Receiving
Tempo Back-to-Goal Receiving
Hold the ball up with a defender behind
Receiving
Attacking
First Touch
Premium
Tempo Back-to-Goal Receiving is a 16-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
Tempo
Duration
16 min
Players
4-14
Pitch size
32 x 24 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Tempo Back-to-Goal Receiving — Finishing set-up — serve, receive, shoot · 32 x 24 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 clock starts the moment the first pass is played in.
- 5. The sequence must reach the end action inside eight seconds or the rep is void.
- 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 32 x 24 yards area.
- 2Set a visible timer or have an assistant count aloud from the side of the area.
- 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 clock starts the moment the first pass is played in.
- 5The sequence must reach the end action inside eight seconds or the rep is void.
Coaching points
- -Feel the defender before the ball arrives
- -Strong base, arm out to hold the space
- -Set with a firm, accurate ball
- -Pass with pace and intent — under-hit passes cost the clock
Common mistakes
- -Standing still waiting for the pass
- -Taking a touch straight into the defender
- -Slow, sideways passing that burns the clock
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