SOCCER ESSENTIALS Bente Skogvang Professional Soccer Referee Associate Professor of Sport at Elverum University in Norway Birger Peitersen Institute of Exercise and Sport University of Copenhagen Karen Stanley Former college soccer coach TOTAL HEALTH PUBLICATIONS Copyright 2014
About the Authors Dr. Bente Skogvang is a former player and professional soccer referee who refereed the women's soccer finals in the 1996 Olympics. She is also a member of the Executive Board of the Norwegian Soccer Association. She is an associate professor at Elverum College in Norway. Birger Peitersen is the coordinator of studies at the Institute of Exercise and Sport at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. He has served as manager and head coach of the championship Danish professional team and manager of the Danish women's national team. Karen Stanley has been the head women's soccer coach at Santa Rosa College and the University of Southern California and the assistant coach at the University of Notre Dame. She is a frequent lecturer at soccer clinics. She is an instructor in the Kinesiology Department at Santa Rosa College.
INFORMATION FOR READERS Some of you will read this book as a printed book, others will read it as an ebook. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. When videos are included the ebook reader needs only to click the link, In a print book you would need to copy the link into your internet browser to see the video. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Preface CHAPTER 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION, RULES, EQUIPMENT HISTORY OF SOCCER Basic Rules of Soccer The Playing Field The Kick- Off Offside Putting the Ball Back into Play Fouls and Penalties Equipment CHAPTER 2 PASSING The Inside- of- the- Foot Pass (Push Pass) The Outside- of- the- Foot Pass The Swerve Pass (Inside- of- the- Foot or Outside- of- the- Foot) The Instep Pass Lofted Kicks CHAPTER 3 RECEIVING AND CONTROLLING THE BALL TRAPPING The Foot-Sole Trap The Inside- of- the- Foot Trap The Thigh Trap The Instep Trap Chest and Abdominal Traps Turning Heading Stationary Heading Jump Heading Dive Heading CHAPTER 4 DRIBBLING AND SHIELDING Dribbling
Dribbling for Control Dribbling for Speed Dribbling for Penetration Shielding CHAPTER 5 SHOOTING The Instep Drive Full Volley The Half Volley The Swerve Shot CHAPTER 6 INDIVIDUAL DEFENSE Marking an Opponent The Defensive Stance Distance from the Ball Positioning Preventing the Turn Tackling The Block Tackle The Poke Tackle The Slide Tackle CHAPTER 7 GOALKEEPING Basic Stance Shuffling and the Crossover Catching the Ball Receiving a Rolling Ball Receiving a Low Hard Shot Playing a "Tweener Receiving a High Shot Styles of Goalkeeping Goalkeeping During Penalty Kicks and Tie- Breaker Kicks Rolling the Ball Throwing the Ball Punting the Ball Rules Specific to the Goalkeeper CHAPTER 8 PRINCIPLES OF TEAM ATTACK Players' Positions Mobility and Creating Space Width and Depth Improvisation Penetration Communication Vision Finishing STYLES OF TEAM ATTACK Systems of Play Styles of Attack Direct Style of Attack Indirect Style of Attack
Combining Attacking Styles "Numbers- Up" Situations Set Plays Throw- Ins Corner Kicks Free Kicks Goal Kicks Kick- offs CHAPTER 9 PRINCIPLES OF TEAM DEFENSE Chase and Delay Maintaining Depth Balance Concentration Control and Restraint Line of Confrontation Compactness Communication CHAPTER 10 STYLES OF TEAM DEFENSE SYSTEMS OF PLAY Player- to- Player Defense Zonal Defense Player- to- Player Within a Zone Defend the Middle Set Plays Throw- Ins Goal Kicks Free Kicks Corner Kicks Goalkeeper's Punt Styles of Defense Low- Pressure Defense High- Pressure Defense Choosing a Defensive Style CHAPTER 11 SOCCER DRILLS Trapping Drills Heading Drills Dribbling Drills Shooting Drills (Individual, Pairs, or Group) Individual Defense Drills (Pairs or Groups) Half Field Defense Goalkeeping Drills (Individual, Pairs, or Groups) Distribution Drills (Individual or Group) Team Attack Drills CHAPTER 12 GLOSSARY OF SOCCER TERMS
and Chapter 3 Receiving Controlling the Ball Outline
Trapping Heading Learning to control the ball upon receiving it is essential to effective soccer playing. You may need to stop a pass; you may want to redirect a pass; or you may want to use a controlling or redirecting technique when intercepting an opponent's pass. This chapter will discuss three methods of receiving and controlling the ball: trapping, turning, and heading. Trapping Trapping is a key technical and tactical skill. Properly executed, it brings the ball quickly under control. Technically, the player should know the basic principles of trapping and determine the best ways to control any ball coming to him or her. Tactically, the player needs to assess the limitations of space and time in receiving situations and react instantly upon receiving the ball. There are two aims of trapping a ball: to stop the ball altogether, or to simply take the pace (speed) off the ball and direct it in a designated direction. Beginners always want to be on the safe side and like to stop the ball completely before starting a new action. A more advanced player should be able to trap a ball and change its direction without stopping the movement or flow of the action. In every trap, you should use your foot, leg, or torso in a way that causes the ball to drop directly down to your feet and be ready for an immediate pass or dribble. The harder the pass, the more you must cushion the ball with the trapping foot or leg. Beginning players will look down to see where the ball is and how it reacts, but they should be encouraged not to do so. It is important for players to be able to receive the ball while continuing to observe the playing situation. Advanced players receive a ball and immediately bring it to a good passing position.
