Playing Tip: Movement off the Ball
Movement off the ball. A skill that is underappreciated, underdeveloped, and incredibly impactful. When we spectate soccer, we tend to follow the ball. We see the magnificent shots, breathtaking passes, and extraordinary dribbles. What we often don’t see is the player’s movement prior to receiving the ball to properly position him or herself in a dangerous spot to make those game-changing plays when they get the ball, nor their teammates’ movement that opens up the space that allows them to get into those dangerous positions.
Movement off the ball. A skill that is underappreciated, underdeveloped, and incredibly impactful. When we spectate soccer, we tend to follow the ball. We see the magnificent shots, breathtaking passes, and extraordinary dribbles. What we often don’t see is the player’s movement prior to receiving the ball to properly position him or herself in a dangerous spot to make those game-changing plays when they get the ball, nor their teammates’ movement that opens up the space that allows them to get into those dangerous positions.
I think Kevin De Bruyne and Man City do this as well as anyone or any team I’ve ever seen. Sure, De Bruyne is sensational to watch with the ball at his feet, hardly ever making the wrong play and often leaving the audience breathless, but his movement, and his teammates movement without the ball, pretty much never stops. He’s constantly moving to better position himself to make game-changing plays when he does receive the ball, and his teammates are constantly moving to open up that space for him.
With this picture painted, we can begin to understand that smart movement typically precedes breathtaking play, and all players have the potential to dramatically impact the game without ever even touching the ball. With this in mind, I’d love to share a few tips that will improve a player’s movement right away.
Move frequently behind defenders. The more you move, the more defenders have to account for you and the higher the likelihood they lose track of you. This becomes infinitely harder if you build the habit of moving behind defenders. Don’t run in their field of vision, run behind them, where they have to physically turn their head to see you, drop to cover you, or let you go free, trusting another teammate to pick you up. The rule I tell my players is this: if you receive the ball and can read the number of the closest defender, you have the freedom to go forward, if you can’t read the number, you are probably going to be under pressure and can’t move forward. Thinking this way forces players to move smartly prior to receiving the ball so that they can attack when they receive it.
Don’t suffocate the ball. When a teammate has time and space on the ball, move AWAY from the teammate. Doing this allows you to break a line of defensive pressure, and puts you in a dangerous position when you receive it. On the other hand, if your teammate is under intense pressure, move TOWARDS the ball to become an easy outlet/passing option to relieve the pressure.
Run in behind. The more the defense becomes stretched, the more space for your teammates to work. One easy way to stretch the defense is to make frequent runs behind the oppositions’ back line. Like the first tip, it forces the defense to account for you and makes it significantly harder on them to stay organized. It also pushes them backwards, creating more space for your teammates to move into. Lastly, when you do receive the ball, it leads to great goal scoring opportunities. It’s a high effort to low reward ratio, meaning you may have to make 10 hard runs behind the opposition before you even receive the ball, however, when you do receive that ball, you are going to receive it in a position to make a game-changing play.
Hopefully I’ve painted a picture of the importance of movement off the ball, and given the reader a few quick tips to become a better mover.
Want to work with us to improve this skill (and others) to maximize your ability? Contact us to schedule your initial consultation. We hope to hear from you soon!
-JL
Playing Tip: Body Positioning/Receiving the Ball on the Half Turn
Soccer is a game played at an incredibly high pace. Decisions are made quickly, forcing players to often react rather than think about and calculate their next move. While soccer isn’t black or white, and there is no “one size fits all” solution to every situation, there are certain fundamental skills that should become habitual and automatic in order to slow the game down and take the decision making out of it. One of those skills is a player’s body position when he or she receives the ball, which should (almost) always be on the half turn.
Soccer is a game played at an incredibly high pace. Decisions are made quickly, forcing players to often react rather than think about and calculate their next move. While soccer isn’t black or white, and there is no “one size fits all” solution to every situation, there are certain fundamental skills that should become habitual and automatic in order to slow the game down and take the decision making out of it. One of those skills is a player’s body position when he or she receives the ball, which should (almost) always be on the half turn.
Receiving the ball on the half turn means receiving it in a position where half the player’s body is turned towards the field of play. Doing so allows the player an extra heartbeat of time before being pressed (an eternity in soccer), gives the player more options (making it harder for the defender), and lets the player to see the entire field (helping them make the best decision). Start to look for this as you watch professional soccer. Pep’s teams do this the best, however, it’s a foundational pillar of all the elite teams because receiving the ball on the half turn is imperative to building in possession.
Building this habit requires a lot of hard work. The technical skill itself is not hard to work on: Simply find a partner or a wall and pass the ball back and forth receiving the ball with your hips and body half opened towards the field of play. Translating the skill to the game requires a little more focus and hard work. It requires players to both think and move proactively; to move early and often to put themselves in a position where they can get on the half turn before receiving the ball. Eventually, the skill will become automatic and the benefits will be immense, giving players a competitive advantage over their opponents and helping them stand out amongst their peers.
If you’re interested in working with us to build this game-changing skill (and others) into your game, then please contact us HERE.