Crossing

Wide Delivery Practice

Deliver accurate crosses from wide

Crossing

Finishing

Attacking

Wide Delivery Practice is a 15-minute crossing drill for 4-16 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.

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Crossing

Finishing

Attacking

Technical Practice

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Full Squad

Youth Friendly

Adult Suitable

Goals Needed

Duration

15 min

Players

4-16

Pitch size

Half pitch

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Wide Delivery Practice — Marked area · Half pitch

Step 1 of 3Crosser takes a touch and delivers into a called zone.

1. Crosser takes a touch and delivers into a called zone.
2. Alternate flanks so both feet are used.
3. Six crosses each side.

Cones mark the area
Dashed lines = zones / thirds
Ball
Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble

Objectives

-Deliver accurate crosses from wide
-Vary the type of delivery
-Match the cross to the runners

Setup

1Crossing cones on both flanks level with the box.
2Target zones marked at near post, penalty spot and far post.
3Keeper in goal with balls on each flank.

Coaching instructions

1Crosser takes a touch and delivers into a called zone.
2Alternate flanks so both feet are used.
3Six crosses each side.

Coaching points

-Open the hips and use the instep for whip
-Cross ahead of the runner, not behind
-Deliver beyond the keeper's reach

Common mistakes

-Crossing behind the runners
-Over-hit deliveries
-Standing still before the cross

Equipment needed

Balls

Cones

Full Goals

Age groups

Under 9

Under 10

Under 11

Under 12

Under 13

Under 14

Under 15

Under 16

Adults

Progressions

+Two-Touch Limit: drop to one touch in the central area
+Weak Foot Only: add a defender to raise the pressure
+Tempo Clock: cut the clock to four seconds
+Add a competitive scoreline for the last round

Regressions

-Two-Touch Limit: allow three touches while the picture is learned
-Weak Foot Only: static, unopposed reps before adding movement
-Tempo Clock: extend the clock to ten seconds
-Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

-Two-Touch Limit — Players are limited to two touches — one to control, one to release.
-Weak Foot Only — Every touch, pass and finish must be with the weaker foot.
-Tempo Clock — The ball must reach the end action inside six seconds or the rep restarts.
-Scan and Cue — The coach shows a colour or number and the receiver must call it before their first touch.
-Shadow Pressure — A shadow defender applies half pressure and can win the ball only after the first touch.
-Score Challenge — Run it as a timed competition — pairs or teams count successful reps and compare scores.
-1-to-1 Session — Run as an individual session: coach serves, one player works through the reps with rest built in.
-Flip the practice to the opposite side of the pitch