Long-Ball Handling Drill | Kill It Dead at Your Feet, Then Play Forward

Overview

• Age group: U12 and up
• Players: 4
• Space needed: 15m × 30m (about the size of a penalty box)
• Equipment: 1 ball

Objectives

• Sharpen the feel for killing a long ball dead right at your feet
• Build the decision-making to read the opponent’s movement and connect straight into the next play
• Develop the technique to handle set pieces and fast attacks around the opponent’s goal
• Get a feel for linking up between midfield and the front line

Setup

Think of it as midfield and front-line roles, so split your players into who’s serving the long ball and who’s receiving it. They’ll settle a high ball at their feet and roll straight into the next play, over and over.

１）Put one player at the top of the field and one at the bottom, with two players packed together in the middle.

２）The top player has the ball and drives a long ball into the two in the middle.

３）The receiver settles the ball calmly at their feet, plays a pass to the player next to them, and that player knocks it back to the server.

４）Run the exact same sequence toward the bottom player too.

５）After a few reps, rotate positions and go again.