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First Touch

Finishing Aerial Control Zone

Control balls arriving out of the air

First Touch
Receiving

Finishing Aerial Control Zone is a 14-minute first touch drill for 2-14 players, suitable for Under 9 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.

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First Touch
Receiving
Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Finishing

Duration

14 min

Players

2-14

Pitch size

22 x 18 yards

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Pitch set-up: Finishing Aerial Control ZoneGKCS12322 x 18 yards

Finishing Aerial Control Zone — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · 22 x 18 yards

Step 1 of 5Server throws or lofts the ball into the control zone.

  1. 1. Server throws or lofts the ball into the control zone.
  2. 2. The receiver controls with thigh, chest or laces and sets the ball down.
  3. 3. The receiver then plays a firm pass back to the next server.
  4. 4. Every sequence starts with a pass out and ends with a strike on goal.
  5. 5. Goals score one, first-time finishes score two, and rebounds must be followed in.
  • Cones mark the area
  • Full goal
  • GK = goalkeeper
  • C = coach serving, S = second server
  • Ball
  • Cones mark the keeper's starting positions
  • Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
  • Keeper distributes back to the server
  • Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble

Objectives

  • -Control balls arriving out of the air
  • -Choose the right surface for the height of the ball
  • -Play out cleanly after the control

Setup

  1. 1A control zone with a serving line ten yards away in a 22 x 18 yards area.
  2. 2Set a goal at the end of the area with a keeper or a target zone if no keeper is available.
  3. 3A supply of balls at the serving line.

Coaching instructions

  1. 1Server throws or lofts the ball into the control zone.
  2. 2The receiver controls with thigh, chest or laces and sets the ball down.
  3. 3The receiver then plays a firm pass back to the next server.
  4. 4Every sequence starts with a pass out and ends with a strike on goal.
  5. 5Goals score one, first-time finishes score two, and rebounds must be followed in.

Coaching points

  • -Get behind the flight early
  • -Relax the surface on contact
  • -Second touch is a purposeful pass
  • -Head up before the strike — pick the side, then commit

Common mistakes

  • -Reaching for the ball instead of moving feet
  • -Stiff surface bouncing the ball away
  • -Rushing the shot and leaning back over the ball

Where this drill fits

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