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Combination Attacking Header Target
Direct headers downwards towards goal
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Finishing
Crossing
Combination Attacking Header Target is a 10-minute heading drill for 3-14 players, suitable for Under 12 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, full goals. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
Back to drill libraryHeading
Finishing
Crossing
Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Quick 10 Minutes
Goals Needed
Heading Guidance
Combination Play
Duration
10 min
Players
3-14
Pitch size
32 x 26 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Combination Attacking Header Target — Finishing set-up — serve, receive, shoot · 32 x 26 yards
Step 1 of 6Server clips the ball to the marked target zone.
- 1. Server clips the ball to the marked target zone.
- 2. The striker attacks it and heads downwards into the goal.
- 3. Rotate after two headers each so volume stays low.
- 4. The first pass must go into the bounce player before the practice opens up.
- 5. A sequence only scores when three different players have touched the ball.
- 6. Rotation: Rotate after two headers each so volume stays low.
- Cones mark the area
- Full goal
- GK = goalkeeper
- C = coach / server
- Ball
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Shooter becomes the next server
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Direct headers downwards towards goal
- -Time the jump to meet the ball at the peak
- -Keep heading volume within guidance
Setup
- 1A near-post and back-post target zone in front of goal in a 32 x 26 yards area.
- 2Add a neutral bounce player on each side line inside a marked yard-wide channel.
- 3Soft balls with the wide server, keeper in goal.
Coaching instructions
- 1Server clips the ball to the marked target zone.
- 2The striker attacks it and heads downwards into the goal.
- 3Rotate after two headers each so volume stays low.
- 4The first pass must go into the bounce player before the practice opens up.
- 5A sequence only scores when three different players have touched the ball.
Coaching points
- -Meet the ball at the top of the jump
- -Head down towards the corner
- -Arms used for balance, not leverage
- -Third player movement — the pass is set up by the run before it
Common mistakes
- -Heading up and over the bar
- -Excessive repetitions
- -Two players combining over and over while the third stands still
Where this drill fits
- More football heading drills
- More football finishing drills
- More football crossing drills
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme