CONTROL
SHOOTING
PASSING
DRIBBLING
TURNING
HEADING
CREATE SPACE
INDIVIDUAL DEFENDING
SUPPORT PLAY
GOALKEEPING
CROSSING
TACKLING
THE THROW IN
ATTACKING SET PLAYS
DEFENDING SET PLAYS
THE FREE KICK
ATTACKING SET PLAYS
Please select a subsection from the topics below :
 A basic introduction   Wide Free Kick Possession Football
Progression Attacking Corners 

SET PIECES ATTACKING CORNERS

Flick on to a corner kick (attacking)

Increasingly in a professional game these days corner kicks are aimed towards the near post i.e. from the right flank driven in with the right foot, or an inswinging corner kick with the left foot.

One of the attackers tries to get to the ball first and with a flick-on try to wrong-foot defenders, but it requires a great deal of practice to become efficient.

Diagram 1


a. In diagram 1, (C) the corner kicker drives the ball towards (A1) who tries to deflect the ball across the 6-yard box. The delivery in itself requires practice.

Putting the corner kick in exactly the right place, at the right height and speed, doesn't come easy to any player. So having (A1) standing on the angle of the 6-yard box, with (C) aiming to drive the ball towards him is the first stage which has to be developed correctly.

WITHOUT AN ACCURATE CORNER KICK THE WHOLE THING FALLS DOWN, THIS MUST BE STRESSED.

b. Once the corner kick is perfected then the next step is to get (A1) set to perform his technique.

Clearly in any game if he simply stood at the angle of the 6-yard box he would be marked (back and front) by defenders - so he has to learn to reach that position at the right time so as to catch out his markers.

So as in diagram 1, he is made to start in position (A2) - approximately 2 metres wide and out from the 6-yard box on the far side of the area.

He now has to set off towards position (A1), as (C) drives the ball in. The timing of the run by (A) and the delivery by (C) have to coincide perfectly - and this comes only with repetitive practice.

c. When this is starting to happen then the coach can introduce defenders to put some pressure on both (A) and (C).

To begin with, (D1) is placed to stand in front of the edge of the 6-yard box (about 2 metres clear) this ensures that (C) has to clear him to reach (A's) run.

At the same time (D2) comes into the practice and he starts on the edge of the far side of the penalty area, and is ready to challenge (A2).

To start (D2) cannot move until (C) has made contact with the ball, but as the practice progresses he can be brought in closer and offer a realistic challenge to (A1).

d. To balance this another attacker can be brought in (A3), who is looking for a "flick-on" by (A1) to try and score a goal.

(A3) starts between (A2) and (D2) and moves in towards goal as he sees what develops.

(D2) has to be aware of (A3), and to assist him (D1) is now allowed to move wherever he wants, once (C) has taken the corner kick.

THIS IS THE EARLY (YET CRUCIAL) STAGE OF THIS TECHNIQUE WHICH HAS TO BE DEVELOPED BEFORE ANY CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO PROGRESSION.