Finishing Off Diagonal Passes | Timing Your Runs and Sharpening Your Shot

Overview

• In a real game, getting a long ball from wide into the space behind and finishing it off is one of the best scoring chances you’ll get
• This session works three things at once: timing your run, hitting an accurate pass, and finishing technique
• The main goal is to build that quick decision-making that lets your players punish chances in front of goal

Objectives

• Teach the receiving player when to make his run
• Get the passer putting the ball into the runner’s path — accurate, and at a weight and spot that’s easy to shoot from
• Build the ability to mix up finishes (first-time shot, or take a touch and shoot) depending on what the game gives you
• Sharpen decision-making by reading the defense and the space

Setup

Players receive a long diagonal ball from wide into the space behind, then take it on the run all the way to a shot.

１）Play in a half-field setup, with players positioned out wide and centrally

２）The wide player starts with the ball and plays a square pass to get things moving

３）The player who takes that pass immediately spins off and drives into the space behind, centrally

４）The first player then hits a long diagonal ball into the space, timed to the runner

５）The runner takes it in stride and carries it through to a shot