Technical question

[Guest Ulysses Everett McGill]

For those who play regularly or have some coaching experience, and for those that coach, what do you emphasise when teaching kids when shooting on goal, not talking about the Fowleresque passing the ball into the net, but bladdering the ball for all it's worth

 

When striking through the ball, is technique or timing more important?

 

Just an impression i've got over the years, in appears to me it's more a matter of timing, spacial awareness and anticipation of the path of the ball, as opposed to the actual execution of the striking motion.

 

For instance, look at the great strikers of the ball, Gerrard, Lampard, Riise who all have an excellent shot from difference, but more often than not, and this maybe just me, but you have a good idea from the second they set themself and plant the foot whether or not it's going to be on target or an airshot.

 

Just after an consensus, especiall would like to hear what Malarkey has to say on the matter.

 

As an aside, im fucking useless at striking anything apart from a dead ball, unless its out of my hands, find it really hard to resist the temptation to pick my head up before actually striking the ball and 90% of the time end up putting it into the next county.

[Barnesey]

Technique, timing and balance are all related in striking a ball. Technique can be coached to some degree but the others are natural (or not).

 

Striking at goal is the most difficult skill to coach because you also need composure. I've coached kids who can grasp most things but when the chance of scoring is added into the equation they rush it, try to hit it too hard and, snatch at the attempt.

 

I was never a goalscorer but tried to place my attempts; often the keeper would save them. My lad, who is a finisher, has concluded just giving it some welly when close is a better technique. It works for him

[Scott_M]

Once you have the techinque, the power etc can come afterwards.

[coachpotato]

I used to tell those who were bothering to listen that if you looked at where you wanted the ball to go first, then planted your standing foot alongside the ball pointing in that direction, then if you hit through the ball with your laces and kept your head down it'd go somewhere near. Laces were always at the top of your foot in those days mind!

At an amateur level all you want to do, given that the 'keepers were/are also amateur, is get the ball on target and make the 'keeper work.

[Guest Ulysses Everett McGill]

I used to tell those who were bothering to listen that if you looked at where you wanted the ball to go first, then planted your standing foot alongside the ball pointing in that direction, then if you hit through the ball with your laces and kept your head down it'd go somewhere near. Laces were always at the top of your foot in those days mind!

At an amateur level all you want to do, given that the 'keepers were/are also amateur, is get the ball on target and make the 'keeper work.

 

This might sound a little backward, but I much prefer someone who has a very clean technique and can really strike a ball well, easier to read and set yourself for, as opposed to someone who has a scruffy technique and doesn't quite catch it clean but still manages to get it on target as they are impossible to read.

[Lucky Pierre]

It's a bit of leather. How hard can it be?

[Guest Ulysses Everett McGill]

It's a bit of leather. How hard can it be?

 

This hard

 

[Durango]

For those who play regularly or have some coaching experience, and for those that coach, what do you emphasise when teaching kids when shooting on goal, not talking about the Fowleresque passing the ball into the net, but bladdering the ball for all it's worth

 

When striking through the ball, is technique or timing more important?

 

Just an impression i've got over the years, in appears to me it's more a matter of timing, spacial awareness and anticipation of the path of the ball, as opposed to the actual execution of the striking motion.

 

For instance, look at the great strikers of the ball, Gerrard, Lampard, Riise who all have an excellent shot from difference, but more often than not, and this maybe just me, but you have a good idea from the second they set themself and plant the foot whether or not it's going to be on target or an airshot.

 

Just after an consensus, especiall would like to hear what Malarkey has to say on the matter.

 

As an aside, im fucking useless at striking anything apart from a dead ball, unless its out of my hands, find it really hard to resist the temptation to pick my head up before actually striking the ball and 90% of the time end up putting it into the next county.

You can't teach timing,you've rather got or haven't.

 

Technique can be coached.

[Kennys_spell]

For those who play regularly or have some coaching experience, and for those that coach, what do you emphasise when teaching kids when shooting on goal, not talking about the Fowleresque passing the ball into the net, but bladdering the ball for all it's worth

 

When striking through the ball, is technique or timing more important?

 

Just an impression i've got over the years, in appears to me it's more a matter of timing, spacial awareness and anticipation of the path of the ball, as opposed to the actual execution of the striking motion.

 

For instance, look at the great strikers of the ball, Gerrard, Lampard, Riise who all have an excellent shot from difference, but more often than not, and this maybe just me, but you have a good idea from the second they set themself and plant the foot whether or not it's going to be on target or an airshot.

 

Just after an consensus, especiall would like to hear what Malarkey has to say on the matter.

 

As an aside, im fucking useless at striking anything apart from a dead ball, unless its out of my hands, find it really hard to resist the temptation to pick my head up before actually striking the ball and 90% of the time end up putting it into the next county.

 

I've found over the years that the most important thing to teach kids early on is how to keep the ball down. I used the mental image of four "Dustbin lid" sized areas either side of the keeper, two high and two low (In their heads, the more natural finishers always placed these dustibin lids closer to the posts) to aim at. But the emphasis was always on keeping the ball down and hitting the target.

[Liverpool lad]

From working with kids, I recommend the ABC approach, easy for the kids to remember (and me for that matter). In a nutshell;

 

APPROACH - from a slight angle

BODY POSITION - head down, standing foot beside the ball and toe pointing in the direction you want to bang it, pull the leg back for more power (think bow and arrow)

CONTACT - I use the term 'sweet spot' for that part of your foot and drive it through

 

Accuracy comes first, then think about power. I did this for the entire summer, showing kids how to hit a ball and my shooting didn't half come on, I am not even joking. As the lads from the footy can testify.

 

As Durango has said about you either having it or you don't, this is true to an extent, some kids are just blessed with it. I have worked with kids who given the right instructions went from 'toeying' it to smashing the ball really well. I find a lot of kids who struggle with timing are nervous more than they are unable to get it right. I think the technique can be taught easily, but timing sort of comes with playing the game regularly. The two of them are so closely linked though.

 

The drill from above is for hitting a still ball, and there are a lot of games for you to use so they can do it whilst dribbling, and being played into them. All of them incorporate the ABC approach at some point.

[Kennys_spell]

This might sound a little backward, but I much prefer someone who has a very clean technique and can really strike a ball well, easier to read and set yourself for, as opposed to someone who has a scruffy technique and doesn't quite catch it clean but still manages to get it on target as they are impossible to read.

 

I can see what you're saying here but I never followed that school of thought. Some of the best strikers of the ball that I've worked with have been full backs - great for free kicks etc (ala Riise) but not very practical spending more time on these lads who during a match are unlikely to get into too many positions where their technique in front of goal will pay dividends.

[Guest Ulysses Everett McGill]

I can see what you're saying here but I never followed that school of thought. Some of the best strikers of the ball that I've worked with have been full backs - great for free kicks etc (ala Riise) but not very practical spending more time on these lads who during a match are unlikely to get into too many positions where their technique in front of goal will pay dividends.

 

Sorry, my bad for not explaining myself clearly

 

I meant as a goalkeeper, i'd much rather be facing someone about to strike a ball with great timing and technique rather than someone without

[Kennys_spell]

Sorry, my bad for not explaining myself clearly

 

I meant as a goalkeeper, i'd much rather be facing someone about to strike a ball with great timing and technique rather than someone without

 

Ahhh so clearly I couldn't see what you were saying! Now I understand.

 

I see now. I don't know many keepers that actually DON'T make their mind up early and then just go that way regardless. But yep, it must be harder.

[Guest Ulysses Everett McGill]

Ahhh so clearly I couldn't see what you were saying! Now I understand.

 

I see now. I don't know many keepers that actually DON'T make their mind up early and then just go that way regardless. But yep, it must be harder.

 

To be honest, I'll try and stand for as long as I can, but sometimes you just have to gamble, and that is where bad technique works to your advantage, as I could go to cover the area where the player who is striking the ball intends to place it, but because of bad execution manages to spoon it into the opposite corner.

 

Of course, the law of averages states that the poor player will miss the target with a far greater frequency than the good player, but I'd much rather concede 10 goals where I am beaten by a great strike, rather than one which has spooned in.

