Soccer Techniques
Players learn many different soccer techniques as their skills improve. These include methods of dribbling, receiving, passing, shooting, and how to accomplish a successful thrown-in among others.
Players must dribble when they cannot pass or when they are moving in to score. Dribbling put most simply is moving the ball with the foot. One dribbling technique and perhaps the most effective is the body swerve which is meant to fake the defender into moving in the wrong way. When the ball is on your right foot, the left shoulder is dipped and body weight is transferred as if the player is going to move towards the left. Instead, with the body swerve all the weight is transferred to the right, and the left foot is used to accelerate to the right. The is one of the soccer techniques that is effective when done while accelerating.
Another one of the dribbling soccer techniques is called the Cryuff. It is named after Johann Cryuff, who made the move famous. The ball is played between the legs in the Cryuff turn, and when done correctly, the defender will be looking for the ball on the wrong side. When the ball is on the right foot, the player positions himself as if he is going to move the ball to the left. But at the minute the ball is flicked between the legs a fast turn is made to the right. This surprises the defender. If the Cryuff technique is not done correctly it will be easy for the defender to gain control of ball.
Receiving soccer techniques are controlled by three different skills--ball control, positioning and vision. The receiver must immediately gain control of the ball to prevent the defender from taking it away with a tackling maneuver. Many times players think of this as needing to have their feet glued to the ground at the moment the ball is received. You also will need to position yourself well for two different reasons. The first is to prevent the defender from being close enough to touch the ball, and the second is that you need the best position from which you can make the next play, whether it be dribbling, passing or shooting. Vision really means having a good vision of the field. In moving in to receive the ball, it means thinking ahead, so that you have somewhere to go with the ball to further play.
Methods of receiving a ball may include receiving it on the ground with the inside or outside of the foot, trapping the ball with the instep, receiving a high ball with the thighs or by receiving/trapping the ball with the head.
Passing in soccer requires a correct combination of power, precision and timing. Among the best techniques to use in passing the soccer ball are the direct pass--going straight from one player to another, a wall pass--using another player as a wall from which to bounce the pass to the intended receiver, and tunnel passes, which require expert timing but are designed to place the receiver one on one with the goalie or in a good crossing position. Another passing technique that is now being used more and more is passing into space. Rather than getting the ball directly to the receiver, you get the ball to the place where you expect the receiver is going to be next. The long ball technique should also be considered. But much like a long quarterback pass in American football, it can be intercepted or miss the mark.
Shooting is the most exciting play in soccer. There are three basic techniques used in trying to score a goal--these are ground shots, which are the ones taken when the ball is stopped or rolling on the ground; volleys, which are shots taken in mid-air; and a third, not used quite as much, where the ball is bouncing on the ground and is kicked on its downward motion. This is called a demi vollee or semi volley. Each of these shots depends on the position you are in--both your supporting leg and entire body, and on the way in which you strike the ball.
Finally, there are two different throw-in soccer techniques: these are long shots and short shots. On a short throw-in, feet are positioned close together. The ball is held in both hands and brought up over the head so it can be thrown in to a free player using the elbows and shoulders. On a long throw-in, the player steps back and runs toward the line, and, planting one foot on the line, throws with power to a free teammate. In this case the elbows and shoulders are also used to give more power to the ball.
These are a few of the many techniques used in playing soccer. As players advance they will learn variations on these and maybe even develop some of their own.