Score More Goals From Corners

Now that we have successfully defended the corner, got the ball up to the other end of the pitch and won our own corner, Tony Carr of the West Ham United FC Academy shows us how to set up a team to attack a corner to maximise the scoring opportunity.

Key Coaching Tip

Delivery of the ball is the most important factor!

* Take a good look at your players and decide who can deliver the right ball. Decide what type of delivery you want, i.e. 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 ability 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, the choice is yours.

* In the diagram above 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.

CONCENTRATE ON (A) A GOOD DELIVERY, (B) WELL TIMED RUNS, (C) BEING FIRST TO THE BALL AND (D) HITTING THE TARGET!