U12 - U16 Finishing Session Focus - Dribbling

Primary Aims & Objectives

Develop ability to score goals from distance. Encourage players to gamble on rebound opportunities. Identify the position of the goalkeeper and the goals before targeting a shot.

Organisation
Set-up a large square area with a goal on each edge. Divide the area in to quarters as in the diagram. Three players in each segment practice a different finishing skill:

1) Attacker takes on defender 1v1 to goal. 2) Attacker runs on to a pass from out wide. 3) Attacker plays a 1-2 then shoots. 4) Attacker runs on to a through ball then shoots.
Each player has three balls/attempts and then rotates roles with the defender and goalkeeper.
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Develop Your Environment

Let the game be the teacher. Fun practices can be competitive, challenging, realistic and deliver multiple outcomes, Players can make lots of decisions and hundreds of touches whilst warming up.

Technical Outcomes
Develop techniques for striking the ball and finishing. Develop ability to score goals from distance. Encourage players to gamble on rebound opportunities.

Better Coaching

Physical Outcomes
Develop agility, balance and co-ordination. Develop speed, strength and stamina.

Develop Your Practice

Think of a couple of ways in which you might progress the practice whilst retaining a focus on dribbling. Can you think of ways to add goals to the practice? How might you adapt this practice to focus on passing or defending?

Psychological Outcomes
Anticipate goal-scoring opportunities. Identify the position of the goalkeeper and the goals before targeting a shot.

Better Practice

Develop Your Players

Demonstrate (or ask a player to demonstrate) the function of feint and double-feint moves to your players. Show that an attacker has the advantage in a 1v1 and can always beat an off-balance defender.

Social Outcomes
Learn in an enjoyable game environment. Communicate with teammates to create goals .

Better Players Visit BetterFootball.net for more Age-Appropriate Session Plans

U12 - U16 Finishing Skills Practice

Organisation
Rearrange the markers to create a square area in the centre of the field. Two teams play 4v4 in the central area. One team go in goal. Teams can score in any of the four goals. If a goalkeeper makes a save their team swaps with the strikers team... ...unless an attacker can score the rebound with their first touch. Play first to five goals or for 5 minutes and then rearrange the teams.

Make It Easier
Make the central area bigger to bring the attackers closer to goal.

Make It Harder
Make the central area smaller to increase the pressure on the ball-carrier and move the goals further away.

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Game Practice
Organisation
Move the goals to the end-lines and markers to create ~15m deep end-zones. Play 4v4 in the central area. Only attackers and goalkeepers are allowed in the endzones. Teams can score in either of the goals on their opponents end-line. Players can only shoot from inside the central area.

Make It Easier
Allow players to score rebounds (one-touch) inside the end-zones. Allow players to score headers inside the end-zones. Allow players to shoot inside the end-zones.
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Make It Harder
Allow defenders inside the end-zones. Play offside inside the end-zones.

Visit BetterFootball.net for more Age-Appropriate Session Plans