tips for corners

Build a defensive strategy for your team by drilling your players so they know just what they're doing at set plays, such as defending corners at 11-a-side.

Tell your players their responsibilities at corners before every match. No one should be left wondering what they are supposed to do.

Numbers 3, 5, 6 and 10 - These are your best four headers of the ball. They should mark man-to-man and their job is to mark the opposition’s main heading threats, marking slightly in front, and being first to the ball.

Number 11 - Marks in front of any opposition standing on the near post or just mark the space in their absence.

Number 4 - Marks the space in front of the main markers, keeping a look out for any opposition standing in front of the goalkeeper. If this is the case he may have to adjust his position so he is standing in front of the attacker.

Number 2 - Marks the far post.

Numbers 7 and 8 - Mark any opposition on the edge of the box.

Number 9 - He stays upfield, occupying two defenders and hoping to help spring a counter attack.

Giving players specialist positions during matches can be effective and if you're conceding a lot of goals from corners, you need a player to stand BIG at the front of your penalty area to block the corner taker. With the help of the following soccer coaching tips and drills, you need never concede from a corner again.
One of the most important positions when defending a corner is the person nearest the corner taker. Position him/her on the edge of the box right in front of the intended flight of the ball. If you put one of your strong players here, it will prevent short corners and put off the player taking the corner. That player is then faced with a one-man wall which the ball has to get over or around.
Cutting off supply
The player in this position effectively cuts off the supply into the box. This also protects your goalkeeper and defenders. The player might also be able to win the ball from poor or short corners and set up a quick counter attack.
THE DEFENDER STANDS SIX YARDS BACK AT U8, EIGHT YARDS BACK AT U10 AND 10 YARDS BACK AT U12.
Leave a man upfield
Once this position has been claimed by one of your players, use tactics on match day so that when they win the ball you leave a player upfield in the same position at each corner and your specialist player will be able to take the ball and find that player, immediately setting up an attack.

Soccer drills for corners

Work on soccer drills where players are taking corners, specifically where the player in this position is constantly having the ball hit hard towards them. They can use chest, head and feet to rob the opposition of chances to put balls into the box. Use only two players, a corner taker and a defender to drill this specialist position.

Soccer drill tips

You can kill two birds with one stone here: the corner taker has to clear the defender and the defender needs to win the ball. You can also put an attacker in position A ready to receive the ball won by your defender.

Make your corner defenders SMART

If you want to make sure you’re giving your players targets that they have to meet, do it the SMART way.

SPECIFIC
MEASURABLE
AGREED
REALISTIC
TIMED

The SPECIFIC target for your players is to clear the ball when it enters the penalty area at corners during training. Make it MEASURABLE by telling your players 50 per cent of corners must be cleared. AGREE it with them in training. Is 50 per cent REALISTIC? I think so. Make it TIMED by agreeing it for a particular training session. Tailor the SMART sessions to your individual players and get them to tell you if they have reached the drill target.

Having problems with corners? A good tip is to take them short, it’s an easy way to goal.
Two players stand near the flag
The short corner involves two players standing near the flag, with the kicker passing the ball to the second player and developing the play from there. If you follow the diagrams, you can coach your players how to create space when they are closed down by a defender.


Create opportunities from a 2v1
Both players should start facing the goal and should stand side by side just behind the ball. One player should pass the ball to the other, if the corner is from the attacking team’s right side, the player who is strong with the left foot should touch the ball to the player who is strong with the right foot. This lets the player with the right foot dribble straight down the end line towards goal, or use the player with the strong left foot to either shoot first time or cross the ball.
If the player dribbling down the line goes right at the defender, the second player will be open. If the defender goes with the runner, the player with the ball keeps going to goal.

With young players, it's vital that they know just what to do when it comes to corner kick set plays. Use one of your soccer training sessions to coach these corner tips.


