Finishing football drills

Cutting inside onto the strong foot is the most predictable move in modern football, and it still works. Predictable is not the same as stoppable.

Offside is a timing skill wearing a rules problem's clothes. Break on the pass, not before it, and bend the run to come from behind.

FIFA's finishing drill that grows every rep: a three-touch 1v1, a second 1v1, then 2v2 and 3v3 with a recovering defender. Setup, coaching points, video.

The most common clear chance in football, drilled from both sides. Striker decides early and places it, keeper sets, advances and spreads late.

The youngest players learn to attack by being brave. Two against one to a small goal, no keeper: run straight at the defender and have a go.

A finishing drill: a diagonal ball into the wall player, a lay-off and a 1-2 through ball round the mannequin, then a far-corner finish. 7 players.

A Coerver fast break finishing game: 2v2 to full goals, and a fresh pair breaks the other way every time the ball goes out. Setup, rules and coaching.

A third man run finishing drill: the midfielder plays into the winger, the lay-off goes to the full-back, who slides him in behind to finish.

A good first touch is not a still ball, it is a ball in a better place. Cushion it away from the marker and towards goal, then finish.

Short, long, short, long, finish. Most finishing drills rehearse the last two passes of a move. This one rehearses the whole thing.

The youngest players learn to shoot by scoring goals. Each child dribbles in and shoots at a small goal, no keeper, then fetches a ball and does it again.

The player who plays the first pass is the one who finishes. That single rule turns a passing pattern into a running exercise, and it is what makes this drill hard.

A finishing drill with three mannequins: play up, set it inside, then a through ball for the far-side forward to run onto and finish. Alternating sides.

Knockout games are the most motivating format in youth football and give the least practice to the players who need it most.

Draw the keeper out, wait for him to commit, then take it round him and roll it in. The finish that looks easy and is missed constantly.

Get to the byline first, then pull it back low and firm into the golden zone. The cutback beats a defence because everyone is facing the wrong way.

Separation comes from movement, not speed. Go where you do not want the ball first, and the space behind opens by itself.

René Meulensteen's Man Utd finishing drill: come off the mannequin and shoot first time, then a one-two and a one-touch finish. The coach calls the corner.