Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Crossing & Finishing

FAW Coach Ed

Gavin Lee Roberts

Profile Summary

Name:	Gavin Lee Roberts
City:	Denbigh
Country:	United Kingdom
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

Carousel session consisting of SSG, technical then skill.

Learning Objectives:

Improve crossing accuracy to within five metres of the penalty spot area.

Coach the mechanics of inswing, outswing and grounded crosses.

Coach attacking runs players make prior to meeting the cross.

Context:

In the Premier League 2017/18 season, Kevin De Bruyne, Pascal Groß, Christian Eriksen, Mark Albrighton and Johann Gudmondsson were the top five crossers (Premier League, 2018). Groß, Albrighton and Gudmondsson are wide midfield players. Garry Gelade, an author at OptaPro, in a study revealed that despite crossing per game is lowering due to the evolution of the game, it still has a role to play rather than being considered ineffective (OptaPro, 2018). If you take into consideration the indirect effects of a cross (second balls, penalties, etc), a goal in the Premier League was scored every 45 crosses which is a decent return. The most successful category of cross was a driven pass that just crossed the centre line by no more than five metres. (Opta, 2018). To avoid potential concussion or head injuries (Delaney et al., 2008), the players will be executing low crosses into the box.

References:

Delaney, J., Al-Kashmiri, A., Drummond, R., and Correa, J. (2008) 'The effect of protective headgear on head injuries and concussions in adolescent football (soccer) players'. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 42(2), pp. 110–115.

OptaPro (2018) Available at: https://www.optasportspro.com/about/optapro-blog/posts/2017/blog-the-art-of-crossing/ (Accessed: 08/12/2018)

Premier League (2018) Available at: https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/total_cross (Accessed: 08/12/2018)

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): SSG

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Learning Objectives

	Technical Improving crossing mechanics.
	Tactical Attacking runs into the box.
	Physical None
	Psychological None
	Social Good communication between players to enhance teamwork.

SSG (10 mins)

A 5v5 game with GKs with wide channels. The aim is to get the ball to the wide players positioned in the channel with the target to cross low into the central players to score.

Players:

Area:

25x30yds

Equipment:

2 12x6ft Goals, 6 red cones, 5 red bibs, 5 blue bibs, 2 yellow bibs, 1 ball (Size 4).

Time Breakdown:

1m brief, two 4m halves with a minute half time.

Progression:

Cross with weaker foot.

Conditions:

The wide players cannot leave the wide channel.

The central players cannot go into the wide channels.

They must use low crosses.

Scoring system:

1 Point - Goal not from a cross.

2 Points - Goal from indirect cross

3 Points - Goal from direct cross

Misc.:

Link the top five scorers in PL to the players in the wide channels.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Technical

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Learning Objectives

	Technical Improving crossing (specifically driven pass) and shooting mechanics.
	Tactical Attacking runs into the box.
	Physical None
	Psychological None
	Social Good communication between players to enhance teamwork.

Technical (15 mins)

Red player provides a through ball down the channel to the running player who provides a cross to the attacker to shoot. They then move positions clockwise, e.g crosser becomes attacker. Same applies to blues except they move anti-clockwise.

Area:

25x30yds

Equipment:

8 red cones, 5 red bibs, 5 blue bibs, 12 balls, 1 goal

Time Breakdown:

1m brief, 4m x 3 with minute breaks in between.

Progression:

In swinger or out swinger

Grounded cross/driven pass

Conditions:

No chipped crosses.

Scoring system:

1 Points - Goal from direct inswinger/outswinger

3 Points - Goal from direct grounded cross

Misc.:

Link the top five scorers in PL to the players in the wide areas.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Skill

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Learning Objectives

	Technical Improving crossing (inc. driven pass) and shooting mechanics.
	Tactical Attacking runs into the box.
	Physical Anaerobic bursts of high intensity energy to win the ball.
	Psychological Decision making in what type of cross needs to be executed.
	Social Good communication between players to enhance teamwork.

Skill (15 mins)

Technical practice above replicated with opposition. Blue player challenges the wide red player as he makes his run while a blue defender in the box challenges the red attacker. The red attacker attempts to score against the goalkeeper. The two spare blue players rotate at every cross/shot. The teams switch over half-way through.

Area:

25x30yds

Equipment:

5 red cones, 5 red bibs, 5 blue bibs, 6 balls, 1 goal

Time Breakdown:

1m brief, 4m x 3 with minute breaks in between.

Progression:

None

Conditions:

No chipped crosses.

Scoring system:

1 Points - Goal from indirect inswinger/outswinger

2 Points - Goal from indirect grounded cross

3 Points - Goal from direct inswinger/outswinger

5 Points - Goal from direct grounded cross

Misc.:

Link the top five scorers in PL to the players in the wide channels.

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