inverted Pass
A finishing exercise built around a blind lay-off. The first player passes in to a team mate just outside the box and sets off immediately, looping round the back of him rather than admiring the pass. The receiver carries the ball at a cone to commit a defender, then lays it off inside, first time, without ever turning to look, because the runner is behind him and he has to feel where he is rather than see him. The runner arrives onto it in his stride and finishes first time, low and across the keeper into the far corner. Run it in pairs with a player on every cone so the next pair go straight away, and work it from both sides so players finish off both feet. Swap the roles each time so everybody does the lay-off and the finish.
Instructions
- A pair on each side: one on the start cone with the ball, one out wide on their own cone
- Pass it in and go immediately, round the back of the receiver rather than through him
- The receiver carries it at the cone and lays it off inside just before he reaches it
- The lay-off is blind: he feels where the runner is rather than looking for him, so a shout helps
- Finish first time, low and across the keeper, then go again off the other side
Variation
- Put a defender on the cone so there is somebody real to beat and a reason to go round the back. Mirror it from the other side so players finish off both feet. Make it first-time lay-off and first-time finish only, to up the tempo. Or give the receiver a choice, a second runner or a near-post option as well as the player going round the back.
Building lineups in seconds
Set your team sheet, plan your substitutions, and share it with the parents before you leave the car park.
