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Transition

Finishing Wave Attack Transition

Defend repeated waves of attack

Transition
Attacking
Defending

Finishing Wave Attack Transition is a 22-minute transition drill for 8-20 players, suitable for Under 10 to Adults at intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs, 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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Transition
Attacking
Defending
Skill Practice
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Finishing

Duration

22 min

Players

8-20

Pitch size

49 x 38 yards

Ability levels

Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Pitch set-up: Finishing Wave Attack TransitionGKCS12349 x 38 yards

Finishing Wave Attack Transition — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · 49 x 38 yards

Step 1 of 5The first wave attacks the defenders and the goal.

  1. 1. The first wave attacks the defenders and the goal.
  2. 2. The moment the ball is dead the next wave attacks immediately.
  3. 3. Defenders stay on for three waves before rotating.
  4. 4. Every sequence starts with a pass out and ends with a strike on goal.
  5. 5. Goals score one, first-time finishes score two, and rebounds must be followed in.
  • 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

  • -Defend repeated waves of attack
  • -Attack quickly against a settling defence
  • -Build game-realistic repetition

Setup

  1. 1A half pitch with attacking waves waiting on halfway in a 49 x 38 yards area.
  2. 2Set a goal at the end of the area with a keeper or a target zone if no keeper is available.
  3. 3Balls with each wave, keeper in goal, two sets of bibs.

Coaching instructions

  1. 1The first wave attacks the defenders and the goal.
  2. 2The moment the ball is dead the next wave attacks immediately.
  3. 3Defenders stay on for three waves before rotating.
  4. 4Every sequence starts with a pass out and ends with a strike on goal.
  5. 5Goals score one, first-time finishes score two, and rebounds must be followed in.

Coaching points

  • -Defenders reset the line between waves
  • -Attackers strike before the defence is set
  • -Communicate the new picture every wave
  • -Head up before the strike — pick the side, then commit

Common mistakes

  • -Waves waiting too long
  • -Defenders not resetting shape
  • -Rushing the shot and leaning back over the ball

Where this drill fits

Build a session with this drill

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