Kick Technique

Kicking ball is a main thing in soccer. But often players have weakness in kicking ball and also lack of concentration. This is caused by hesitance or tension. I will explain about how to do free kick, penalty, etc.

Free kick
Free kick is a common thing in soccer. Do a kick directly to the goalpost; it shouldn’t be from far distance. There are three methods to do free kick from near distance.

1.Bend the ball pass through top of opponent’s encirclement. Bend the ball using your top of sole. It must straight.

2.Bend the ball pass right/left side of opponent’s encirclement. If you kick the ball using left foot, bend the ball pass right side of opponent’s encirclement, and vice versa. The target is left/right top corner of opponent’s goalpost. Usually keeper meets difficulty to reach the ball in that position, especially if the ball’s direction bends. It’s a banana kick.

3.To do free kick in near distance, usually there are two players near the ball. It’s free kick’s trick. It’s trick to collaborate with your teammates to make a goal. First, player 1 apparently will kick the ball (but just to outwit), afterward player 2 adjust the distance rather far from player 1, and then player 1 immediately gives short tempt to player 2. Player 2 kicks the ball in the empty space using top/ edge sole. If using edge sole, the ball will turn outside.

Penalty
Penalty is done in 11 m from goalpost. In this condition, player feels a high tension whether there’s goal or not. Or maybe player kick the ball too hurriedly, so there’s not goal. To do this, player must relax and focus. There are steps to kick the penalty right.

1.Player must think and decide where direction he will kick. Focus in the ball and goalpost, not keeper. Don’t be too hurriedly.
2.Try to direct the ball to left/right top corner of goalpost, or left/right bottom corner. These are very difficult position to be reached by keeper.
3.Keep your body’s balance.
4.Try to outwit keeper, the ball directs apparently to the left side, but you kick to the right.
5.Kick the ball using your top sole. With using this, ball will direct exactly to the corner’s goalpost.
6.If penalty fails, try to do it again next. Don’t worry if you fail, because every player can fail too.

Practice penalty
Use goalpost that is not too big to practice your shoot accuration. Give an obstacle in front of goalpost as if there’s a keeper, afterward kick the ball to the corner’s goalpost, it can be flat or high.

Palonetto
“Palonetto” is prying the ball far above keeper with ball’s power that’s not too fast but high. Ball will fall inside goalpost. This technique is very good if keeper’s position is rather far from goalpost (keeper isn’t already back to his position).

There are tips to pry the ball.

1.To bouncing up the ball, kick the bottom of ball.
2.Use your tip of sole to pry the ball. Give hard power so the ball can bounce up forward.
3.The ball isn’t be kicked, but be pried in the bottom of ball.
4.Don’t let the ball reached by keeper.
Palonetto is also used for breakthrough crossing that is done to pass above opponent’s player.

Volley Kick
Volley kick is kicking the ball while ball is in height; usually the ball is the same level as your stomach. This kick is very fast. This can be done from near or far distance; it’s effective enough. There are special tips to make your volley ball success.

1.Lean slightly your body to the left/right. If the ball is in left, lean your body to the right and vice versa.
2.Notice the ball and keep your concentration while kick the ball.
3.Kick the ball use top sole. Your sole face slant and same level of height as the ball.
4.Don’t kick the ball too hard. If player kick the ball too hard, there’s four chances. First, player concentration must be broken. Second, player misses the ball because of lack of concentration. Third, the ball just in slow speed because player just “touch” the ball. Fourth, that’s most common; the ball bounces up too high above goalpost. It will waste a good chance to goal.

Practice volley kick
With small goalpost that’s rather high, ask your friend to kick the ball to you as high as your stomach and then you kick the ball to the goalpost. Turn with your friend five times.

How to use your top and edge sole
Top and edge sole, of course won’t be done at any. If we are wrong to use it, it won’t be effective. Top and edge sole are the best technique to trick the ball. The ball’s direction can bend and outwit opponent’s keeper.

Edge sole

1.Edge sole is used when we face with goalpost and there’s short tempt from your teammate in front of you or from opposite direction. Afterward use edge sole to kick the ball. If we are in the left side, the ball will direct fast to left corner of goalpost and it’s difficult to be reached.
2.When the ball is the same level as your foot, maybe when we drive the ball or receive tempt, Adjust distance immediately between your foot and the ball, and then kick the ball with your edge sole. The ball will turn outside, if we use top sole, the ball will turn inside.
3.When the ball approximately above 20-25 cm from ground, kick the ball using edge sole. So the ball will turn and direct to top corner’s goalpost.

