Shooting and movement

When I took over as manager at Versailles, we couldn’t score goals. I decided to put in place two sessions of finishing prior to a match against Nimes Olympique. The result was great = we scored six goals and our finishing in the final third was amazing.

“This session prepared my Versailles team for a match against Nimes Olympique – where we scored six goals, with amazing finishing in the final third”

I’d practise this drill once a week before a game, possibly MD-2, always bringing in intensity and reality, and running it for 45 minutes. We look to encourage aggression and develop the quality of our touch, passing and running, as well as our finishing, building confidence when a goalscoring opportunity presents itself. After all, we win games by scoring goals!

WARM-UP 

The first 15 minutes is a warm-up where we show the movement we will be working on in the main session with short distances and mini goals. It operates on both sides of the pitch; for clarity, these diagrams show it running down the left side, with the equipment marked out on the right side.

The players at the two starting cones exchange passes. The first player then passes the ball through the mannequins and the player at the third cone runs on to the ball to take a shot at the first mini goal. 
Meanwhile, the second player runs down the line to pick up a pass and take a shot into the second mini goal.

The player positioned by the mini goal then moves to the cone and plays a ball across the box. The player by the far pole runs round it to take a shot into the full size goal.

[W1]

1. Players at starting cones exchange passes

2. First player passes the ball through the mannequins 
3. Player at the third cone runs on to the ball to take a shot at first mini goal
4. Second player runs down the line to pick up a pass and take a shot into the second mini goal

[W2]

1. Player positioned by the mini goal moves to cone and plays ball across box

2. Player by far pole runs round it to take a shot into full size goal

“The warm-up demonstrates the movement we will be working on in the main session, with short distances and mini goals”

ACTIVITY

We are simply looking at finishing and our movement here, so we have just one team on the pitch (with a goalkeeper in goal) with mannequins indicating where there may be defenders in a match situation. We begin at the halfway line, and then encourage movement, quick thinking, accurate passing, and shots on goal.

In the first example [1]...

[1]

1. Begin on halfway line with one team on the pitch

2. Starting player moves ball out wide, team-mates move to support player with ball
3. Player takes shot on goal from central position with goalkeeper looking to save

...the players use the width of the pitch to move in on goal, cut it back and take a shot from a central position.

“Encourage good coordination and communication between the players, and rotation and clarification of roles”

In the second example [2], the players move the ball out wide and have an effort from a wider angle.

[2]

1. Begin on halfway line with one team on the pitch

2. Starting player moves ball out wide, team-mates move to support player with ball
3. Players looking to take a shot from wider position with goalkeeper looking to save

You can progress this by playing the ball down one side to get a cross in one touch, getting runners in the box, and one player on the edge of the box. Look out for runs and projection towards the goal, encourage good coordination and communication between the players, and rotation and clarification of roles.

COACHING POINTS

What are the key things to look out for technically and tactically?

Our principles will be to stay aggressive in front of the ball, looking for a good end product and quality of touch, the pass, and the run.

What are the typical mistakes that players might make, and how do you avoid them?

Players may lose focus because they think it will be too easy for them without defenders and pressure from the opponents.