The Foot-Sole Trap The foot-sole trap is a simple way to control a rolling ball. It is the most basic of all trapping methods. It is easy to learn and gives beginners immediate confidence in controlling a ball. The player is stationary, not running, while using the foot-sole trap. Be in line with the ball. The non-trapping leg should be slightly flexed. Lift your trapping foot so that the heel is near the ground and the toes point upward. Your foot should be positioned so that the ball merely runs into the sole of the foot, hitting the part underneath the toes. Keep an eye on the ball and do not stamp on the ball. Let it roll smoothly under the "roof" of your foot. Then take your foot away and prepare to redirect the ball. Be sure to get moving as soon as the ball is trapped. Dribble or pass quickly. The Inside-of-the-Foot Trap
The inside-of-the-foot trap is used in three situations: to stop a rolling ball, to bring the ball to a better passing position, and to turn with the ball. (We will discuss turning in more detail later in this chapter.) Tactically, the inside-of-the-foot trap is more generally recommended than the foot-sole trap. It keeps the ball "alive" and gives the player an opportunity to pass immediately. It can be used when a player is either stationary or running. To execute this trap, be in line with the ball. Reach out for the ball by extending your trapping leg toward the approaching ball with the foot turned outward. "Catch" the ball on the inside of your foot by bringing it back quickly when the ball is about to touch your foot. The ball should be guided to just in front of your body so that it can be passed quickly. The inside-of-the-foot trap can be used to receive a low, bouncing ball. It is important to quickly move into the path of the ball and judge where it will bounce. Raise one leg with the foot in a position to make an inside-ofthe-foot pass. Keep your eyes on the ball and give a little in the knee when the ball hits the broadest part of the inside of your foot. Take the pace off the ball so that it drops down in front of your foot.
The Thigh Trap The thigh trap is a way of controlling a high bouncing ball. To perform the thigh trap, raise your thigh between 75 and 90 degrees to stop the ball. Just before the ball makes contact, lower your thigh so that the ball drops gently onto the ground near your foot. The thickest part of the thigh is the contact point for the ball. The Instep Trap The instep trap is another way of trapping a high ball. Raise the instep high to receive the ball as early as possible. Your arms should be held out wide to aid in balancing. Just before the ball makes contact, lower the instep quickly so that the ball remains in contact with the instep until it hits the ground. The ball comes down to the feet and can easily be passed. In soccer jargon, this skill is called "the cat's paw" trap. Chest and Abdominal Traps The chest trap is also used to trap high balls. It requires getting your body in the line of flight of the ball so that you can catch it on your chest. Stand with one foot forward and your arms out to the sides. Push your chest
forward to meet the ball early and to aid in cushioning the impact. Just as the ball makes contact, pull your chest back so that the ball is cushioned and stopped. The ball should drop down in front of the feet and can be passed immediately. Checklist for TrappingChecklist for Trapping Ø Quickly position yourself in the ball's path or in the area where the ball will bounce. Ø Decide quickly which kind of trapping is the most efficient Ø Decide where the ball should be passed before the actual trapping. Ø Always trap away from the opponent Ø Trap quickly and in a way that the ball can be played immediately. Ø Meet the ball as early as possible. Ø Absorb the force by withdrawing the body part contacting the ball. The withdrawal takes the pace off the ball by cushioning it. The same principles apply to the abdominal trap: stand with one foot forward and your arms out to the sides, push your stomach forward to meet the ball, and then pull your stomach back when the ball makes contact and let the ball drop in front of your feet. Turning Turning with the ball is a special skill. Any player who receives a ball while facing away from the offensive goal needs this skill to turn the ball around. It is quite common, especially in the offensive area of the field, to have to protect the ball with the body when taking a pass or after stopping the ball with a trap. If forward movement is required, the player must learn how to turn toward the offensive goal. To do this, turn a little sideways to receive the ball, taking the pace off the ball but not stopping it. While the ball is "caught" on the foot, turn your body to face the offensive goal. This should all happen in one movement.
