The session is about playing through the lines centrally with attacking runners.

It then progresses to seeing players ‘going around the outside’ and pinning the far post with runners in the box.

It is important to practise this, as playing through the lines into the heart of opponents will cause maximum damage, taking multiple players out of the game with a forward pass.

When this attacking tactic is not always possible (should, for instance, teams line up a central block and get bodies behind the ball), having the option to overlap down the outside and deliver in crosses is a great way to combat teams getting bodies behind the ball.

These drills will encourage forward balls and runs into the attacking third and will be performed every couple of weeks, with the option of increasing the frequency depending on match day performances.

What do I get the players to do?

Warm-up

We’ll start with core skill ball warm-ups to rehearse a variety of technical tasks including heading, touches, plus long and short passes in pairs.

There doesn’t have to be a regimented structure, but players must get a feel for the ball.