[Monster Masch]

Personally, I think striking off the ball can't be taught. It eithier comes natural or it doesn't. Thankfully it comes natural to me, Richie T and Cain will echo this statement.

[Stu Monty]

For those who play regularly or have some coaching experience, and for those that coach, what do you emphasise when teaching kids when shooting on goal, not talking about the Fowleresque passing the ball into the net, but bladdering the ball for all it's worth

 

When striking through the ball, is technique or timing more important?

 

Just an impression i've got over the years, in appears to me it's more a matter of timing, spacial awareness and anticipation of the path of the ball, as opposed to the actual execution of the striking motion.

 

For instance, look at the great strikers of the ball, Gerrard, Lampard, Riise who all have an excellent shot from difference, but more often than not, and this maybe just me, but you have a good idea from the second they set themself and plant the foot whether or not it's going to be on target or an airshot.

 

Just after an consensus, especiall would like to hear what Malarkey has to say on the matter.

 

As an aside, im fucking useless at striking anything apart from a dead ball, unless its out of my hands, find it really hard to resist the temptation to pick my head up before actually striking the ball and 90% of the time end up putting it into the next county.

 

A couple of things not really touched on yet:

 

It is important to teach them to get in line with the path of the ball. This is something they need to learn to do to make sure they're hitting the ball with a good body position. Where you are in position to the ball is liklely to have a big effect on the quality of the shot. They need to make sure that when they are hitting it their head is as close to being over the ball as possible. Weight over the ball is one of the basics that will help you improve shooting. They want to be aiming to hit the ball with their laces and following through.

 

You'll find that when kids are struggling to get power it's because they're hitting the ball when it's too far away from them.

[el matador]

I coach under 8's football.

 

You can coach almost any player to hit the ball correctly so that technically they understand how they must approach the ball, balance themselves and then follow through with the kick.

 

It doesnt mean that every kid can get the shot right because as the others have said, some kids are naturally better at it than others. It has a bit to do with gait, balance co-ordination and finally power. Some kids are just born able to hit the ball really powerfully and its not always down to size although bigger lads tend to have the advantage when it comes to power. Just getting the technique right can add to the power.

 

The smaller players tend to be better technically and although may not have the power they have the accuracy.

 

But by this age, you generally tend to know which boys are better at powerful shots and or placements than others.

[Ted]

I can teach you how to lob it.

[Vulmea]

Ahhh so clearly I couldn't see what you were saying! Now I understand.

 

I see now. I don't know many keepers that actually DON'T make their mind up early and then just go that way regardless. But yep, it must be harder.

 

The better your reactions or at least the more you trust them, the longer you can wait and the better chance you have. Drives me nuts when pro keepers sell themselves early, especially on pens, glory hunting dicks. Takes a lot more bottle to just stand there and wait and its a lot more effective imo but it can make you look shit if you don't do some stupid dive, far better for your ego to look good hurling the wrong way.

 

What I did used to do was pick a way to dive and then if it went that way I'd go for it in a big way, I felt like I was almost wired to dive that way - if it went the other way I just did what I could - either way I waited for the strike - if the lad hits it in the right spot at pace you aint got much chance anyway - but as the rest of this thread shows how often is that - saved more pens than I let in.

 

Don't know whats coached these days though

 

on striking the ball I think all of it can be coached and improved but some people have more natural timing and technique than others under pressure your natural instinct will dominate - all training can do is help with that

 

dont think 'power' has an awful lot to do with muscle or back lift it's more about timing

 

by the looks of it the last place the modern ball is going to end up is where you aim

[Guest Ulysses Everett McGill]

I can teach you how to lob it.

 

Once in three years Ted, don't get ahead of yourself

[Ted]

Twice. Ask Lance anout the last time.

[Woo]

I can teach you how not to shoot.

 

I will however, require a fee of £1000 to reveal my secrets.

[Guest Ulysses Everett McGill]

Twice. Ask Lance anout the last time.

 

Past me?

 

Doubt it

[Ted]

Nah, that's why I said ask Lance.

[Guest Ulysses Everett McGill]

Nah, that's why I said ask Lance.

 

Past Lance, does that count?