Attacking
Final Third Entries: Target Zone Bonus
Enter the final third with control
Attacking
Possession
Finishing
Final Third Entries: Target Zone Bonus is a 20-minute attacking drill for 10-20 players, suitable for Under 12 to Adults at beginner, 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.
Back to drill libraryAttacking
Possession
Finishing
Skill Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Playing Through The Thirds
Positioning
Combination Play
Duration
20 min
Players
10-20
Pitch size
Two thirds of a pitch
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Final Third Entries: Target Zone Bonus — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · Two thirds of a pitch
Step 1 of 4A goal only counts if the attacking team entered the final third through a wide channel or a pass to the striker's…
- 1. A goal only counts if the attacking team entered the final third through a wide channel or a pass to the striker's…
- 2. Coach calls out the entry used.
- 3. Six minute games.
- 4. Extra points for playing into marked pockets between the lines before finishing.
- 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
- -Enter the final third with control
- -Choose the right entry route
- -Create a chance from the entry
Setup
- 1Pitch marked into thirds with cones.
- 2Two teams with a keeper each.
- 3Balls stored behind both goals.
Coaching instructions
- 1A goal only counts if the attacking team entered the final third through a wide channel or a pass to the striker's feet.
- 2Coach calls out the entry used.
- 3Six minute games.
- 4Extra points for playing into marked pockets between the lines before finishing.
Coaching points
- -Slow down in build-up, speed up on entry
- -Recognise which entry route is open
- -Third man runs to support the entry
- -Find the pocket on the back foot of the defender
- -Support the receiver quickly on both sides
Common mistakes
- -Rushing the entry pass
- -Always going wide
- -No runners beyond the ball