Tag Archives for " Crosses "

0 Across goal footwork and shot stopping

By Scott Housden - Moving across the goal at speed whilst being ready to save a shot is of course paramount to any goalkeeper. This drill will encourage your goalkeeper to not only move at speed across goal but also attack the ball with ease when shot stopping. Set Up The set up as shown in

0 Dealing with high cut-back crosses

By Scott Housden - This drill can easily be incorporated into a general crossing session or a specialist cut-back crosses session. Essential criteria of dealing with any high balls or crosses is ‘Assess – Decide – React’ and it is no different for this drill. Set Up The set up as shown in the diagram below

0 Blind Cross from a 4-5-1

By Mike Smith The idea of the blind cross has less to do with eye sight and more to do with trusting the space the concept creates, but many times it’s just so simple even a blind man could do it. I really like the idea of a 5 man midfield, not always to give my

0 Crossing Free Zones

By Steven Smith Setup: Two free zones are set up outside a 36 by 30-yard field. Zones are free from defenders. Grid size can be up to half field depending on age of players and functional desire of coach. The free zone sizes can also be adjusted. Execution: Flat back four defend groups of attackers who

0 Four Types of Service

By George Kee This exercise is designed to help players improve crossing and finishing by identifying the different types of service into the box. Teams often get into crossing positions and leave the finish up to chance. Here we show players the different options of service provided from wide areas. Players also get practice finishing in

0 Different Types of Crosses

By Sean Pearson Area: 40 x 30 yards Time: 20 mins Players: 6 v 6 Objectives To understand the different types of cross To understand when to use a certain cross Set Up Three areas, 2 end zones 10 x 30 yards and a middle zone 20 x 30 yards. 3v3 in the middle with 2 players for

0 Defending Crosses

By Alex Trukan When choosing to be compact in central areas and force the opposition teams down the wings, there will be times when players will have to deal with crosses. If the defending team is unorganised and unprepared, crosses will pose a major threat to them. Effective defending against crosses lies in ability to

0 Runs to Finish From Crosses

By Alex Trukan When trying to attack through the wings, getting the ball wide and creating an opportunity to cross is only part of success. The key to finalising wing play are movements that players make in and around the box just before, and as the ball is crossed. There are various combinations of different

0 Dealing with Crosses

By Wayne Henderson - The art of being a good goalkeeper at taking crosses seems to an increasingly difficult aspect to master. In theory, it should be easier for the modern day goalkeeper because they are bigger and more athletic than ever before. And as the outfield players and opposition managers seem very quick to point out,

0 Corner Salvo

By Jason Stockman - In a previous article, we worked on positioning for keepers during a corner – more specifically, where keepers should start out, what their area of influence was and learning to deal with increasing numbers of both defenders and attackers. Using what we learned in that article, we can now focus more

0 Defending Wide Areas

By Alex Trukan Forcing opposition into wide areas is a strategy used by many modern teams when out of possession. First of all, once the ball is wide, the options for the player in possession are reduced as he has possibilities of playing only into three directions. Secondly, the ball is further away from the

0 Dealing with Crosses

By Josh Jones-Keen - Collecting the ball from a cross can fill a Keepers team with confidence as well as give an opportunity to launch a counter attack. Nailing the basics is important; ‘W’ formation Eye on the ball Timing Positioning Footwork Collecting the ball at the highest point the keeper can reach Communication Warm Up

4 Winning the Second Ball

By Eric Clermont - 

During the past ten years and beyond, football has seen the rise and fall of Spain and the re-emergence of Germany as the global superpower on the world stage. The world of youth coaching will always attempt to replicate the ‘flavor of the month’s’ style and at this point in time, this revolves around building out from the back, attempting to keep possession at all costs, use combination play, mobility and technical quality to break the lines and score ‘the perfect goal’ with 55 passes from back to front without the opposition touching the ball. The developmental positives for youth players throughout the growing ages are also great, meaning that players can both gain success playing this way (given they are given time to develop in this way) and improve as football players.