In general, the ball should always be moving. If a player stops a ball, it must be given a new impetus. Most trapping aims to reduce the speed of an incoming ball and direct it to a position in which the next pass will be easy for the player to make. The more quickly a player can control a ball, the more time is available to decide what the next move should be. Top teams strive to keep a constant game flow based on quick passing and combinations between players. This strategy gives less time for the opposing team to get in position and to organize an effective defense. Heading Heading is an important skill for any player. The ball can be headed upward (a defensive type of technique), toward the ground (a trapping type header), or redirected as a pass or as a shot at the goal. Well-skilled teams often use a corner kick to the front of the goal area as a planned attempt to "head" the ball into the goal. It can be a very effective scoring technique. Stationary Heading To head from a stationary position, stand with one foot forward and the arms out to the side. Keep your eyes on the ball as it comes toward you. Arch back and tuck your chin while keeping your neck muscles firm. As the ball arrives, bring your head and upper body forward by contracting the abdominal muscles, and hit the ball with the flat part of your forehead. The heading movement is like a rocking chair: you should move back and come forward. Checklist for Errors in Heading Ø Making contact with the top of the head. Ø Closing the eyes Ø Not moving in a rocking chair motion Ø Letting the ball hit the forehead instead of striking the ball with the forehead
Ø Not keeping the neck muscles firm. Jump Heading Jump heading is usually used in receiving a high ball. To perform a jump header, position yourself in the ball's path, jump, and arch your back (timing your jump so that you meet the ball at the highest point in your jump). Tighten your neck muscles. Keep your eyes open, even as the ball hits your forehead. If you are attempting to merely redirect the ball and possibly score, turn your head halfway toward the direction you want the ball to rebound. In defensive situations, you go more for height than direction so that the ball travels farther. To head the ball defensively, jump for the ball. If running, use a one-footed take-off. Head through the bottom of the ball. Clear it high, long, and toward the sideline.
Dive Heading Dive heading should be used to head a ball that is traveling toward you at waist level or lower. A corner kick that was not intercepted high and may be headed into the goal, or a low-altitude kick traveling parallel to the ground, would be situations where the dive header might be used. Dive toward the ball, keeping your shoulders perpendicular to the line of flight. Keep your eyes open, your mouth closed, and your neck tense. Tilt your head back and meet the ball with your forehead. Chapter 6 Individual Defense Outline Marking an Opponent The Defensive Stance
Distance from the Ball Positioning Preventing the Turn Tackling
As a defender, you cannot make a mistake or the attacker may be given the opportunity to score. To minimize the attacker's scoring potential, you must position yourself in a way that makes it difficult for the attacker to move past you. Marking an Opponent To cover or guard a player on the other team when your team is defending is called marking an opponent. A good defensive marking position requires that you be goalside of your opponent. This means that you are between the goal and the opponent. All players on the defending team should be accountable for marking a player and be goalside, regardless of which opponent has the ball. The Defensive Stance In the defensive stance, also known as the ready position, your feet should be slightly more than shoulderwidth apart, your weight should be on the balls of your feet, your knees should be flexed, and you should lean forward so that your shoulders are over your knees and toes. This gives you side-to-side mobility. If you drop one of your feet back up to 12 inches, you will have forwardback mobility. The dropped foot should be in the direction that your opponent will likely run. This is called a staggered stance. An effective dribbler will attempt to use feints, quickness, and other skills to beat you. You must therefore
maintain your balance and not be faked out of position, or fooled into shifting your weight one way while the dribbler goes the opposite direction. Since we can't fake our center of gravity (in the middle of the hips), it is a good idea to be aware of the center of the opponent's hips. The arms, legs, head, eyes, and torso can all be involved in faking, but the hips tell where the player is going or can go. Distance from the Ball Your distance from the ball will be determined by whether or not the player you are marking has the ball or not and how far from the goal the offensive player is. The closer to the goal the attacker is, the tighter you must play. Obviously, there is no need to mark a person closely when that person is in the defensive third of the field, unless that player has the ball.
You must also consider the speed and skill of your opponent and whether you have help behind you. If your opponent is good technically but not too fast, you can mark more closely. You can play sufficiently loose so that you can see the ball and the person you are marking, but still be able to move close if the ball is passed. Positioning Your position relative to the goal will be approximately between the attacker and the middle of the goal. However, it is wise to play a little bit inside of that, toward the center of the field, to make the attacker take an indirect path to the outside rather than the direct path inside. If the person you are guarding is very strong going one way but rather weak going the other way, you may want to overplay toward the strength in order to force the player to the weak side. For example, a player who favors dribbling to
the right should be overplayed to that side and forced to their left. Make the dribbler go the hard way, the nonpreferred path. Cutting off passing lanes is critical to good defensive soccer. If the dribbler has two options for a pass and one is cut off by a defender, the next nearest defender should move into a defensive support position to stop the other pass. This requires that the defender be goalside of this offensive player, and also be nearer to the ball in order to stop the pass. Preventing the Turn Preventing the turn of a dribbler is crucial to defending. If the attacker is allowed to turn toward the offensive goal, there will be more opportunities to dribble or pass and finish the attack. So keep a wide base and your weight on the balls of your feet. If your weight shifts to your heels, there is a good chance that you can be beaten. You will want to play tight, but not so tight that the attacker can easily spin off of you. A good gauge is to be tight enough that you could reach out and touch the attacker with your hand. This is called "touch tight." If the offensive player is able to turn, you must quickly move to deny forward movement toward the goal. Try to move the attacker toward the sideline or toward another defender. Deny any pass forward, allowing only backward passes away from the goal.
Tackling Tackling means to steal the ball away from the offensive player. The important thing to remember is that when you tackle, you must be cautious not to foul the attacker. You must tackle for, and touch only, the ball not the opponent. Methods of tackling include the block tackle, the poke tackle, and the slide tackle. The Block Tackle The block tackle is used when an opponent is dribbling directly toward you. It is done by blocking the ball as the dribbling player moves. Put your non-tackling foot firmly on the ground, and thrust your tackling foot forward with the inside of the foot firmly at the ball. Lean forward so that your weight is
toward the ball, and follow through. Put your foot on the ball (the block) as the dribbler attempts to move it. Once the ball is blocked, you can either lift the foot of the dribbler or kick it between the dribbler's feet to complete the tackle. Checklist for Block Tackle Ø Move your non-tackling leg near the ball and shift your weight to that leg. Ø With your knees bent and your torso facing the dribbler stop the ball with your tackling foot on the lower half of the ball. Ø Put the heel of your tackling foot to the ground. Ø Use the inside of your foot, not the toes or instep, to make the block. Ø Crouch slightly to lower your center of gravity Ø Take the ball away from the dribbler by either lifting it over the dribbler's foot or pushing it between the dribbler's legs. Ø Follow the ball and dribble or pass to a teammate The Poke Tackle The poke tackle can be used whenever your foot can reach the opponent's ball, whether you are behind, to the side, or in front of the dribbler. "Poke," or kick, the ball away with your toes. If you are behind the dribbler, poke the ball from between your opponent's feet.
The Slide Tackle The slide tackle is used only when there is no other way to make a tackle. It is generally used when approaching your opponent from the side. Since the slider ends up on the ground and is usually out of the play after the slide, it is truly a "last resort" move. To execute the slide tackle, approach your opponent, keeping your eyes on the ball. Then slide onto your side (much like a baseball player does when sliding into a base), extending your sliding leg toward the ball. The ball should make contact with your sliding foot at the instep. The slide should be timed so that it is made as the opponent's near leg is extended back. Kick the ball away from your opponent. If
possible, do your best to jump to your feet after sliding and gain possession of the ball.