Passing & Football

May 13 2008 | Articles

Short pass

Passing is a technique that allows the ball to travel up field. In doing this, your opponents will find it more difficult to gain control of the ball.

An accurate pass can be performed through the help of the sidefoot, the area located on the inside of the foot. However, passing may be risky since the opponent can immediately know where or to whom you intend to give the ball.
At the same time, the player may find it difficult to produce enough power for a successful pass. Because of these reasons, passing is a skill best used for making the ball travel through short distances. This move is called a short pass.
If you want to do a short pass, you must have sufficient space for the kicking leg to swing through. To accomplish this, you must ensure that you proceed to the ball with an angle of around 30 degrees.

In preparation for the kick, you must make sure that your non-kicking foot is right beside the ball. Using your arms for balance, you must make sure that your head is still while your eyes are focused on the ball. With your ankle firm, you must swing your kicking foot with the aim of using the side of the foot to hit the ball’s centre. This motion will ensure that the ball will roll steadily on the ground, instead of launching into the air.

Since this pass keeps the ball moving on low ground, it will be easier for your team mate to receive the ball. The pass is also greatly dependent on the amount of weight you apply on your kick.

Consequently, the weight you apply to the ball depends on the distance between you and your team mates who will receive the ball.

The position of your opponents is also significant in determining how much weight you need to put on the pass.

Meanwhile, the power of the kick may be improved by making sure that kicking leg follows through with the ball.

As you practice, you will become better at determining how much power and weight you need in order to make a successful pass.

Bending

With their ability to change the direction of an airborne ball, players like Ronaldinho of Barcelona and David Beckham of England often give the goalkeepers a difficult time.

Learning to bend the ball in both directions will ensure that you always have a surprise tactic against your opponents.

To bend the ball, you must approach it at an angle, making sure that your standing foot ends up at an adequate distance (from the ball).

While free kicks and other deadball situations are ideal for practicing this skill, you should also learn how to perform it while in motion. You must use this ability to curl a shot or a pass during an open play.

A kick delivered to the right side of the ball’s bottom half will let you successfully curve the ball from right to left. On the other hand, striking the ball with the outside of your foot will make the ball change direction from left to right. This move will also require you to aim your kicking leg at the bottom half of the ball’s left side.

In both cases, your follow through on the kick should not be aimed at your target location. This is because your foot is cutting across the back of the ball instead of hitting its centre.

Driving

You must approach the ball in the same way you would begin a short sidefoot pass.

Position yourself on a 30 degree angle against the ball, ensuring that your kicking leg has enough space to swing through. Using your arms for balance, you must make sure that your head is still while your eyes are focused on the ball.

Make sure that your knee is positioned right over the ball and avoid leaning back. This posture will ensure that the ball will remain low once it is kicked.
With your toes pointing downwards, you must then use your instep to hit the centre of the ball.

A follow through from the kicking leg will increase the power of your strike.