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A player looks to shoot the ball.

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 structured training programme can be used as it is. Pitch sizes in this programme are shown as how long the pitch is x how wide it is, but these are just suggestions.

To make the programme more effective, adapt it to suit your players, your numbers and the space you have. If you want to skip, repeat or amend these sessions – that's fine. It’s up to you how you use this resource.

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.

Week one: receiving techniques

Set up three diamond areas using cones. Have 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. After a bit, change the direction of passing.
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.
Split a pitch into thirds for the first carousel activity. 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.
Create a pitch with a goal at each end and a box in the middle. When attacking, the team must receive the ball in the box before they can 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.
For the final carousel activity, have a pitch with 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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Week two: receiving under pressure

Create a 40x30-yard area. 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 off a player from the outside. They then transfer the ball to a different player on the outside who doesn’t have a ball.
Create a 40x30-yard area with a goal at each end and a middle zone. An attacker starts in the zone with a defender just outside. Once the attacking team pass to the zone player, the others run onto the pitch and the 3v2 game is live. After a goal, the attacking team rotate the player in the middle.
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 3v2 game is live. You can add another defender to make it a 3v3.
Finish the session off by setting up parallel pitches with a goal at each end for multiple 3v3 games. 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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Week three: around the clock

Set up an 40x30-yard area and fill it with different sized gates. Players work in pairs pass and receive through as many gates as they can in a set time. You could add a scoring system for each size gate or add in a couple of defenders to progress this arrival activity.
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.
Create an 40x30-yard area with a goal in an end zone on both ends. Place cones and balls at the side. Two defenders start on their end line. They pass the ball 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.
Create a 40x30-yard 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 a 1v1 game. The attacker can’t shoot from their own half. If someone scores, or the ball goes out, the next pair have a turn.

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Week four: receive to score

Set up a grid using nine cones. Have two teams of three start on the middle cone. When someone shouts “go”, players run to a free cone and 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.
Create a pitch that’s split into thirds with a goal at each end. Two defenders and an attacker start in each final third with a 2v2 in the middle. Players are locked in. Have a bounce player outside the 40x40-yard area on each side. Players combine to score but the ball must be played on the floor.
Set up two pitches with a goal at one end. This is the end the defenders start at. Have two attackers start on the end line opposite, and one in the middle. The attackers pass to their teammate in the middle to start the game. Attackers try to score. Defenders try to get the ball to the end line.
Return to the ‘whole’ part of the practice. You can progress this by allowing the players from the middle zone can 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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Week five: applying the finish

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 they can only score from their own half.
Create an 20x40-yard area with a goal at one end. Have a 4v4 in the middle with four on the outside. Number those players and shout one out. They pass to someone in the middle then combine to score. The other team can only shoot if they win the ball, give it to an outside player and get it back.
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 until one side scores two. The winning side stays on while the other team switches with the bounce players.
Finish the session with either a game of 5v5 with two bounce players or two 3v3 games.

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Week six: festival week

Set up a pitch with a goal at each end. Have a 4v4 in the middle with four bounce players on the outside. Both teams can use the bounce players. Play for three minutes or until one side scores two. The winning side stays on while the other team switches with the bounce players.
Set up three 40x30-yard pitches with a goal at each end. Put safe zones in between each pitch. Each pitch hosts a 3v3 activity. Teams play on each pitch for four minutes, then move to the next one. Rotate around so teams play on each pitch twice. Remember to build in breaks after each activity.
On the first pitch, teams play football bingo. Challenge teams to score in different ways and put them on a whiteboard at the side of the pitch. If a team scores using that finish or technique, they cross it off the whiteboard. First team to cross all finishes off – or has the most finishes – wins.
On the second pitch, teams have to play through the thirds before being able to score. Players can go anywhere on the pitch as they aren’t locked into zones.
On the third pitch, 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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