High way to the danger zone
by Tony Carr in Attacking
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Working the ball wide will give your team chances to deliver good-quality attacking crosses
into the penalty area. The key to scoring goals from crosses is to have players making runs
off the ball and into scoring positions – which ultimately leads to goals.
What this session is about
1. Making sure the ball is moved into wide areas.
2. Delivering a variety of crosses into the penalty box.
3. Forwards running off the ball and reaching goal-scoring positions.
What to think about
Wingers should look to get crosses into the penalty area (danger zone) as early as
possible. Crossers shouldn’t worry about whether other attackers are in the box already.
By continually putting crosses into the box early, opponents are likely to rush and
pressure the crossing player. This gives the wide player the chance to show disguise and
dribble past the defender and down the line to cross from a more advanced position.
Players off the ball need to make forward runs into the box.
When running into the box, it is important players cover the whole area by making
runs to the near post, centre of goal and far post as this will maximise the team’s chances of
scoring.
Set-up
Use an area 40 yards long by 50 yards wide.
Warm
Warm up Session Developments Game Situation
Down
10 minutes 15 minutes 15 minutes 15 minutes 5
minutes
What you get your players to do
Use two players on each wing, which is marked off as in the top picture. The main pitch is
split into two halves with two attackers and two defenders in each half.
To start, one of the wide players passes the ball back towards the crosser who whips the ball
in to the danger zone from a deep position. Can the two forwards make a run into the box and
score from the cross?
Both ends of the pitch can be used simultaneously.
The ball is passed back for a deep diagonal cross in the box for the forwards to attack.
Development
Now change the types of crosses that are played into the danger zone.
The server passes down the outside channel for the wide player to run on to and cross from
the goal line, as in the middle picture.
Again each cross is challenged for by two defenders and two attackers.
Again both ends of the pitch can be used at the same time.
The ball is passed down the line for a cross from the goal line.
Game situation
Each team has a wide player on either side of the pitch. The wide players are in the defensive
half of the pitch.
The aim is to switch play and give the wide player possession of the ball. When in
possession, the wide player is unopposed in his zone so he can cross from a deep position.
However, the wide player can choose to dribble forward into the opposing wide player’s zone
and attack the player 1v1 in order to cross from the goal line.
Goals count as double if scored directly from crosses.
The winger can either cross unopposed from deep or take on the opponent’s wide player in a
1v1 and cross from the goal line.
What to call out
“Get the ball into the box”
“Make forward runs to score”
“Cover the whole box”
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About Tony Carr
Tony Carr is one of the most influential figures in English football. The former West Ham
Academy director has brought through – from the youth team to the first team – players like
Glen Johnson, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole and
Jermain Defoe.
View all posts by Tony Carr >
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