Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): 2011/2012 Boys Team Session #7 (Start Time: 2023-05-10 17:30:00)

Ball striking (10 mins)

Ball striking

Players get a ball and a partner and work on their ball striking across whatever distance you deem appropriate for their age and ability.

You can put two cones as a target in between the players or put a cone with a ball on it for them to try and hit off

Key Points:

Where does the planted foot go?

Part of foot

Accuracy before power

Use of both feet

Quick Strike finishing around the box (20 mins)

Quick Strike finishing around the box

3 lines of players with 1 player on the edge of the 18 yard box

Player A plays the ball forward (does not go into the 18 yard box with his touch forward) and then takes a strike on net.

Player B plays the ball to player A who sets for player B to take a strike on net.

Player A after they play the set overlap player D

Player C plays a pass to player D who takes their first touch to the middle of the field and then plays the ball into the corner for overlapping player A who then looks for a cross.

Player C will make a run near post, Player B will curl their run behind player C and go far post and Player D after the ball into the corner will slide to the top of the box.

Player A will now look for 1 of the 3 options for a finish.

Once complete, each player brings a ball back to go to the end of a cue except for player A. The player who crosses (in this example player A) would then take up the edge of the 18 yard box.

Since A moved to D, B moves to A line, C moves to B line and D moves to the C line.

Coaching points

- eye up to see the keeper and target then eyes to ball for a proper strike

- after first shot happens, follow the shot for a step or 2 to then check back to the ball from the 2nd shooter

- after the set is made, quickly overlap the wide player

- player C ball to player D is a switch of the pitch in the attacking third (pace, type of ball, driven or lobbed?)

- player on the edge of the 18 must picture receiving this switching ball, the defender is likely goal side and closing out so first touch into the middle of the field towards the net will slow that close down and thus open up the overlapping option

- curled run from the overlapper so they can get their hips squared to their target on their cross.

- crosser must picture in their head, low ball near post, drive ball through the 6, chip back post, set to the top of the box

- the 2 players making runs into the box must think about the timing of their runs, communicate near and far post and stagger their runs so that they don't approach the cross flat