All good strikers come alive inside the penalty area. With clever movement, a Velcro tight first touch and sniper like accuracy they evade detection in the box and flash the ball into the back of the net.
"When you look at the likes of Wayne Rooney and Fernando Torres, a lot of their goals are done instinctively in and around the box in match play," said Jimmy Gilligan, head coach of the Nike Academy.
In the first part of our Master your finishing series, in association with the Nike Academy, we bring you a drill designed to improve your speed of touch and eye for goal, in a confined space.
"What we are looking for here is for the striker to put accuracy before power," said Gilligan. "The key is to get your foot - and head - over the ball, and make the goalkeeper work."
Watch this video and improve your efficiency in front of goal.
You can find out more about how you can get involved with the Nike Academy, and watch the players’ progress this season, by visiting Facebook and NikeFootball.com.
Also see:
Master your finishing: 1 v 1 attacking
Master your finishing: Combination play in and around the penalty area
Master your finishing: Three finishes in one
Master your finishing: Heads and tails
Master your finishing: Power shooting
Master your finishing: Shots and blocks
Master your finishing: The toe poke
Master your finishing: The reverse pass to cross and finish
Master your finishing: The serve and volley