You've been there a hundred times. Your team wins a corner - it's a gift, it should have been a goal kick, but you get the corner. The other team are feeling miffed. "Hey! that was no corner..." The other team are dejected. "It's unfair!"
So your players take advantage of it, right? Wrong! They kick the ball, no-one moves and the advantage has gone.
You MUST coach your players so that when they win a corner they know EXACTLY what to do. I'm not talking about the coach going red in the face bellowing from the sidelines like a maniac, no-one should need to say anything except maybe your captain who can shout "positions!"
If your corner set-up is right, nine times out of 10 in youth soccer, the ball will end up in the net.
Focus on corner kick set plays
Take a good look at your players and decide who can deliver the right ball. Decide what type of delivery you want, for instance,inswinger, outswinger or just chipped to the near post, and choose who can deliver the ball.
The positioning of your players to some extent will be decided by which type of delivery you want and the soccer skills of the players.
If you have a very tall player who is good in the air, you may want him to stand on the near post to flick the ball on for others to head for goal. You may want to deliver a faster, deeper ball for him to attack directly.

• In the diagram, the corner taker 7 will deliver a longer ball to the far post with his right foot.
• We have four players looking to attack the ball directly, Nos 4, 5, 6 and 8. They will split their runs attacking different areas, with No 6 spinning away from the ball, arriving late on the back post.
• No 10 will try to distract the goalkeeper with his presence, trying not to allow him a free run for the ball.
• No 9 stands on the near post for any ball driven lower than its intended target or as an alternative for the corner taker 7.
• The use of hand signals by No 7 can alert his team-mates of his intent.
• No 11 waits on the edge of the box for any balls headed or cleared out while Nos 2 and 3 stay back as markers.

In soccer corner drills, concentrate on these skills:

• A good delivery.
• Well-timed runs.
• Being first to the ball.
• Hitting the target.
• Having problems with corners? A good tip is to take them short, it’s an easy way to goal.
  Two players stand near the flag
  The short corner involves two players standing near the flag, with the kicker passing the ball to the second player and developing the play from there. If you follow the diagrams, you can coach your players how to create space when they are closed down by a defender.
  
  
  Create opportunities from a 2v1
  Both players should start facing the goal and should stand side by side just behind the ball. One player should pass the ball to the other, if the corner is from the attacking team’s right side, the player who is strong with the left foot should touch the ball to the player who is strong with the right foot. This lets the player with the right foot dribble straight down the end line towards goal, or use the player with the strong left foot to either shoot first time or cross the ball.
  If the player dribbling down the line goes right at the defender, the second player will be open. If the defender goes with the runner, the player with the ball keeps going to goal.
  
  With young players, it's vital that they know just what to do when it comes to corner kick set plays. Use one of your soccer training sessions to coach these corner tips.
  
  
  You've been there a hundred times. Your team wins a corner - it's a gift, it should have been a goal kick, but you get the corner. The other team are feeling miffed. "Hey! that was no corner..." The other team are dejected. "It's unfair!"
  So your players take advantage of it, right? Wrong! They kick the ball, no-one moves and the advantage has gone.
  You MUST coach your players so that when they win a corner they know EXACTLY what to do. I'm not talking about the coach going red in the face bellowing from the sidelines like a maniac, no-one should need to say anything except maybe your captain who can shout "positions!"
  If your corner set-up is right, nine times out of 10 in youth soccer, the ball will end up in the net.
  Focus on corner kick set plays
  Take a good look at your players and decide who can deliver the right ball. Decide what type of delivery you want, for instance,inswinger, outswinger or just chipped to the near post, and choose who can deliver the ball.
  The positioning of your players to some extent will be decided by which type of delivery you want and the soccer skills of the players.
  If you have a very tall player who is good in the air, you may want him to stand on the near post to flick the ball on for others to head for goal. You may want to deliver a faster, deeper ball for him to attack directly.
  
  
  
  
  • In the diagram, the corner taker 7 will deliver a longer ball to the far post with his right foot.
  • We have four players looking to attack the ball directly, Nos 4, 5, 6 and 8. They will split their runs attacking different areas, with No 6 spinning away from the ball, arriving late on the back post.
  • No 10 will try to distract the goalkeeper with his presence, trying not to allow him a free run for the ball.
  • No 9 stands on the near post for any ball driven lower than its intended target or as an alternative for the corner taker 7.
  • The use of hand signals by No 7 can alert his team-mates of his intent.
  • No 11 waits on the edge of the box for any balls headed or cleared out while Nos 2 and 3 stay back as markers.
  In soccer corner drills, concentrate on these skills:
  
  • A good delivery.
  • Well-timed runs.
  • Being first to the ball.
  • Hitting the target.

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