Best way to take advantage of long throw in

Christian Coach, United States of America

Sorry if this is stating the obvious, but these are my thoughts:

For any team you are playing for the first time, you really only get one or two opportunities to capitalize on that ability before it becomes known that he/she can throw it far. I would not have that player throw it in until you are in a position on the field where you can truly capitalize on it - which is likely at the half marker. This will give you more open space to work with and hopefully get behind the defense.

Then set-up like you would on any other throw in, with one player (hopefully one of your better scorers) lurking seemingly out of range. When the player starts his throw-in send the receiving player sprinting to an open spot behind the defense and toward goal, he is likely not going to be guarded, or will be loosely guarded. Hopefully, your thrower can get it to land and roll BEFORE the player arrives, so he can continue with his/her full-head of steam toward goal.

That`s about all you can do, to sneak one or two of those in there, after that the gig will be up (well, it should be, I guess it depends on the other coach).

That said, once it is known that he can throw it that far and you are in another situation to throw it in, there is no reason not to use that player. But in the attacking 3rd, this is how I would set up knowing there is no offsides on a throw in: Make sure someone (or two players) is between the goalie and the free kick marker, right about the 6 yard box, but then position all else at the top of the 18-yard box. That deep player will help keep the goalie honest and will likely make him hesitate before charging out to knock a throw-in away. Have the thrower target the space between the 18 and the free kick area (too far for the goalie to get to it, but close enough for ample goal opportunity. Then the rest becomes your team`s ability to get a 50/50 ball from the defenders - but at least the goalie won`t be there