How Euro 2020 can shape your finishing sessions
- The Boot Room
- 02 August 2021
With 142 goals scored, there was plenty of net-rippling action to celebrate during Euro 2020. But what can we learn from this? Here, we look at how the tournament’s goalscoring moments can inform your training sessions.
GOALS. DON’T THEY JUST FEEL SO GOOD? That euphoric moment when the ball hits the back of the net is one to savour. It has fans off their seats, parents cheering on the sidelines, and, as for the player, well, it's pure joy.
Euro 2020 had all of this.
Of course, goals are just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more that you need to get right to progress in a tournament.
But ultimately, goals do win you games.
Scoring, finishing or simply ‘sticking it in the net’. Whatever you call it, it’s such an important part of football. With that in mind, do you practice it enough?
Understandably, it can be quite hard to work on this area of the game. You might only have part of the pitch, for example, with other groups using the rest. Finishing sessions can get messy, too – with footballs flying everywhere.
So, rather than worry about how many shots have gone over the fence, it may feel simpler to do something calmer – like a possession session that only uses one ball.
While this is less hectic, it also reduces the opportunity for your players to practise their finishing technique. This can impact their development – and their enjoyment. Kids love to score goals, so all the more reason to let them.
BACK TO THE TOURNAMENT
Overall, there were 97 goals from open-play. Of these, only 18% were scored from outside the box. This demonstrates the relevance of working on finishing inside the penalty area.
Importantly, the data shows that, of the 82% of goals scored from inside the box, a massive 44% were finished inside the ‘second six-yard box’. In other words, from 6-12 yards out.
You can use these stats to inform your practice design by focusing on finishing in that specific area. Offering an incentive, like awarding an additional goal when a team scores from the second six-yard box, can be useful to achieve more repetition of finishing from that distance.
Small-sided formats, that are so valuable to the development of young players, can also provide the perfect practice environment – especially if you make finishing the primary objective. The reduction in pitch size means that attempts on goal will naturally be from around 6-12 yards out.
WONDERING WHAT FINISH TO WORK ON? In Euro 2020, the most common technique for goals from open-play was using the inside of the foot (39%). All of these goals were scored within the 18-yard box. With the majority being scored in that popular ‘second six-yard box’ area.
But what about creating those goalscoring opportunities?
As the graphic above shows, 81% of open-play goals were assisted at Euro 2020. So, good teamwork skills and the ability to link up at the right time is essential.
2v2 practices are a great way to introduce the idea of combining with your teammate to score – or even trying to go it alone. This format provides a nice balance between the desire to dribble and be creative, and understanding when to share.
Ultimately, having a world-class finisher in your team will give you a competitive advantage. So why not try to develop these as early as we can? After all, the primary school phase is the perfect place for helping players develop these predator-like finishing skills. But it'll only happen if you provide lots of opportunities to practice.
Article image courtesy of Michael Regan/UEFA via Getty Images.