Common mistakes: When drive ball, don’t kick the ball using edge sole. First control it and stop the ball. If you kick the ball, the ball will be missed. So player become hesitate. You can kick the ball using edge sole when there’s enough distance between your foot and the ball.

Don’t kick the ball using edge sole from far distance, because this kick needs extra power, especially in free kick.

Tips:
- Kicking with edge sole should be used when there’s enough distance between ball and the ground.
- It’s very effective to do from near distance.
- It’s also effective to do tempt from near distance, or do tricky tempts.
- Concentrate well before do kicking. If you kick hurriedly, you’ll miss the ball. Seek gap to kick first.
- Don’t kick the ball if it’s free kick, penalty, or corner kick.

Formation Tips

Formation is players’ arrangement in a match. This formation is much needed here. Formation is also useful for coach and players. For coach, here I will be explained about well formation, advantages and drawbacks for each formation, and how to use each formation.

- 3-4-3
This formation is commonly used. But there’s the drawback, in defense line. There is no problem in midfield and forward line, if they can do collaboration. One or two players from 4 midfielders must be DMFs (Defender Midfielder Forward) that also become forward midfielder.

- 4-4-2
This is ideal formation that is commonly used in the match. Actually this formation is well enough because there’s balance between defender, midfielder, and forwarder, just need well collaboration.

- 4-3-3
This formation is also ideal formation that is commonly used in the match. The strike method relies on wing strikers, LWF and RWF that also receive assist from midfielder. In defense line there’s safe enough. Midfielder (LWF) also can help defense line. Usually goal is made by crossing.

- 4-1-3-2
The advantage of this formation is in defense line. Four players are as back players and one player as defense halfback. Three players that are in midfield line give tempt to forward area.

- 4-4-1-1
This formation is rather weak in forward because there’s just one striker and no collaboration between strikers. So assist is done by midfielder. There must be any midfielders to help the single striker, while one player behind striker is as SS (Small Striker). Defense line is safe enough, if they can do well collaboration.

- 3-5-2
To use this formation there’s actually just needed well strategy from coach. It is suggested, five midfielders are separated by their tasks: one as DMF that help back player, the other one as CMF that can move forward and backward, and the three help strikers. Collaboration is absolutely needed.

- 4-3-1-2
This formation is also common. To cover the gap in the forward, two players must move forward, one player as DMF, the other one as Small Striker (SS), and the two as Center Forward (CF). Use triangles tempt and penetration tempt. This formation is well enough to do these tempts.

- 3-6-1
This formation is not commonly used and actually not well enough. The players’ saturation isn’t inequitable, so many players in midfield line. There’s just one striker and three back players, so this formation is much depended on midfielders in the match. Here are tips: two players play in wing area to help single striker, one player do 1-2 tempt with striker, two players help defense line, one player as CMF.

- 5-3-2
This formation also has several drawbacks: player’s saturation is concentrated in defense line. So there should be Left Back (LB) or Right Back (RB) that can help to move forward if this team is striking.

- 4-3-2-1
The drawback is in forward line, because the lack of assist causes the difficulty to make goal. Defense line is no problem, if needed; four midfielders should become DMF, and the other help striker.

- 4-5-1
The drawback in this formations also in forward line, hence there must be a well strategy. Five midfielders must adjust their position so single striker can receive assist, two players play in wing area to give bouncing-up tempt, while one or two players as Small Striker (SS).

- 4-2-1-3
This formation is commonly used. It’s suggested, two players become CMF (Center Midfielder Forward), because there’s well enough in forward and defense line.

- 4-1-2-3
This formation is similar with 4-2-1-3. Use one player as defense halfback, one as CMF and the other one must supply the ball forward. Always use fast strike from midfield.

- 5-4-1
Midfielder is more focused to help single striker. There must be two players that become OMF (Offensive Midfield Forward) or forward halfback. Defense line is well enough. One back player should move forward to obscure and block opponent’s strike.

- 4-2-2-2
This formation is ideal enough. There’s a balance in all lines. Two midfielders can help strikers, and the others become CMF.

- 3-3-4
This formation is rarely used. Most of midfielders should defense, because four strikers is enough to strike. Two strikers are as wing strikers and the other strikers as Center Forward (CF). Collaboration is absolutely needed.

Tips: Try to apply these formations in the match to see clearly about these advantages and drawbacks. Formation is just a part of the match; the mostly needed is collaboration between players.

