Can your strikers control, dribble and shoot?

By David Clarke (coach-soccer.com)

Getting your strikers to control, dribble and shoot is a good way to ensure you're having more shots on goal than before. You are developing their instincts in front of goal.

I use this exercise which gives strikers a solid work out. It's also a good way for your goalkeeper to practice saving 1v1s.

• Set up like the diagram.

• Use six players and a goalkeeper.

• You stand on the corner of the penalty area and encourage your strikers to move quickly into the area in a twisting run and shoot into the corner.

What your players have to do

• Players line up beside the goal and at the corner of the penalty area.

• First player beside the goal serves the ball diagonally to the player in line who must dribble towards the goal and shoot.

• The server then runs around behind the striker to join the queue.

• The goalkeeper must be on their toes and try to save the 1v1.

• The striker runs to the back of the server queue by the goal.

How to advance it

Advance the session by getting the server to follow their pass and become a defender to try and stop the striker shooting, instead of running behind the attacker to join the queue. Once they have defended then they go and join the back of the striker queue.

If the player who receives the ball is fast they can get into the penalty area and shoot before the defender has reached them.

What to look for

Accurate passing, good ball control, quick defensive covering, dribbling, accurate shooting. And you can get your goalie to practice one on ones.

Tell your strikers to keep shots low, concentrate on accuracy before power and follow in for rebounds.