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Finishing Attacking Header Target
Direct headers downwards towards goal
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Finishing
Crossing
Finishing Attacking Header Target is a 12-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.
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Finishing
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Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Heading Guidance
Duration
12 min
Players
3-14
Pitch size
32 x 26 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Finishing Attacking Header Target — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · 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. Every sequence starts with a pass out and ends with a strike on goal.
- 5. Goals score one, first-time finishes score two, and rebounds must be followed in.
- 6. Rotation: Rotate after two headers each so volume stays low.
- 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
- -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.
- 2Set a goal at the end of the area with a keeper or a target zone if no keeper is available.
- 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.
- 4Every sequence starts with a pass out and ends with a strike on goal.
- 5Goals score one, first-time finishes score two, and rebounds must be followed in.
Coaching points
- -Meet the ball at the top of the jump
- -Head down towards the corner
- -Arms used for balance, not leverage
- -Head up before the strike — pick the side, then commit
Common mistakes
- -Heading up and over the bar
- -Excessive repetitions
- -Rushing the shot and leaning back over the ball
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