While I am a major advocator of this school of thought and the perceived positives, I have also noticed the lack of defensive capability and ability of youth coaches to teach ‘the nasty side’ of the game. While I may seem unfair in my criticism, (and of course, there are exceptions to the rule) I urge you to watch a youth team who is comfortable in possession play against a direct team who looks to lump the ball forward. Many teams will struggle more against these types of team due to the

0 Catching Balls From Different Trajectories

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s topic deals with catching balls from different trajectories.

The biggest issue keepers run into when when trying to catch balls from different trajectories is not getting their palms perpendicular to the flight of the ball.

Some people might be surprised to see the word “palms” when talking about catching because we frequently emphasize catching with the

0 Dealing With the Diagonal Ball

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on defending a diagonal ball and staying on balance.

Start with a player with a ball just outside the 18 on a slight angle (even with a goal post) and a second player a little further back but more toward the middle of the field. A keeper is in goal.

The keeper has to cut off the angle, in case there is a shot. The player with the ball has two options

0 Heading to Score or Back Across the Goal

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on “head backs”.

In an ideal world, a team would get the ball out wide, cross the ball into a position for a player to finish first time (with the head, foot or other part of the body).

Unfortunately our teams play in the real world and not the ideal world so it doesn't always work that way. Too often the cross isn't

0 Dealing With Floated Crosses

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on floated crosses from end line as the attacker comes toward goal

When a player is on the end line with the ball, close to the corner, the keeper can stay back toward the center of the goal and prepare for the cross.

The reason the keeper can stay back like that is there is

1 How Bayern Munich Make Space to Attack a Cross

By Stevie Grieve

In the recent Champions League match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United, Bayern needed to draw 0-0, win 1-0 or 2-1 to go through, while Manchester United needed an away goal at least keep themselves in the tie, and they got the away goal early into the 2nd half via a fantastic strike from Patrice Evra from 30 yards. There were scenes of jubilation as all United players, subs and even coaches were almost celebrating victory, but the joy was shortlived as Evra was at fault for 2 of Bayerns 3 goals within the next 15 minutes. I will look at the 1st goal and in particular how he lost Mandzukic to allow him to make it 1-1 within 3 minutes of the Evra goal.

Bayern forwards movement to choose marker and attack the front side

As the ball is passed wide, Muller and Mandzukic crossover and change who their markers will be, Mandzukic v Evra at the far side is a

0 Being Aggressive On Lofted Balls

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible. Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on being aggressive on lofted balls. Recently I have seen too many keepers come out for high balls and be tentative, or even soft, when trying to win the ball. In this activity there is a keeper in

0 Finishing From Crosses

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on finishing crosses.

Start with a grid that is 50 x 50 with a goal on each endline. There are 4 players on the sidelines with balls. They are numbered 1-4. There is a keeper in each goal and 2 forwards in the middle.

Player 1, on the outside starts by taking a touch and then

1 How to Deal With Corner Kicks

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on dealing with corner kicks.

Corner kicks are one of the most difficult situations for keepers to deal with. The reasons range from having a lot of players in a small area which makes decision making difficult (“Can I get the ball?”, “Should I punch or catch” etc). It also is difficult as different teams take completely different approaches to corner kicks so the situation a team saw last week might be very different the next week. One big reason corner kicks are so difficult for keepers is they don’t prepare for them enough.

To start you might have a keeper in goal and a player serving balls in from the corner.

The keeper decides whether to come and get the ball or whether to stay back.. The problem is many keepers

0 Drill For Dealing With High Balls

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on high balls, footwork and some fitness

Start with a server on the top of the 18 with some balls and a keeper in goal.

The keeper starts by dropping to the ground and doing a push up. The server then tosses a ball high in the air which should

1 Why Footwork is Critical For High Balls

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on footwork for high balls.

Start with a keeper on the top of the 6 yard box and a server at the top of the 18 with some balls. Place a cone 3 yards from the goal line and 2 yards in from each post.

The purpose of this activity is to have the keeper get back and behind the ball before

0 Practicing Crosses With Opposition

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on footwork on crosses with opposition.

Start with 3 coaching sticks (or corner flags or mannequins) along the 6 yard line. A keeper is in goal and a server is just outside the 18 with some balls.

The server plays a ball into the box around the top of the 6 and the keeper must