Defender Tactics

In every team, the spot of weakness is in defense area. So coaches are suggested to cover the existing gap. Usually back players are careless if there’s an attack of opponent. So, back player must improve concentration, and can adjust the distance between ball and opponent’s player. The back player that play in middle area called center back (CB), in the left called left back (LB) and in the right called right back (RB). In this part, it will be explained about the function and how they should play.

Center Back (CB)

While playing CB is helped by Defender Midfield Forward (DMF), the middle player that tends to play in defender area. The function of CB is as fence in the defender area. The things that are needed to be a CB are: must have strong body, can press the opponent, sprint that can be as equal as opponent. Usually there are 2 CB, so they can collaborate between the others.

Left Back (LB) and Right Back (RB)

These positions play in left and right wing. Their function is very important too. Especially, when the other players lost the ball in their self wing defender, LB and RB can keep wing defender’s position that’s usually vulnerable by opponent.

How Back Player Should Play

To keep goalpost safe, back player must play decently. At first, they should know how to face with opponent.

- If back player faces with opponent, try to not struggle the ball hurriedly, but make opponent so they meet difficulty to struggle the ball. When we face with opponent, we should move backward slowly and notice the ball.

Cut the tempt

A back player must can cut tempt well, especially if his goalpost is in danger. There are tips about cutting tempt well:

- Player mustn’t hesitate. Back player must always focus with the ball and see the other players around him.

- If ball success to be struggled, drive the ball to the safer area, try quickly to kick away the ball from defender area and don’t try to pass the opponent’s player if there’s in their self defender area.

- Now, if the ball rolls on to safer area and this ball is rather difficult to be reached, use tackling to stop the ball. Don’t hesitate to do it.

- To keep opponent: If there’s a vis-à-vis, between striker and back player, don’t struggle the ball hurriedly. Try to keep and press opponent. Back player always must press the opponent and block the opponent’s movement space. Player must stay between the opponent that he press and his self goalpost.

- Obstacle opponent: Obstacle is very needed by back player to delay opponent’s attack. Obstacle is a tactic to turn back the opponent. Try to always turn the opponent back and struggle slowly from back side. Wait until your teammate come to help.

Tactic to Win in Upper Ball Struggling

In this part will be explained about how to defend your goalpost in upper ball struggling. There are ways:

1. Player must use opponent’s shoulder so his jump higher. If there’s a ball, back player immediately jump behind the opponent while hold on opponent’s shoulder. There’s great chance to win struggling the ball by back player. This tactic is much needed while there’s a corner kick.

2. When opponent’s corner kick happens. This way also needs bravery. If there’s a ball which bounces up to defender area, there must be a back player that is behind the ball, and in the right time, he immediately moves forward and then heads or kicks away the ball to the front while threw himself. Remember, to do this tactic, player must be careful so he doesn’t crash with opponent’s player.

Tips: To head the ball so your head doesn’t feel pain, don’t use your top head, but with your front head. If you use the wrong tactic, the ball instead will bounce backward and make advantage for opponent. Ball that you head always must bounce forward and contrary to your self goalpost.

> Don’t close your eyes while head the ball. Always notice the ball and precise the ball direction in which you’ll direct.

> To make heading more powerful and can save your goalpost, player must jump forward and move your hands backward to help moving the neck and heading the ball forward. This tactic also can be used by striker.

Heading Training

- Player 1 throws the ball highly to player 2 and player 2 heads the ball forward, repeat this training 5-6 times. After that take turn with other players.

- Player 1 is in front of player 2. Player 1 is as passive player. Player 3 throws the ball to player 2, and then player 2 heads the ball with helping of player 1’s shoulder.

- To make the heading more powerful and can be used to defend, practice heading with the wall continuously.

Tips to be a Back Player

- Do clean tackling. Tacking must be done at the ball exactly and must have exact timing, too. While do tackling, the foot always must be in the ground, don’t go up into the air so your tackling doesn’t touch the opponent’s foot. Danger tackling can result yellow card or even red card.

- While press the opponent in very critical position like in the penalty area, keep the hand behind so handball doesn’t happen.

- Focus in more than one player. Back player must focus not just at one player; it can be two so back player can block the movement space of opponent. Always notice the ball direction, don’t lose your concentration. To press the opponent even two players, keep the distance between you and opponents. Don’t be hurriedly.

- Collaborate with keeper. It’s very important so misunderstanding between back player and keeper doesn’t happen.

> While do 1-2 crossing, back player always must be in front of his self goalpost and in different position with keeper. If keeper is in right side, back player must be in left side and vice versa.

> While there’s an attack in the defender area, don’t obstacle keeper’s sight. Try to press opponent in different side.

The well back player can collaborate well with keeper and the other teammates.