Finishing Practices

Finishing Circuit Practice

This fairly basic circuit practice should give every player a chance to take plenty of shots, get themselves warmed up nicely and get some of the key coaching points across with regard to the topic. Because the set up is largely pitch based, you can easily just shift the goals back across at the end and move straight into a match.

Finishing Pre-Match Warm Up

This is a really simple warm up that gets your players thinking about finishing whilst also getting your goalkeeper ready for a match. I’ve often used this one as part of our pre-game warm up. I’m not usually a fan of “queues” of players, but actually, with 10 - 14 players, there is hardly any standing around as by the time the player who just took a shot has collected their ball and got to the back of the line it’s nearly time to go again.

Finishing 2v1 Transition to Defend

This warm up improves on standard “line” practices by introducing a transition from attack to defence and keeping your players moving with little waiting time.

2 Strikers Combine to Score

This is a fun halves session that introduces the idea of 2 forward players combining, whilst getting plenty of opportunities to shoot and to try and beat defenders. It's quick-fire, competitive and great fun. It works best with between 7 and 11 players, including a goalkeeper. If you have more players, just run the same session in two halves.

4v2 Finishing in the Final Third

This halves practice involves combination play from a number of forward players with a view to scoring goals. By setting 4 attackers against 2 defenders, hopefully lots of goalscoring situations can be created. If the players have problems getting into goalscoring positions, a defender can always be moved to the attacking team to play 5 v 1. This practice flows nicely into a match afterwards.

Finishing Around the Penalty Box

This practice introduces different types of finishing - from crosses, a set ball played back to a player on the edge of the box, a strike at the end of an individual dribble and rebound shots from a goalkeeper save. This variety is more realistic to what your players might face in a match and helps your players deal with the different scenarios they’re likely to face in and around the penalty area.

Long Range Shooting

This practice deals with long range shooting specifically, giving the players plenty of opportunities to get shots away and practice their skills from distance. Depending on the age group, the pitch should be set up so that players can manage to hit the target from just inside the opposition half, meaning a short pitch is preferable.

Mental Agility - Fun Finishing Exercise

This practice is great fun for any age of player. It combines repetitive practicing of finishing technique with mental agility, multitasking and decision making. It’s also a great way to get to know new players.

Netball Style Finishing Game

Netball style games can be incredibly useful for getting players thinking about their movement off the ball. Because they naturally play netball with their "heads up" then they get used to noticing the movement of their teammates and where the best passing option is. This warm up combines netball passing with regular shooting with feet or heading to score the goals.

Conditioned Match 1 - Improving Confidence in Strikers

This is a simple conditioned match, that allows less confident / younger strikers the chance to get shots away with less pressure on them. You would generally remove the conditions once the player was having success and introduce some defensive pressure and eventually a full match.

Conditioned Match 2 - Long Range Shooting

This is a simple 5v5 conditioned match, played on a short pitch, with 3 outfield players from each team locked into their own half and encouraged to shoot from there. Extra points are awarded for goals from your own half, with a lone striker in the opposition half to follow up shots and pressure the opponents when they have the ball. Progresses into a "normal" match with free movement but a weighted scoring system to encourage shots from distance.