Session programme

Session programme: receiving and finishing to score

Session

England Football Learning

5 mins - Apr 14, 2025

Programme intentions

This six-week programme aims to help your players:

receive the ball using different techniques
receive the ball under pressure
use different finishing techniques
receive a pass then shoot.

If you're short on time, this programme can be used as it is. But it’s a template you can build on. So, to make the session or programme more effective, adapt it to suit your players and their needs, as well as the numbers and space you have. If you want to skip, repeat or amend individual practices or the whole session – that's fine. It’s up to you how you use this resource.

Any pitch sizes in this programme are shown as how long the pitch is x how wide it is, but these are just suggestions.

If you like this idea, download the whole programme and give it a go. And don't forget to share your experience on the England Football Community. We'd love to know how you got on.

If you’re coaching U7s, please note that from the 2026-27 season, changes will be made to the formats to improve the experience young players get across the country. Check out the Future Fit digital content hub to find out more and alter training plans accordingly.

Week one: receiving techniques

Diamond receiving: Create three diamond areas with cones. Put a player on each one. Players on the top and bottom cones need a ball. On the first pitch, players pass anticlockwise around the area. Players receive on the back foot outside the cone then pass. Change the passing direction after a bit.
In the next area, players on the side cones drop into the middle to receive the ball and turn to play to the other player on the cone. Swap players over after 90 seconds.
For the final part of the arrival activity carousel, two players are in the middle. They receive a pass from a player on a cone, play a one-two, then turn and pass to the player on the other cone. Swap players over after 90 seconds. Rotate players around each area.
Receive to target: Split two pitches into thirds. Have a target player at each end with a 2v2 in the middle. Teams work it from one end to the other. When a target player has the ball, the in-possession team go into their third. The opposition can’t enter here until a pass has been made.
Using the same areas, add a box in the middle channel and put goals on each end of pitch one. When attacking, teams must receive the ball in the box before they go for goal. The opposing team can’t enter the box until the player has received the ball. The receiver can only have two touches in here.
On pitch two, have a goal and some footballs at each end. Put some cones at the side of the pitch. When a goal is scored, the scorer must get a cone and put it next to their goal. The opposition restart play quickly – this creates a 2v1 for a small moment of time.

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Coaching points

Encourage your players to try to scan before receiving the ball. Make sure they’re looking at their teammates and opposition players.
Make sure your players learn how to use a variety of receiving techniques to help with any situation.
Ask players to make sure they’re using their body to protect the ball.

On the pitch: week one

Wondering what this could look like? Check out the video to see how a coach took this session idea and adapted it for a group of players. You can also get more information about the first week of the programme here.

Week two: receiving under pressure

Receiving repetition: Create a rectangular area ideal for your players. Have a group of players on the outside with a ball and a group in the middle without a ball. Players in the middle receive the ball from an outside player. They then pass to a different player on the outside without a ball.
Receiving under pressure: Create another area. Have goals and a middle zone on both. An attacker starts in the zone with a defender outside it. Attackers pass to the zone player, then the 3v2 game is live. After each round, attackers rotate the middle player. Defenders rotate their resting player.
Progress the drill by having an attacker and a defender start at one side of the area and two attackers and a defender on the other side. The lone attacker drops into the middle to receive the ball. As soon as the pass is played, the 3v3 game is live.
3v3 matches: Use the same pitches to finish the session off with parallel 3v3 games. Keep the middle zone in to help encourage receiving under pressure. If the ball goes out, use kick-ins to restart. Play for three minutes then rotate teams around to play against others.

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Coaching points

To receive the ball successfully, players also need to understand what makes a good pass. To break this down for players, consider a before, during and after approach.
- Before: establish contact with the receiver so the passer and receiver are on the same wavelength.
- During: focus on passing technique with the receiver’s intentions in mind.
- After: think about offering support to help progress play or keep possession.
Get players to think about their positioning and their body shape before receiving. If players approach at an angle and position themselves on the half-turn, they can receive and turn more easily.

On the pitch: week two

Wondering what this could look like? Check out the video to see how a coach took this session idea and adapted it for a group of players. You can also get more information about the second week of the programme here.

Week three: techniques to score

Through the gates: Set up a large area and fill it with different sized gates. Players work in pairs to pass and receive through as many gates as they can in a set time. To progress this activity, add competition by using a scoring system for each size gate and seeing which pair got the most points.
Finishing carousel: For the remainder of the session, use a carousel approach with three 2v2 pitches. Explain the rules of each pitch to the whole group. Divide into teams and remember to rotate players every few minutes.
Pitch one: Create a diamond area with a goal at each end for this 2v2 practice. Put three footballs in each goal and start with one ball in the middle. Teams aim to empty their net before the other team by scoring. If a team scores, they grab a ball from their own net and start the game again.
Pitch two: Create an area with a goal in an end zone on both ends – place cones and footballs at the side. Two defenders start on their end line. They pass to the attackers who are in their own zone. When the pass is made, the defenders can press. Attackers can only shoot when out of their zone.
If the attackers score, or the ball goes out, the defenders need to run around the cones and back onto the pitch, while the attackers grab another ball and start an attack. Play two rounds then swap roles.
Pitch three: Set up a pitch with a goal at each end and a halfway line. Have two defenders at one end and two attackers at the other. A defender passes to an attacker to start the 1v1. The attacker can’t shoot from their own half. If a goal is scored, or the ball goes out, the next pair have a go.

