Training 3/31 Crossing and Finishing

I. 6v6 4 Goal Possession Game (20 min)

• Play 3 touch
• Concentrate on targets playing the wide players

II. Crossing and Finishing Technique (20 min)

• Groups of 2 players (6 teams)
• 1 group is the crossers, 1 group is the defender and goalie, 4 groups are the runners
• Player on outside does a move on a dummy defender
• 2 runners into the box versus 1 live defender

III. Crossing and Finishing Patterns (30 min)

Goal of the Activity:

• Attackers work on the pattern, crossing and finishing
• Defenders work on their footwork to defend crosses

Set Up

• Forwards- 2 go each time: Gaffer, Greely, Magic
• Wingers- 1 goes each time: Rt side: Kari, Kenzie Left Side: Jazzy
• Center Mids- 1 goes each time: Lydia, Sizzle
• Defenders- 2 go each time: Brownie, Stoker, Becks (Rotate Lydia and Kenzie in)
• Recovery Defender: Whichever winger is not going next out of the 3

Progression I

• One striker posts up against her defender and calls for the ball
• The center mid plays her the ball
• As the ball is played the other striker drops off of her defender to be an option for a drop pass
• As the ball is played forward the winger makes her run down the line
• The striker plays the ball through for the winger and turns to make a run to the far post
• The other striker makes a run to the near post
• The center mid makes a run to the top of the box
• As the ball is played out to the wing, the defenders drop in to defend the cross
• The recovery defender chases down the pass to the winger as soon as the ball is played to add pressure
• The winger receives the ball and chooses to play in an early cross or take the ball end line to cross

Key Points

• The passes in the pattern must be made crisply and with the proper weight on each pass in order to get the cross off before the recovery defender gets back to block the cross
• The strikers must work together to make their runs and must not end up flat
• The center mid needs to read the runs of the striker and decide to hold at the top of the box or run through and attack the cross
• The center mid and the forwards must work together and if the center mid is going to attack the cross one forward needs to drop off from the defenders
• One of the three attackers will be open if the runs are made properly.  The key is getting the winger to take a look up as she is going to the ball and play the right type of cross

Progression II

Set Up

• Same set up as before

Procedure

• The ball is played into the first target forward but this time she lays the ball off to the other forward, who has dropped off her defender, and she spins outside to create a passing lane 
• The second forward then plays a ball through (either via a split pass between the defenders or a chip pass over the top) to the winger
• As the ball is played the recovery defender chases down the winger and tries to block the cross
• The winger gets to the ball and finds a cross
• The forwards and the center mid work together to make their runs and finish the cross

Make It Competitive

Points for the Attackers- Max per turn is 6 points

• +1 point for a sharp pattern and good runs 
• +1 point for a shot
• +2 points for a shot on goal
• +5 points for a goal

Points for the Defenders- Max per turn is 3 points

• Defenders +1 point for the first touch on the cross
• Defenders +1 point for good positioning
• Defenders +1 point for a clear 

IV. 6v6 Wide Crosses Finishing Scrimmage (20 min)