Finishing
Lay-Off, Through Ball and Finish (Both Sides)
Play a quick up, back and through combination at match speed: the wall player comes short and sets it first time, the midfielder arrives on the half-turn to play it back through, and the wall player times his spin to stay onside and finishes across the keeper.
Live animation
Duration
15 min
Total drill time
Players
8
Recommended
Pitch
44 × 45 m
Setup space
Level
Intermediate
Skill required
Intensity
Medium
Physical demand
Age band
U9-U10
Any format
Setup & instructions
Use the penalty area and about 25 m outside it, a full goal and a keeper. Put two mannequins just past the D, about 14 m apart, facing out. A wall player stands wide of each mannequin and a little deeper. Put a disc in the centre about 29 m from goal, with a midfielder just behind it, and a disc on each side about 36 m out with a line of players and a pile of balls behind it. The front player of the left line (the feeder) passes diagonally into the right wall player, who takes a step up the line and comes short to meet it. The midfielder checks away, then comes back across the middle, and the wall player lays it off first time. The midfielder takes a touch and plays it through the gap inside the mannequin to complete the 1-2: the wall player spins round the outside, level with the mannequin as the ball is played, takes it in his stride in the box and finishes in the far corner. Rotate: the feeder follows his pass into the centre and becomes the midfielder, the midfielder takes the wall player's spot, and the wall player collects a ball and joins the back of the line that fed him. The next rep comes from the right line into the left wall player. Alternate sides every rep.
Setup time: 5 min
Tactical breakdown
This is a finishing drill built on the up, back and through combination that breaks a back line in a game, run continuously from both sides. A diagonal ball goes up to the wall player, comes back to the midfielder arriving across the middle, and goes through again for the wall player to run onto: a 1-2 between the two, set up by the diagonal. Three passes, two of them first time or close to it, and the ball moves forward twice in one sequence.
The wall player's movement makes the first pass. He takes a step up the line, as if to run in behind, then comes short to meet the ball. That step creates the space to receive and, in a game, drags the defender with him. He sets it first time into the path of the midfielder, not to his feet, so the midfielder can play forward without turning.
The midfielder's job is to stay out of the way and then arrive. He checks away while the first pass travels, which clears the lane, and comes back across the middle on the half-turn for the lay-off. A positive first touch out of his feet means the second touch can be the through ball, played inside the mannequin and into the space in the box.
The wall player spins round the outside of the mannequin for the return. He stays level with it until the ball is played (the mannequins stand in for the back line, so a run that goes too early is offside), then takes the ball in his stride and finishes across the keeper into the far corner.
The rotation keeps the sequence continuous and gives everyone every role. The feeder follows his pass into the centre and becomes the midfielder, the midfielder takes the wall player's spot, and the shooter collects a ball and joins the back of the line that fed him. The next rep comes from the other side, so every player passes, sets, plays through and finishes off both feet.
How to run this drill
- Set up the pattern. Goal and keeper, two mannequins just past the D, a wall player wide of each, a midfielder on a centre disc about 29 m out, and a line with balls on each side about 36 m out.
- Diagonal into the wall. The front player of the left line passes diagonally into the right wall player, who takes a step up the line and comes short to meet it.
- Lay it off to the midfielder. The midfielder checks away, comes back across the middle, and the wall player lays it off first time into his path.
- Through ball to complete the 1-2. The midfielder takes a touch and plays it through inside the mannequin. The wall player spins round the outside, level with the mannequin as it is played, and runs onto it.
- Finish across the keeper. Take it in your stride in the box and finish low into the far corner.
- Rotate and switch sides. The feeder follows into the centre, the midfielder takes the wall spot, the shooter collects a ball and joins the line that fed him. The next rep starts from the other side.
Coaching focus
FROM SESSION PLANCoaching points
- Feeder: a firm diagonal pass on the ground into the wall player's front foot
- Wall player: a step up the line first, then come short to meet the ball, don't wait for it
- Wall player: set it first time, weighted into the midfielder's path, not to his feet
- Midfielder: check away to clear the passing lane, then arrive across the middle on the half-turn
- Midfielder: a positive first touch out of your feet, so the second touch is the through ball
- Through ball: inside the mannequin, into the space, so the wall player never breaks stride
- Wall player: spin round the outside and stay level with the mannequin until the ball is played
- Finish across the keeper into the far corner, low
Common mistakes
- The wall player standing still and waiting for the first pass, so a defender would step in front
- The midfielder standing in the passing lane instead of checking away from it
- Lay-off played to the midfielder's feet, which turns him away from goal
- The wall player spinning early and finishing beyond the mannequin line before the ball is played (offside)
- Through ball overhit into the keeper's hands, or played outside the mannequin into the wall player
- Players walking back slowly, so the other side has to wait
Progressions & regressions
VARIATIONSProgressions
- Wall player and midfielder are both one touch
- Swap a mannequin for a live defender who can intercept the through ball
- Add a time limit: shot inside 6 seconds of the first pass
- The midfielder chooses: through ball for the spin, or switch it to the far wall player
Regressions
- The midfielder takes two touches before the through ball
- Shorter first pass: bring the lines in by 5 m
- No spin: the wall player runs straight in behind and the through ball is played square into his path
- Remove the keeper and finish into a target zone
Explore more drills
LIBRARYReady to run this drill?
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