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Coaching points

Make sure your players learn how to use a variety of finishing techniques to help with any situation.
Get players to consider their body shape when receiving the ball to set up their next action
Ask players to think about whether to control the ball or to try to finish first time.

On the pitch: week three

Wondering what this could look like? Check out the video to see how a coach took this session idea and adapted it for a group of players.

Week four: receive to score

Wave arrival: Create an area suitable for your players. Split it into thirds and put a goal at each end. Players are unopposed in an arrival wave practice. In groups of three or four, players combine to progress up the pitch before finishing into the empty goal.
Finishing through the thirds: Use the same pitch. Two defenders and an attacker start in each final third with a 2v2 in the middle. Players are locked in. Have a bounce player on each touchline. Players combine to score but the ball must be played on the floor. Remember to rotate the bounce players.
Finishing under pressure: Use the end thirds for these 3v3 games. The defenders start in there. Have two attackers on the end line and one in the area. The attackers pass to their teammate in the middle to start. Attackers try to score. Defenders try to get the ball to the end line.
Finishing through the thirds: Return to the ‘whole’ part of the practice. You can progress this by allowing the players from the middle zone to join the attack once the ball is in the final third. You can also unlock all players to allow them to go anywhere on the pitch

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Coaching points

Challenge players to be brave enough to try different things when it comes to finishing. For instance, they could shoot early and bend it around a defender, or through their legs, to catch the keeper off guard.
Make sure your players learn how to use a variety of receiving and finishing techniques to help with any situation.
Highlight the importance of support and team shape when working as a team to finish. The more danger the defender has to consider, the easier it might be for attackers to get a shot on goal.

On the pitch: week four

Wondering what this could look like? Check out the video to see how a coach took this session idea and adapted it for a group of players.

Week five: combine to finish

Conditioned 3v3s: Set up parallel small pitches for a 3v3 arrival activity. Have a goal at each end. Play for two minutes then rotate players or teams around. Progress this by adding a condition, for example, teams can only score with a one-touch finish, or from the opposition’s half.
Penalty box game: Create a short and wide area with a goal. Have a 4v4 in the middle with four players outside it. Number those players and shout one out. They pass to a middle player then combine to score. The other team can shoot if they win the ball, pass to an outside player and get it back.
Combine to finish: Use the same pitch but add a goal at the other end. Play a 4v4 game but the players on the outside are now bounce players for both teams. Play for three minutes or set a scoring target to reach. The winning side stays on while the other team switches with the bounce players.
Small-sided games: Finish the session with either a game of 5v5 with two bounce players or two 3v3 games. Use a scoring system that rewards players for finishing creatively.

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Coaching points

Ask players to make sure they’re using their body to protect the ball in tight spaces near the goal.
Encourage players to be creative by experimenting with different ways to find space and using various finishing techniques.
Consider timing of combinations with teammates to unlock chances to finish.

On the pitch: week five

Wondering what this could look like? Check out the video to see how a coach took this session idea and adapted it for a group of players.

Week six: festival week

Three-in-a-row: Set up a grid using nine cones. Two teams of three start on the middle cone. When someone shouts “go”, players run to a free cone to try to make a row of three with their teammates. Only one player can be on a cone at a time. The first team to create three-in-a-row wins the round.
Football bingo: Teams play this game across two pitches. Challenge teams to score in nine ways and put them on a whiteboard at the side. If a team scores using that finish or technique, they cross it off the whiteboard. The first team to cross all finishes off – or has the most finishes – wins.
Festival carousel: Use the two pitches for these 3v3 activities. Every four minutes, change either the opponent teams are playing against, or the pitch teams are playing on. Remember to build in breaks after each activity.
On pitch one, teams try to play through the thirds. Players aren’t locked into zones. Playing through all three thirds and scoring is worth three goals. Building from the middle third and scoring is worth two. Winning the ball in the final third and scoring is worth one.
On pitch two, if a player scores, they run to grab a cone from the side and put it next to their goal. The team who conceded can start play straight away to try to take advantage of the overload.

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Coaching points

Make sure your players revisit a variety of receiving and finishing techniques to help with any situation, recognising when to combine if needed.
Ask players to think about their body shape and positioning to receive the ball effectively to set up their next action.
Encourage players to be brave when in front of goal. This requires a positive learning environment where players aren’t afraid of making mistakes.