CONTROL
SHOOTING
PASSING
DRIBBLING
TURNING
HEADING
CREATE SPACE
INDIVIDUAL DEFENDING
SUPPORT PLAY
GOALKEEPING
CROSSING
TACKLING
THE THROW IN
ATTACKING SET PLAYS
DEFENDING SET PLAYS
THE FREE KICK
CONTROL
Please select a subsection from the topics below :

 A basic introduction    Inside of the foot    Extending Control  
  Swivelling with the ball     in tight situations    
Running with the ball Running with the ball (close control)
Running with the ball (changing pace)
Running with the ball (control) Running with the ball (to score)
Running with the ball (to score cont.)
Running with the ball (central)
Running with the ball (circuit training)
Movement off the ball Movement off the ball cont.
Movement off the ball (passing & moving)
Movement off the ball (switching play in defence)
Switch play in defence (progression)
Switching play in centre field
Switching play in the attacking third of the field
Switching play (in attack) continued - around the penalty area
Switching play in attack around the penalty area (continued)
Adding Defenders: Switching play continued
Developing the reverse Pass Playing back to goal (turning)
Turning and Finishing I II III Playing with back to goal I
II III IV V Making decisions II III IV
Progression Shadow play I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX The Short Corner The Short Corner 2 The Short Corner 3 The Short Corner 4 The Short Corner 5 Defending against a short corner (1) Defending against a short corner (2) Defending against a short corner (3) Defending against a short corner (4) The throw in (1) The throw in (2) The throw in (3) Defending at a throw in

Playing with back to goal

Forward players, particularly the central strikers, have to often face their own players when receiving the ball.

So with their backs to their opponents goal it is vital they learn to receive the ball, often when under pressure from behind and anticipative a defensive challenge.

This requires practice, and players should first begin with a simple exercise.

Diagram 1
Diagram 2



In practice (1), 3 players (A), (B), and (S) and one ball, lining up as in diagram (1) with (S) facing (A) and (B) about 10 metres away.

(A) serves to the feet of (S), who comes forward about 1 metre, controls the ball, then with the next touch lays if off to (B).

To progress the distance between (A) and (B) can be lengthened to around 20 metres, but when this occurs the serve pass must carry more power behind it to keep the practice realistic.

Once this has been mastered, (S) must then learn to play the ball off first time, with a firm pass.

As an alternative (S) can turn with the ball.

So (A) serves (S) controls, turns and sprints off around 10 metres with the ball towards the opponents goal as in diagram (2). Good control (first touch) is essential in doing this. Players can alternate roles.