Striker vs Keeper: Duel Ladder

Sharpen 1v1 finishing and 1v1 goalkeeping simultaneously by cycling the three commonest duel pictures, with a score that makes every rep matter to both players.

Full goal with a keeper, a release line of two cones 18 yards out, a server with the balls 30 yards from goal, and strikers queued beside the server. Each duel format runs for 4 balls before the ladder moves on.

1. Format 1 — through-ball race: the server slides a ball past the release line; the striker chases, the keeper decides to race out or hold and the duel plays live.
2. Format 2 — cutback arrival: the server dribbles wide and rolls a cutback into the box; the striker times their arrival to finish first time, the keeper re-sets position across goal.
3. Format 3 — rebound pounce: the server strikes at the keeper, who must parry; the striker attacks the rebound, the keeper recovers to save the second ball.
4. Score every ball: striker +1 for a goal, keeper +1 for a save or forcing the ball wide. Both totals run across all three formats.
5. After each ladder of 12 balls, the next striker steps in; keepers swap every two ladders.

• Striker: touch the through ball across the keeper's dive, not straight at them.
• Cutback: slow your run to arrive on time — pace comes from the strike, not the sprint.
• Keeper: out fast and big in the race; set and patient in the 1v1.
• Rebounds: react before you celebrate — the second ball decides the duel.

• Strikers blast the through-ball chance early from a bad angle — take the extra touch across goal before striking.
• The cutback runner arrives early and has to stop dead in the box — delay the run so the ball and striker meet at full speed.
• Keepers parry straight back into the danger zone — push rebounds wide of the post line every time.

• Add a recovering defender chasing the striker in format 1.
• Let the keeper choose to hold their line — strikers must read it and chip or round them.
• Sudden-death final: one ball of each format, winner takes the session.

• Slow the through balls so younger strikers reach them comfortably in front of the keeper.
• Strikers start the rebound format from 8 yards with the parry guaranteed by a coach throw.
• Remove the score for the first two ladders while patterns settle.

• Strikers must finish within two touches in every format — a third touch hands the point to the keeper.
• Keepers may not retreat behind the goal line to wait; they must engage every duel.