Finishing
Third Man Run: Wide Combination and Finish
Combine with two team-mates down the side and finish, with the midfielder timing a third man run in behind so he is onside as the through ball is played.
Duration
15 min
Total drill time
Players
8
Recommended
Pitch
Full Pitch
Setup space
Level
Intermediate
Skill required
Intensity
Medium
Physical demand
Age band
U11-U12
Any format
Setup & instructions
Use one half of the pitch with a full goal and a keeper. Everything is on one side of the goal. The midfielders' cone is about 7 metres to that side of the centre of the goal and about 34 metres out; the midfielders line up there with a ball each, with spare balls behind them. The wingers' cone is just inside the touchline, about 20 metres from goal, with a mannequin about 5 metres inside it. The full-backs' cone is just inside the touchline about 32 metres from goal, with a mannequin about 7 metres inside it. Stand a mannequin about 7 metres off centre on the same side, 26 metres out, and two on the edge of the box about 11 metres apart, the inner one about 5 metres off centre, as the last line. The midfielder dribbles a few metres off his cone and passes into the winger, who comes short off his cone in front of his mannequin and lays it off first time to the full-back stepping up. The full-back plays it through first time between the two edge-of-box mannequins for the midfielder, who has run on after his pass past the central mannequin. One touch, then finish. Rotate by following your pass: the midfielder goes to the wingers' cone, the winger goes round the outside to the full-backs' cone, and the full-back collects a spare ball and joins the midfielders.
Setup time: 5 min
Tactical breakdown
This is a finishing drill built on the third man run: the player who starts the move is the one who finishes it, after two team-mates have moved the ball on. Three passes go down the side before the shot: into the winger, a lay-off to the full-back, then a through ball in behind.
The midfielder dribbles off his cone and passes into the winger, then goes straight away. That run is the whole drill. In a game the defenders watch the ball travel wide and back, and the midfielder who passed it is the one nobody is tracking.
The winger comes short off his cone in front of his mannequin to meet the pass, which in a game takes his full-back with him. He lays it off first time into the path of his own full-back, who is stepping up from behind. The lay-off is what turns the play: the full-back now faces forward with the midfielder's run in front of him.
The full-back plays it through first time between the two mannequins on the edge of the box. They stand in for the back line, so the midfielder must be level with them when the ball is played, then accelerate beyond them. The through ball goes into the space in front of him, along the ground, so he can take one touch and finish across the keeper.
Everyone follows his pass: the midfielder goes to the wingers' cone, the winger goes round the outside to the full-backs' cone, and the full-back collects a spare ball and joins the midfielders. With seven players the next rep starts as the last one finishes.
How to run this drill
- Set up the stations. Goal and keeper on one half of the pitch. Everything on one side of the goal: a midfielders' cone about 34 m out with a ball each, a wingers' cone near the touchline about 20 m out and a full-backs' cone near the touchline about 32 m out, each with a mannequin inside it. One mannequin about 26 m out and two on the edge of the box.
- Into the winger. The midfielder dribbles a few metres off his cone and passes into the winger, who comes short in front of his mannequin. The midfielder runs on straight away.
- Lay it off. The winger lays it off first time to the full-back, who steps up from his cone onto the ball.
- The third man run. The full-back plays it through first time between the edge-of-box mannequins as the midfielder comes level with them on his run.
- Finish. One touch to set it, then finish across the keeper into the far corner.
- Follow your pass. Midfielder to the wingers' cone, winger round the outside to the full-backs' cone, full-back collects a spare ball and joins the midfielders.
Coaching focus
FROM SESSION PLANCoaching points
- Midfielder: pass and go. The run starts the moment the ball leaves your foot
- Run past the central mannequin and between the two on the edge of the box
- Be level with the last mannequins when the through ball is played, then accelerate
- Winger: come short to meet the ball in front of your mannequin, open to the full-back
- Lay-off first time, firm and into the full-back's stride
- Full-back: step up onto the lay-off and play the through ball first time
- Through ball along the ground into the space in front of the runner, never to feet
- One touch to set it, then finish across the keeper into the far corner
Common mistakes
- The midfielder watching his pass instead of running, so he arrives after the through ball
- The midfielder running too early and standing past the edge mannequins when the ball is played (offside)
- The winger waiting on his cone, so a defender would step in front of the first pass
- The lay-off played back towards the midfielder instead of into the full-back's path
- The full-back taking a touch, so the runner has to slow down or check his run
- Through ball played to the runner's feet or overhit to the keeper
- Players walking to their next station, so the next rep cannot start on time
Progressions & regressions
VARIATIONSProgressions
- One touch for everyone, including the finish
- Play it down the other side as well, with stations on both touchlines
- Add a recovering defender who sets off from the central mannequin on the first pass
- Shot inside six seconds of the first pass
Regressions
- The winger and full-back may take a touch before passing
- Walk the pattern through without a keeper until the rotation is learned
- Move the edge-of-box mannequins a few metres further out to give the runner more room
- The coach plays the through ball while the players learn the run
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