Here is a great drill to add variety to your training sessions and to develop your players ability to score with just one touch.
In the video clip below Charlie Cooke, Director of Coerver Coaching USA, instructs players on an Opportunism & One Touch drill that is part of his Finishing demonstration.
This drill is set up with two groups or teams of players that start on the end line of the grid. There are four small goals set up and located in the middle of the grid that are each facing a different angle. A coach passes a ball anywhere on the field and then yells a number, which is the number of players each team can send in. The first player to the ball gets possession and that team must try to score on any of the small goals with a one touch finish. The group or team defending can steal or win the ball anytime and try to score the same way.
There are several key areas in this drill to focus on with your players:
Movement
Offensive players that don’t have the ball must be constantly moving to try and find open space in the grid. If defenders are playing close and tight, the offensive players need to be making quick runs to either help keep possession or get themselves in a scoring position on the field.
Communication
All players need to be constantly talking and communicating with each other. Offensive players should be talking about where to attack, how much time a teammate has, and where they see opportunities to score. Defensive players must be communicating on how to defend together with closing down the ball, forcing in a certain direction, and situations where they can win the ball back and score.
Combination Play
The offensive players need to be creative when keeping possession and looking for opportunities to score. A quick combination play like a give and go or take-over can catch the defenders off guard and create the space needed to finish.
This clip was taken from a recent Glazier Soccer Clinic. For information about how to gain access to Coach Cooke’s entire presentation, as well as hundreds of other great clinic presentations, click the link Glazier Soccer Clinics.
The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that your volume is turned up and that you have access to the site. Note that some schools block access to YouTube. Click the arrow to play the video.