Finishing
Start the Move, Finish the Move
Train the third man run into a finish. The player who plays the first pass has to read the lay-off, time the run past the mannequins, and arrive at pace to strike it cleanly.
Live animation
Duration
14 min
Total drill time
Players
6
Recommended
Pitch
Full Pitch
Setup space
Level
Intermediate
Skill required
Intensity
High
Physical demand
Age band
U13-U14
Any format
Setup & instructions
Set three mannequins staggered across a 35x20m block at the edge of the box, with a full goal and keeper. Players work in threes. A plays into B, then immediately sets off. B takes a touch out of the mannequin's shadow and plays forward to C. C lays it back square into A's path, and A finishes first time. Run three balls at once so the next three are already starting as the first shot goes in. Rotate positions every few reps, and mirror the whole thing to work both sides.
Setup time: 2 min
Tactical breakdown
Most finishing drills are really striking drills. A ball is served, a player hits it, and the queue shuffles forward. What gets trained is the contact, which is the easiest part of finishing and the part players are already best at.
This one is built so the finish is the last thing that happens rather than the only thing. The player who finishes is the same player who played the first pass, which means he has to travel roughly thirty metres and arrive on time while two other passes are happening without him. The strike itself is straightforward. Getting there in the right place at the right speed is not.
The mannequins do more than decorate. They are staggered so the second player cannot take a lazy touch straight forward: the ball has to be moved across his body to open the angle, and that half-second of delay is what gives the runner time to get beyond. Remove them and the sequence still works, but it works too easily, and the timing problem the drill exists to create disappears.
The detail coaches usually have to fight for is the first one. A plays the pass and watches it. Every player does this, and it is understandable, because the pass feels like the contribution. It is not. The pass is the trigger for the run, and if the run starts when the lay-off arrives rather than when the first pass leaves, the whole thing arrives a beat late and the finish is taken standing still.
Running three balls at once is deliberate. With one ball there is a queue, and a queue lets players recover and think. With three the rotation is continuous, the reps come at you, and the timing has to become automatic rather than considered. That is closer to the game, which is the point.
How to run this drill
- Pass, then run. In that order, immediately.. The first pass is the trigger for your own run, not the end of your involvement. Watching it travel is the single most common reason the finish arrives late.
- Take the touch across, not forward. The middle player has a mannequin in front of him for a reason. Moving the ball across his body opens the forward angle and buys the runner the half-second he needs.
- Lay it square, never into his feet. The third pass has to be into the space the runner is moving through. A pass to feet stops him, and a stopped runner cannot strike a moving ball.
- Arrive moving, not waiting. Getting there early means checking, and checking kills the pace that makes the finish convincing. Time the run so the last stride and the strike are the same movement.
- Hit it first time when it is on. The extra touch is the instinct under pressure, and it gives the keeper the moment he wants. If the lay-off is weighted properly, the first-time strike is available.
- Keep three balls running. One ball creates a queue, and a queue lets players think. Three keeps the rotation continuous so the timing has to become automatic.
Coaching focus
FROM SESSION PLANCoaching points
- Play the first pass and go: the run starts before the lay-off is on
- B takes the first touch away from the mannequin, not into it
- The lay-off is square or slightly back, never into the runner's feet
- Time the arrival so the ball is struck moving forward, not standing
- Strike it first time when the lay-off allows it
- Keeper works every rep, so the finish has to beat someone
Common mistakes
- A admires the first pass instead of running immediately
- B taking the touch into the mannequin and losing the angle forward
- The lay-off played too far ahead, so A has to stretch and the strike dies
- Arriving too early and having to check, which kills the pace of the finish
Progressions & regressions
VARIATIONSProgressions
- First-time finish only, no touch to set
- Add a recovering defender who starts level with the second mannequin
- C chooses the lay-off or the reverse pass, so A has to read it late
Regressions
- Walk the sequence through once so the rotation is understood
- Allow A a touch to set before finishing
- Remove the keeper and finish into the open goal to groove the timing
Explore more drills
LIBRARYReady to run this drill?
Save it to your private drills, then change the animation, adjust positions, swap equipment, or drop it into a session block. Or start from a blank pitch and build your own.