Receiving
Counter Back-to-Goal Receiving
Hold the ball up with a defender behind
Receiving
Attacking
First Touch
Counter Back-to-Goal Receiving is a 18-minute receiving drill for 4-14 players, suitable for Under 9 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 libraryReceiving
Attacking
First Touch
Skill Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Counter Attack
Duration
18 min
Players
4-14
Pitch size
36 x 28 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Counter Back-to-Goal Receiving — Finishing set-up — serve, receive, shoot · 36 x 28 yards
Step 1 of 5Midfielder passes into the striker who has a defender behind them.
- 1. Midfielder passes into the striker who has a defender behind them.
- 2. Striker either sets the ball back or spins in behind.
- 3. The move finishes with a strike on goal.
- 4. The team in possession starts each rep in their own half and must build forwards.
- 5. Turnovers earn a direct counter at the mini goals worth two points.
- Cones mark the area
- Full goal
- S = server
- Ball
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Shooter becomes the next server
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Hold the ball up with a defender behind
- -Decide between setting, spinning or turning
- -Link the striker to runners from midfield
Setup
- 1A central receiving zone in front of a goal in a 36 x 28 yards area.
- 2Place two mini goals on the halfway line for the counter-attacking side to aim at.
- 3Balls at the midfield start cone, bibs for defenders.
Coaching instructions
- 1Midfielder passes into the striker who has a defender behind them.
- 2Striker either sets the ball back or spins in behind.
- 3The move finishes with a strike on goal.
- 4The team in possession starts each rep in their own half and must build forwards.
- 5Turnovers earn a direct counter at the mini goals worth two points.
Coaching points
- -Feel the defender before the ball arrives
- -Strong base, arm out to hold the space
- -Set with a firm, accurate ball
- -Counter in a straight line — the first pass forward beats the recovery run
Common mistakes
- -Standing still waiting for the pass
- -Taking a touch straight into the defender
- -Dribbling into traffic when the counter is on
Where this drill fits
- More football receiving drills
- More football attacking drills
- More football first touch drills
- football drills for U10s
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme