Lesson 4 of 5 · 4 min

Movement in the Box: Near Post, Far Post, Cutback

A cross is only as good as the run meeting it, and there are only so many places to make that run.

Near Post vs. Far Post

A near-post run attacks the space closest to the crosser, often getting there first for a flicked finish. A far-post run arrives late on the opposite side, meeting a cross that's traveled across the whole box.

The Cutback Zone

Rather than crossing early, a player reaching the byline can pull the ball back into this zone: square across the edge of the six-yard box, right into the path of an arriving midfielder.

Why Cutbacks Work

Defenders facing their own goal find a cutback far harder to deal with than a cross. They have to turn to track a runner arriving from behind them, often too late to intervene before the shot.

Try it

Watch the next few crosses in a match and classify each run as near post, far post, or a cutback into the edge of the box.

Quick check

Why is a cutback often harder for defenders to deal with than a cross?

Key takeaways

Near-post and far-post runs attack different spaces and arrive at different times.
A cutback into the edge of the box is often more dangerous than a cross into it.
Attacking movement in the box only works if it's timed to a specific delivery, not run randomly.