Coaching Diaries #6 — Finishing the attack
This topic is going to conclude the block which involved teaching the team how to attack by switching play. If you haven’t seen the previous sessions in the block, you can see them here:
WHAT AND WHY?
In football all the complicated tactics, all the lines that are drawn and all the analysis that has is being made, is done for one simple reason — to allow the team to be in a position to finish their attack. When you take away all the shenanigans that teams come up with, the game is pretty simple — just score more goals to the opponent. A team can be brilliant in creating chances, get loads of opportunities in a single game, but if it can’t convert them, whats the point?
Goal conversion is something that my team is struggling with. We create all the chances in the world but put only a small fraction of them away. Sometimes, it is down to decision-making, other times, poor execution. This led me to think that it is the right time to practice finishing the attack. It will serve as the natural conclusion of the mini-block we have been in.
There are many ways in which an attack can be finished — the point is to look to finish it, and that involves shooting. My team has not been good at taking opportunities to shoot and, as a result, has missed many chances to score. This session is going to focus mainly on allowing the players to get into the habit of shooting and constantly thinking about finishing the attack.
WHO? and WHERE?
The focus players of this session are going to be my number 9 and 10. I will be looking at the specific scenario where a through ball is given to the number 9 and he continues on to finish. If that is not possible, then I would expect the number 10 to look for ways to finish from the edge of the box. What I will be emphasizing on is:
- Do they take a shot every time they are near the box and in space
- Body shape when striking the ball
- Power vs Precision.
Due to the nature of the topic, the session is going to be set up to take part in the oppositions 3rd.
HOW?
The session starts as always, warm up and rondo to get the boys going.
After all of that is completed, we will continue with the following pattern.
This pattern is meant to re-create a typical way in which we create chances — with a ball to the feet of an attacking player in gaps left by a shuffling defensive line. Key points in this exercise are:
- The striker needs to know where he is with respect to the goal prior to receiving the ball. Scan for the position of the ball, teammates, opponents, goal, goalkeeper
- First touch of the ball should set up for the shot
- Play the mind games with the keeper but in the moment do not hesitate — players need to be set on what they want to do before they get in a position to do it. If they hesitate, the chance will go away before they know it
- Power vs precision — when in a 1v1 vs the keeper, more often than not, a well placed ball does the job. Aim at positions which are difficult for the goalkeeper to — bottom corners. If the goalkeeper has his legs spread too wide — shoot between the legs.
- Body position — the player needs to lean forward when taking the shot. If he is leaning back, the ball will go over the goal. Chest needs to face the position in which he wants to put the ball. If there is time, small and quick steps need to be made to prepare the player for the shot.
To progress this, instead of cones, there will be defenders, which will apply pressure to the strikers when they get the ball.
This pattern is completed with an anti-clockwise rotation such as the one below.
The pattern will be done for 15 minutes in total before going onto the next practice.
This next practice is an attack v defense.
The attacking team will receive the ball from different positions and has 7 minutes to make as many shots as possible. During those 7 minutes, if the ball goes out of play, play resumes from one of the balls outside the area. If the defenders win the ball, the attacking team has to win it back before being able to shoot again. Both shots made and goals scored will be recorded during those 7 minutes. Both teams will have the chance to it 2 times when after the first round the coach will intervene on the following coaching points:
- Picture — is the player aware of his surroundings. Positioning of the ball, teammates, opponents, goal, goalkeeper.
- Space to shoot — the point of this session is to allow for players to shoot more. If they create the picture from scanning, they are close to the goal, and they are in space, then shoot.
- When winning the ball back, look to finish within 5 seconds.
The high intensity game will be followed with a practice using the whole width of the pitch.
The setup is similar, but this time because the playing area is bigger, there will be less chances for the number 9 and 10 to shoot. Coaching points remain the same with the only difference that now players need to show the patience to implement them when it is needed.
This concludes the block on switching play. From next week, we will be going into an out of possession block by starting with a pressing session.
