Micah Ricards: Pick out the target man

My manager wants us to play more direct, but my long range passing is poor. What do you do in training to practise hitting the ball up to a target man?
Gary Shannon, via email

Micah Richards says:

“For this exercise the mannequins are your targets, so place them at various distances. You need to make sure your head movement is right.

Look up at the target, then look down as you strike the ball: make contact with the boot’s laces if you are hitting with power, or put your foot under the ball for height.

Keep your standing foot on the inside of the ball for stability. I do this in matches when my options are limited and we have a target man up front. 

I get my head down and smack it up for him to knock down for his fellow striker.”

Also see:
Micah Richards: Shooting for defenders