Preparing your team with a series of shooting exercises in football is an essential part of the training strategies for all types of sports clubs, both professional and amateur.
Because even if the passing work is excellent, the players are in good physical shape, and the strategy is “perfect,” if the reception and projection of the ball are not right, all the previous work is of no use.
For this reason, shooting drills need to be a fundamental part of the training sessions during games and practices.
What aspects need to be worked on to optimize your shooting?
- The technical and tactical part of the game
- Power
- Trajectory control
- Full-body motion control
- Passing and receiving the ball
- Coordination between players
Now we’ll show you 8 shooting training drills for 11-a-side football that our coaches have designed with the Bcoach app.
A multipurpose tool that enables coaches and managers to carry out all of their team’s development functions from a single application, such as:
- Designing plays and training through the virtual whiteboard
- Definition of strategies
- Follow-up with players
- Statistics control
Exercise 1: Position-specific task (MF – F – OB)
In this shooting exercise, we will work on the positions of the forwards, midfielders, and wingers.
The midfielder will focus on clearances, and the forwards will focus on finishing in the following way:
The forwards will go from the back line to the dummy, turn, and player 1 will receive the pass from E1 to finish for an immediate side cross.
The two players will return to the side of the dummy, and E1 will pass it to player 2 to finish and side-cross it from the other end.
The midfielder will start from the back line and head towards the dummy. They will wait behind, and player 1 will receive the ball coming from E1 to clear the ball with just one bounce. He will then center the ball for the winger to clear.
The same situation will be repeated for Player 2.
Exercise 2: Finishing – 2 vs 1 / 3 vs 2
This second exercise is more simple than the previous one
It will focus on three key points:
- The execution of unmarked passes in front of the ball holder (2vs1).
- The transition from defense to attack.
- The retreat.
Exercise 3: Finishing – Attacking in the last third
We continue practicing finishers, in this case with a last third attack from different situations.
1: Pass from the MF to the F, and he finishes with a single touch.
2: Immediately, the IF (inside forward) passes it to the MF, and the opposite IF attacks the back in between the OB and the MF of the opposing team, while our MF makes the pass to the space and the IF finishes.
3: Once the IF gives the pass of the second action, E1/E2 passes it into the space, and the IF runs and centers the pass. The forward ends at the first pole, the IF gets to the second pole, and the MF goes to the penalty area.
Once we’re finished, we start again from the right side.
Be sure to practice this soccer goal shooting drill to improve the performance and tactical skills of your players.
Exercise 4: Finishing – Playing face up
The following finishing circuit, is divided into two actions, the first of which is split into two parts.
Firsts Task
- Part 1: A low pass is made from the end line towards the front of the box, and we shoot towards the goal.
- Part 2: The player gets unmarked from the outside-in and follows with a low pass; a face-off pass is played through to score in the small goal.
Second Task
Players A and B go straight in for the finish, and the player on the wing plays a one-two with E1/E2 and crosses into the box for the 2v0 finish.
There is a rotation of players after the end of the action, and it starts again from the other side.
Exercise 5: Finishing (x3) + TAD 4×4
This task is shorter, but still very effective.
The 3 key points are:
- Attacking in the penalty area
- Performance of complementary movements
- Ball recovery
Exercise 6: Finishing – Center-termination + 2v2
The aim of these shooting drills using two specific actions in 11-a-side soccer is the following:
- Occupy different finishing zones.
- Duel 1v1/2v2 (dribbling)
- Running without a ball
It involves two tasks:
The first one is carried out from both sides at the same time. A long ball is sent diagonally with advantage to an open teammate on the wing, lateral center, and 2v0 entry occupying different zones.
After this, the ball is put back into play in the hands of the coach. This is done in an overhead mode for dispute, to resolve a 2v2. When there is a goal or a shooting opportunity, the play is finished.
* There will be no 2v1 matches, only 1v1.
Exercise 7: Completion 1) Wall + shot 2) doubling + 2v2
In this exercise, we have two tasks that must be carried out consecutively.
The first is uncontested: front wall + pass into space + finish in the goal area.
The second is with an opponent in the penalty area: doubling + centering to the penalty area + goal.
Both attackers and defenders are timed in the center of the square.
Exercise 8: 3 sequences (1.4.4.2 vs. line 4)
To finish, we have this last drill, which involves three sequences.
6×4
8 gives the ball to 6, while 11 starts to move inside. 6 unloads to 10, who gives it to 11, who gives a deep pass between the two central defenders for 9 and 10 to make a breakaway pass and score.
When the task is completed, the coach throws a ball to 8 from outside the goal line, and he must score a goal.
Then the players regain position, and the second transition begins, in which 8 passes the ball to 6, who gives a deep pass to 7, who needs to center the ball.
11 goes to the penalty area, 10 to the far post, and 9 to the near post. 6 and 8 go to the rebound area.
