Dribbling

Wide Take-On To Cross

Beat a full-back in a wide area

Dribbling

Crossing

Attacking

Wide Take-On To Cross is a 18-minute dribbling drill for 6-18 players, suitable for Under 9 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.

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Dribbling

Crossing

Attacking

Skill Practice

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Full Squad

Youth Friendly

Adult Suitable

Goals Needed

Duration

18 min

Players

6-18

Pitch size

Half pitch, wide channel

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Wide Take-On To Cross — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · Half pitch, wide channel

Step 1 of 3Winger receives, takes on the full-back and crosses.

1. Winger receives, takes on the full-back and crosses.
2. Two attackers attack near post and penalty spot.
3. Alternate sides each repetition.

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

-Beat a full-back in a wide area
-Deliver after the take-on
-Time the runs into the box

Setup

1Mark a wide channel from halfway to the byline on each side.
2Full goal with a keeper, two runners waiting centrally.
3Winger and full-back start level in the channel.

Coaching instructions

1Winger receives, takes on the full-back and crosses.
2Two attackers attack near post and penalty spot.
3Alternate sides each repetition.

Coaching points

-Attack the full-back at pace
-Go outside then inside to unbalance them
-Cross the moment the space opens

Common mistakes

-Dribbling into a dead end at the corner flag
-Crossing with no runners ready
-Slow, predictable approach

Equipment needed

Balls

Cones

Bibs

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