Crossing
Early Cross Practice: Shadow Pressure
Deliver before reaching the byline
Crossing
Attacking
Finishing
Early Cross Practice: Shadow Pressure is a 14-minute crossing drill for 5-16 players, suitable for Under 10 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 libraryCrossing
Attacking
Finishing
Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Opposed
Under Pressure
Game Realistic
Duration
14 min
Players
5-16
Pitch size
Half pitch
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Early Cross Practice: Shadow Pressure — Marked area · Half pitch
Step 1 of 4Wide player must cross from inside the early zone.
- 1. Wide player must cross from inside the early zone.
- 2. Runners attack the space behind the imaginary back line.
- 3. Six reps each side.
- 4. A shadow defender applies half pressure and can win the ball only after the first touch.
- Cones mark the area
- Dashed lines = zones / thirds
- Ball
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Deliver before reaching the byline
- -Attack the space behind the defence
- -Recognise when the early ball is on
Setup
- 1Crossing zone marked between halfway and the edge of the box on each flank.
- 2Two runners starting centrally.
- 3Keeper in goal.
Coaching instructions
- 1Wide player must cross from inside the early zone.
- 2Runners attack the space behind the imaginary back line.
- 3Six reps each side.
- 4A shadow defender applies half pressure and can win the ball only after the first touch.
Coaching points
- -Look up before the delivery to see the runs
- -Bend the ball away from the keeper
- -Runners start behind the ball then sprint beyond
- -Take the touch away from pressure
- -Protect the ball with the far foot and body
Common mistakes
- -Taking an extra touch and losing the moment
- -Runners starting ahead of the ball
- -Flat, driven ball with no shape