Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Crossing and Finishing, with corners

Cross and Finish (15 mins)

Organization:

2 teams, one GK each team. Cones at A/B/C/D. Lots of balls.

Instructions:

- A plays ball who B, B sets the ball back for A to play a ball into the path of C on the wing. Immediately after the pass A&B make runs into the box. C takes a touch and plays a cross into the path of A/B, who have two touches max to shoot on goal.

- Sequence is now repeated with the other team, using D wing instead of C. GKs should rotate at this point.

- Keep team score.

- Rotation is A-B-C/D-A

Coaching Points:

- Timing of the runs: How must we delay our runs to be able to provide us with an angle to attack the crossed ball?

- Communication amongst the 2 runners: who goes near post, who goes far post?

- Delivery quality and placement: crosser must recognize where the ball must be played to allow the runners to be able to make a a play on the ball while eliminating the keeper's ability to make a save on the ball

- Communication: Verbal and Visual communication amongst the players off the ball and the crosser.

Progressions:

P - Have a trailing player at C/D provide passive pressure

P - Add in a central defender

R - Have B receive ball from A and play C into space on the wing

Conditioned Game (20 mins)

Organization:

Even teams. Use cones to create wide channels on both sides of the field. Each team has one player in each wide channel, no one else can go into the wide channels.

Instructions:

Goals scored from crosses from the wingers in the channel count double. After central players connect 3 consecutive passes they can play their winger down the flank. (Winger should remain unopposed, other team's flank player should not defend.)