"Finishing" up your practice. (Soccer).

MANY SOCCER COACHES reserve their shooting drills - or "finishing," as it is also called - for the end of practice, and we believe it is a mistake. The drills appear to have little connection to the rest of practice.

In many instances, the coach will pass the ball to the first player in a file and the player will push the ball ahead and shoot. That is hardly what we would call finishing. Finishing is the end product of a sequence of passes that disguise the point of the attack. It is the final shot, or finish, on goal.

In short, finishing is not an isolated skill with no connection to the other skills. It belongs in the middle of practice within the fabric of the game.

Check the accompanying diagrams. They show you how a complex environment in the middle of practice can set up a finisher. The more players involved, the more difficult it becomes for the defenders to identify the final shooter.

That is the whole point: Why reduce the skill to one player with the ball? The game is far more complex than that. You have to hide the shooter and conceal the final point of attack - put the skill in the fabric of the game, where it belongs.

We begin with a sequence that involves two goalkeepers. The first (K) acts as the goal keeper and the second (T) as a target player.

Diag. 1: Player B dribbles forward and passes to upfield player A, who square-passes the ball back to B. B then passes to the target keeper (T), who back-passes to B, who dribbles forward and shoots at the goal.

The second variation (Diag. 2) is more direct in going to the goal. B dribbles directly at A, then turns in a 360-degree circle at the last moment to pass to A.

The latter square-passes to B, who passes to the target-keeper (T). T then hits a square ball to A, and A dribbles and shoots. B and T can advance to cover the goal in the event of rebounds from the goalkeeper or back-passes from B. All options should be explored and practiced. Nothing should be left to chance.

In the variation in Diag. 3, A and C pass squarely, and A then passes to B, who hits a square ball back to C. C passes on to target keeper 2, who squares to A on the opposite side. A dribbles and shoots. Again, C, B, and T can attack the goal.

If you are keeping score, try Diag. 4. One keeper sets up in the goal (K) and the other at the top of the box (K-2). Two rows of players attempt to score. The first B player dribbles in and passes to K-2, who back-passes to A, who dribbles and shoots.

We are not excited over this simple drill, but it is part of the sequence and has to be learned. (We do not leave out things because they look easy. We execute all our drills to perfection.)

We now move closer to the goal (Diag. 5), with the second keeper (K2) placed at the top of the box and a target player (T) placed at the corner of the box.

A begins with a pass to K-2, who square-passes to T, who then passes behind K-2 to A on the other side. A shoots at the goal.

In a game situation, K-2 will follow his pass and give T space to move to the goal for a rebound. It is all very simple: Pass and follow!

The next combination (Diag. 6) involves both the second keeper (K2) and a target man (T). A passes to K-2, who back-passes to A. A then passes to target man T, who can square to the left or right. A can run to one side and K-2 to the other side of the target man. Two clear options.

Diag. 7 has the target men set up in tandem (Diag. 7). A passes to target man T-1, who passes back to the near target man (T-2). T-2 will then return the ball to T-1, who will turn and shoot.

If A can run fast enough, he can dash downfield for a square pass from T-1. T-2 can also be running to the goal. "Pass and run! Do not stand still!" That is the game.

Diag. 8: A passes to T-2 who returns the ball with a back-pass. A will take a few dribbles and pass to T-1, who'll then pass back or square to A running from behind for a shot.

T-2 may also run to the other side for a square pass and a shot. "Explore all the options. Assume nothing." Practice will produce timing in the runs.

Diag. 9 shows the targets aligning side by side. A passes to T-1, who square-passes to T-2 - who looks for A running the overlap. "(Pass and run!)"

T-1 can overlap behind A and T-2 can run to the near side. "Try to explore all the options; do not talk about them. Do them!"

Diag. 10 illustrates a more involved and more game-like drill that begins with B passing upfield to D and D back-passing to A, who will cross to C.

The two target players stay square and wait for movement. C can pass to T-1, who may return the pass to C running ahead (not shown). Or the two target players can overlap in attacking the goal. Player C can hit the free man. He may also look for D running straight upfield and keep an eye out for A and B.

Once the variations are explored and successfully done, defensive opposition may be introduced. We would suggest playing 6 v 3 and then 6 v 4 and have the players try to achieve success in all of the exercises.

Always begin with a two-to-one ratio of attackers to defenders. Do not force your players to struggle. Success breeds confidence.

The next drill involves crisscrossing the target players (Diag. 11). A passes to B, receives a back pass, then passes to C on the flank. A follows down the field. A will dribble to the corner and cross to a crisscrossing target man.

B, running straight down the field, can be an easy third attacker. The criss-cross runs should create open space for B. The cross can be to the near post or the far post.

The final finishing exercise, (Diag. 12), involves two target men, side by side, with four midfield players behind them. A passes to C upfield, who passes back to A. A then passes to B running ahead to start an overlap of C. The next pass is from B to C, who receives the ball sideways and passes on to T-2.

The exercise now becomes interesting. C can turn and run to the outside of T-2 for a shot, while player D should be open to receive a diagonal back pass from T-2 and then shoot.

The options are endless. Player T-1 can run a criss-cross with T-2 and create more combination attacks on the goal. This will force the attacking line to work with the midfield line.

Final Comments:

* Plan to hit a long-axis pass, not a short pass. The long-axis pass carries the ball away from pressure.

* The first look is upfield, for the long-axis pass, not the short pass.

* Stress ball-control in all situations. Do not give away the ball.

* Do not reserve shooting for the end of the practice. Make it a big part of the game, put it in the middle of practice.

Shooting is a multisensory exercise. The touch of the ball and the sound of the struck ball are parts of the sequence. See it; hear it; feel it. The kicking foot should follow through and cross the planted leg -- with power and a loud sound. Hear the shot!

* Players should be moving, not standing around. They should prepare away and check to the ball. This means having an involved player run against a defender in preparing to receive the ball, establish eye contact with the teammate who has the ball, and move rapidly to receive the pass.

Prepare away and check to the ball!

Summary: Make shooting a major part of your game, not an isolated skill. It belongs within the fabric of the game and the practice session.

It has to (1) involve a variety of players to conceal the point of attack, (2) be the result of a passing sequence, and (3) reflect the combined effort of the team.

It is not dribble, dribble, dribble, shoot. Nor is it the effort of one player. It is a product of many minds and many feet.