Shooting Games for Strikers and Goalkeepers
The following drill comes from Tony DiCicco and was presented at the Soccer Champions Coaches' Clinic. Find out more about the Soccer Champions Coaches' Clinic.
This is a 2 zone game (stay within your own half) played on a 36 x 44 yd field. The 3 with the ball can play into their teammate on the attacking half or look to shoot from distance. Evolve to allowing one attacking player from the defensive zone to go forward. Lots of saving and diving required.
Organization:
- Create a field with 2 big goals
- 36 x 44 yards
- Play 3 v 1 in 2 zones
- Must stay in your zone
- Progress so that passer from the zone of 4 in the CF can now move into the forward zone to get return or wall pass and finish. After play is dead, player returns to zone of 3
- Progress into 4 v 4 shooting game with no zone restrictions
Key Coaching Points
For Strikers:
- Look to shoot whenever possible
- Look for wall passes into the CF
- Look for lay-off so that 1 of the 3 can run onto and shoot
- The lone striker should look to steal the ball from the 3 and finish when possible
For Goalkeepers:
- Organize defensively
- Evaluate positioning on closing shots, footwork on longer shots and eliminating rebounds
Download a PDF of this session
Visit the Soccer Champions Coaches' Clinic website
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Preseason Training Resources
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Goalkeeper Warm-Up Drills
Playing in 5 Corridors using the 1-3-3-1-1
Championship Defending – Teaching Zonal Defending Movement to Two Backs
Conditioned Possession Game - Press & Score
Heading the Ball
Drills to Improve Your Teams Free Kicks
1 v 1 Receiving and Turning Drill
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