Working Opposites With Movement Of Strikers

A very good but also a very simple exercise to practice the opposite move

Striker (E) comes short and shows for the ball asking for a pass. Defender (F) follows.

Midfielder (C) passes to (D), (D) then passes over the top into (E)’s path as he / she spins.

Defender must play passively. To continue the work once player (E) receives the ball they must beat (F) back to the touchline. Players (C) and (D) go to the middle and the next two take their place.

As the pass is going from (D) to (C) the striker shouts the code word and spins to receive the pass as player (C) is about to pass it. The shout must be early to (C) to make the pass at the exact same time (E) is spinning to receive it.

Develop – The player receiving the pass can get it “short or long”, to keep the defender guessing. If short, combine with the passer to beat the defender.

This is the “Vialli Move”.

Practice it also where (C) receives a pass from (E), has time on the ball, and can take two touches (liken to a game situation) and that player makes the next pass off the opposite move into the space behind the striker (E).

Alternatively (E) has possession, comes short and passes to (C), at the same time as passing (E) shouts the code word and (C) can make a one touch pass in behind, knowing (E) will spin and turn back due to the code word being called. If it isn’t called it can be passed to (E)”s feet or may be passed off to (D).

So, different set ups can be used here, sometimes the ball starts with (E) with a pass layoff, sometimes with (C) with it being passed to (D) and the timing needed and practiced thereof of the runs and passes based on the code word being called (or not).

So, options can be:

The start position is (C) passes to (D), and (E) times their run off that pass and uses the code word and receives a pass in behind them into space.
(C) passes to (D) again as the start position, and (E) times their run off that pass and doesn’t use the code word so gets it feet. Can pass back, check back to the cone to start again.
A different start position where (E) has the ball and passes to (C) and goes short; no code word so gets it to feet or the ball is passed to (D).
Now (E) has the ball again as the start position and passes to (C) and goes short; uses the code word as the pass goes to (C) who immediately passes the ball ONE TOUCH in behind and into space for the spin turn from (E). Lots of different ideas can be used here. Introduce a goal to finish in.

Individual Striker Movements

Strikers usually stand with their back to defenders waiting for the ball, so the defender is in charge, this way a very small movement means they end up facing forward and are then at an advantage.

The movement of the striker, the three ideas, working opposites on the first two.

Short to go long, (opposite run)
Long to come short, (opposite run)
Off the shoulder of the defender. Player A makes a diagonal run away to invite a ball “off / over the shoulder” of the marking defender.

On (1) the striker takes the defender towards the ball to create space behind, either for themselves or a team mate.

On (2) the striker takes the defender away to create space in front and short to check back into for themselves or a team mate.

On (3) Here the striker runs away and invites a ball off or over the shoulder of the defender, in this situation the striker is off the right shoulder of the defender.

The ball may be delivered off (outside) the right shoulder of the defender so it goes wider, or (inside) the left shoulder of the defender so the striker cuts inside the defender either in front or behind them, or moves towards the ball and receives to feet.

“Off The Shoulder” Has Three Further Movements To Consider

So; the striker (10) in this position has three ideas for moves; each of which help the striker to end up in a position where they are facing FORWARD:

A) Away from the defender then back across the defender either in front of them or behind them for the delivery inside the defender. If the defender checks away with the striker, then the striker checks back inside to their right; the defenders left (especially as the defender in this case plants their right foot down and is slightly off balance going to their right; the strikers left) always facing forward.

If not checked by the defender then the striker attacks behind the defender for the diagonal pass inside the defenders start position (on the ground or in the air).

B) Moving and staying off the shoulder for the delivery outside the defender to attack, the player on the ball plays a diagonal pass over the inside shoulder of the defender into the path of the striker facing forward.

The striker by making this move opens up the angle for the pass and gets in line still with the defender so as not to be offside but again facing forward, ready to attack the pass in front of them.

C) Going short to the ball to receive the delivery to feet after first moving not towards but away from the defending player and the ball, and ending up facing forward.

In this case the defender “should” drop off to cover themselves so the striker can’t make a run behind them, but this is the cue for the striker to check to the ball from a wider angle and more open body stance so they receive the ball at their feet; but facing forward with space to run at the defender; not with their back to goal and with their back to the defender. The first movement helps this space be created.

The defender starts in the same position as the striker though it isn’t shown here.

I believe this is a good way of simplifying movements by the striker in this position and giving them a framework to play from, they may develop their own variations of these three moves but it is a good planning tool to use in training so the players making the delivery at least have an idea what the striker may attempt in terms of his or her movement based on the position of the defender.