Attacking Sessions

Manchester United had an unbelievable 45 passes before Juan Mata slotted home their 3rd goal against Southampton. No doubt, Southampton were worn out chasing the ball. But, the final couple of passes in the attacking 3rd were vital to creating the combination play that resulted in the goal.

Statistically, a single cross has on average a greater goal threat than does a single final third pass. Crosses are a high risk, high reward skill compared to a ground based passing strategy that is low risk, but also low reward for each individual pass.

Leicester City's Jamie Vardy is one of the best strikers in the Premier League at running into space for longer passes. This football coaching session would have been perfect to improve his pace, desire and determination to make the best of any long passes. But, this football coaching session would have also worked on his team mates improving their technique and vision to make a long pass for him to run onto or compete for.

Jack Wilshere is a great example of a young English player who has really good spatial awareness and the ability to create and find space and use turning skills to create space for himself.

Whilst pace is important as a striker, Chelsea's Diego Costa demonstrates the timing and the angle of runs into the box are also vitally important skills for forwards, in particular, to work on and develop.

Virtually all of the top strikers can create and take long range shooting opportunities. They have a positive attitude to shooting from distance and apply a controlled, effective shooting technique. Drills are great for mastering the technique of power shooting, but conditioned games that create lots of game related power shooting opportunities are the real deal for improving players.

This blog continues on the theme of developing and improving strikers goal scoring skills, creating repetitive game related scoring situations and providing theme related games that focus on shooting and finishing.

Fifth in the series of waves, pass, support and finishing games