The lofted pass into the zone

What it trains

Lift a long pass over a defender and land it in a target zone. England Football describes the lofted pass as striking underneath the ball with your instep, to get height over an opponent and into space.

Set up

• A partner in the zone
• 6 balls (size 5)
• 4 cones: a 5 m zone
• 25 m away

How it works

1. Warm up first. On flat grass, mark a 5 x 5 m zone with 4 cones, its middle 25 m from your ball. Your partner stands in the zone. Use 6 balls (size 5).
2. Come in at a slight angle, lean back slightly and strike under the ball to lift it into the zone.
3. Your partner takes it at chest height or lower with the foot, thigh or chest, or lets it bounce first. Never the head.
4. They pass it back along the ground. After 6, swap roles.
5. Do 4 sets of 6 lofted passes each, half with each foot, with 1 minute of rest between sets.

Coaching points

1. Land it in the zone. Pick the zone before you strike and judge every pass by where it comes down, not by how it felt. In one study, experienced players' lofted passes were more accurate with feedback about the ball than about their body.
2. Strike under the ball. Come in at a slight angle, plant your standing foot beside and a little behind the ball, lean back slightly and strike under the middle of the ball with your instep (the laces). Follow through up, toward the zone.

Not this

Leaning over the ball, as you would for a driven pass. The ball stays low and runs along the grass. Leaning right back is the opposite fault: the pass balloons and drops short.

Dose

• 4 sets of 6, 1 min rest
• Half with each foot

Our target: 4 x 6, half with each foot, 1 min rest: our target, not an FA rule. The 12 weaker-foot passes count toward the plan's 200.

Harder / Easier

Safety

• Warm up first, the passer too: long passes load the hip and groin. Flat grass with space all round, never a road.
• Nobody stands between the passer and the zone, or anywhere a long ball could land on them.
• The receiver uses the foot, thigh or chest only, at chest height or lower: this drill never uses the head. If a ball is coming in higher, step away and let it bounce first.
• If the ball hits anyone's face or head, or anything hurts, stop and tell your coach or a parent.

Sources

• England Football Learning - different passing techniques (the loft) (opens in a new tab)
• England Football Learning - how to coach passing (the lofted pass) (opens in a new tab)
• England Football Learning - how to build a passing session (bigger areas for longer passes) (opens in a new tab)
• ActiveSG Circle - long passes (approach angle, lean back, follow through) (opens in a new tab)
• Wulf et al. 2002 - external-focus feedback and lofted-pass accuracy (opens in a new tab)
• England Football - guidance by age on the head and the ball (why this drill never uses the head) (opens in a new tab)
• England Football FutureFit - ball sizes by age group (opens in a new tab)