Attacking Master Class

When I used to step out onto the pitch as a player, the one thing I always tried to make sure of was that the defence would walk off it in 90 minutes time knowing they had been in a battle. As an attacker you always want to be a handful, but this doesn't just come down to just mixing it physically. You need to stretch the defence with your movement, confuse them with your runs and be a constant threat.

This applies at every level of the game, if you can out-think a defence you can out-play them, even if you're not the quickest or strongest. Make the most of the weapons at your disposal and work hard at your game; the session I took the Greenford Gaints lads through is a great place to start.

Watch the video, download the PDF and commit to making yourself more of an attacking threat this season.

One thing that’s not naturally associated with strikers is power, but it can be such a crucial weapon. Think of the forward players you most admire, I’m willing to bet that every one of them has it in abundance. Every striker needs to be strong enough to hold up the ball and win headers; you need to be able to mix it physically with the defence. But it’s not all about upper body strength, you need explosive power in your legs for that burst of pace or to out jump your man. If you’re looking to make yourself a more effective striker, working on your power is a great place to start.

No matter how good a striker you are, a good partnership will make you better. I’ve played alongside some phenomenal attackers and the times in my career when I’ve been most prolific have been when I had a good trust with my striker partner. Sometimes partnerships click in an instant, but in most cases it takes a lot of work. Put in the hours in training, work hard for each other and you will both get more goals

Communication
You should always be sharing information with your striker partner, four eyes are better than two.

Trust
Back your partner to play that pass and be powerful enough to win that flick on, if he does you’ll be rewarded with chances.

Work
Work on the drills in my guide, the more time you spend working together on the training ground the better you will be on the pitch.