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Home/Training Drills/Crossing Drills/Cross and Finish: The Basics
CrossingBeginner

Cross and Finish: The Basics

Crossing for beginners: carry to the byline, head up, and deliver an accurate cross into the space between the keeper and the defenders. Two runners attack it, one at the spot and one at the back post.

Create your own drill
Live animationCRO
Duration
12 min
Total drill time
Players
4
Recommended
Pitch
Third Pitch
Setup space
Level
Beginner
Skill required
Intensity
Medium
Physical demand
Age band
U9-U10
Any format

Setup & instructions

Set a start cone on the wing and a second cone near the byline to mark where the cross is delivered from. A winger carries between the cones, looks up, and crosses. Two attackers start centrally and time their runs, one to the penalty spot and one to the back post. No defenders at all to begin with. Rotate every repetition: crosser becomes a runner, a runner joins the wing. Work both wings so players cross with each foot. Only add a defender once the delivery is consistently reaching the target zone.

Setup time: 1 min

Tactical breakdown

Most crossing drills assume a player can already cross. They start with an overlap, a beaten defender or a conditioned game, and the delivery itself is treated as something the player brings with them. This one assumes nothing, which is why there is no opposition in it at all.

The first thing to fix is when the head comes up. Young wingers look up as they strike the ball, by which point the decision has already been made for them. Looking up before reaching the byline means the delivery is aimed at runners rather than hoped in their direction, and it costs nothing except the habit.

The second is the target. The most useful cross goes into the space between the keeper and the defenders, close enough to goal that a keeper is tempted but not close enough that he can claim it. That zone is worth marking on the grass, because a winger who is aiming at a place delivers more consistently than one aiming at a person.

The third is that there must always be more than one runner. A single attacker in the box makes a good cross look like a bad one, because anything not delivered exactly to him is wasted. Two runners, one attacking the penalty spot and one holding the back post, means a delivery anywhere across the face has a chance of finding somebody.

Rotate every repetition so the same player does not spend the session crossing, and work both wings so crosses are struck with each foot.

How to run this drill

  1. Set the channel and the target zone. Put a start cone on the wing and a second cone near the byline to mark where the cross is delivered from. Mark the target zone between the penalty spot and the six-yard box.
  2. Carry between the cones. The winger carries the ball down the line towards the byline cone. No opposition to begin with, so the whole focus stays on the delivery rather than beating anybody.
  3. Head up before the byline. Look up before arriving at the crossing cone, not as the ball is struck. Knowing where the runners are is what turns a hopeful ball into an aimed one.
  4. Plant beside the ball and wrap the foot around it. Plant the standing foot beside the ball and wrap the kicking foot around it to lift and shape the cross into the marked zone rather than straight at the keeper.
  5. Attack with two runners. One attacker takes the penalty spot, one holds the back post. Both start their runs late and arrive at pace, attacking the ball rather than waiting for it to arrive.
  6. Rotate roles and switch wings. The crosser becomes a runner and a runner joins the wing. Work both sides so players deliver with each foot. Only add a defender once the delivery is consistently finding the zone.

Coaching focus

FROM SESSION PLAN

Coaching points

  • Get your head up before the byline, so you know where the runners are
  • Plant foot beside the ball, then wrap your foot around it to lift it
  • Cross into the space between the keeper and the defenders, not at the keeper
  • Runners: start your run late and arrive at pace, do not stand and wait
  • Somebody attacks the spot, somebody holds the back post, every single time
  • Attack the ball rather than letting it come to you

Common mistakes

  • Head down, so the cross goes in with no idea where anyone is
  • Crossing straight at the keeper
  • Runners arriving too early and standing still waiting for it
  • Only one runner in the box, so a decent cross has no target
  • Trying to smash it rather than placing it into the zone

Progressions & regressions

VARIATIONS

Progressions

  • Cross first time without the settling touch
  • Vary the delivery: driven low, or clipped to the back post
  • Add a passive defender on the winger
  • Add a defender in the box so the runners must lose a marker
  • Restrict the crosser to two touches

Regressions

  • Start with the ball still, no dribble before the cross
  • Move the crossing cone closer to the goal
  • Take the keeper out and cross into an empty goal
  • Let the runner control the ball before finishing
Equipment
Cones×2
Full Goals×1
Markers×1
Tactical principles
crossing drillcross and finishbeginner crossing drillhow to cross a footballwing play drillbyline crossunopposed crossingyouth crossing drillattacking the boxu10 crossing drill
Audience
U9-U10

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