Receiving
Underload Back-to-Goal Receiving
Hold the ball up with a defender behind
Receiving
Attacking
First Touch
Underload 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
Underload
Duration
16 min
Players
4-14
Pitch size
28 x 20 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Underload Back-to-Goal Receiving — Finishing set-up — serve, receive, shoot · 28 x 20 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 attacking group starts a player short, so every entry pass has to be sharp.
- 5. Defenders score a point for every clean turnover; attackers need three clean end actions to win the round.
- 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 28 x 20 yards area.
- 2Add one extra defender to the working area and mark their start position with a flat cone.
- 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 attacking group starts a player short, so every entry pass has to be sharp.
- 5Defenders score a point for every clean turnover; attackers need three clean end actions to win the round.
Coaching points
- -Feel the defender before the ball arrives
- -Strong base, arm out to hold the space
- -Set with a firm, accurate ball
- -Protect the ball and wait for the second runner rather than forcing it
Common mistakes
- -Standing still waiting for the pass
- -Taking a touch straight into the defender
- -Trying to beat two players instead of releasing early
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