Soccer Receiving

Technique

When trapping a ball a player should lock his or her ankle and present the foot in an ‘L’ shape to receive the ball. Lazy players who hang their foot out with toes pointing down leave themselves very little surface area to trap the ball. If you are coaching visually demonstrate to players the difference between a foot merely hanging out with toes down, and a foot locked in an ‘L’ shape ready to receive the ball. The coaching points of receiving a ball are;

• Get standing foot close to where you will receive ball.
• Receive ball using side of foot. Contact midline of ball.
• Look to trap ball 1 step in front, rather than stop it dead.
• Cushion impact by moving foot back upon impact.

Body Surface

Trapping a ball with the foot with the techniques outlined above is possible with balls up to knee height. If the ball is in the air raising your foot to meet the ball at the middle point, or take a step or two back if you have time and trap the ball at a more manageable height.

Aerial balls can be trapped using a variety of surfaces. Common surfaces, and technical coaching points are listed below;

• Thigh – Have knee raised and surface ready to receive the ball before it arrives. If the leg is in upward motion upon contact the touch will be heavy and possession lost. Draw leg back upon contact to cushion impact and settle ball.
• Chest – Lean backwards so the ball loses pace and settles to your feet after hitting chest. Standing upright will cause the ball to bounce away and possession will be lost. Relax the body and lean back slightly upon contact.

To practice trapping players can begin in pairs rolling or throwing the ball to each other to practice trapping using all the different body surfaces noted above. Designate one player as the feeder and have the other practice trapping. Rotate after 1 minute. Incorporate competition by giving 1 point for each successful trap and pass. On the aerial balls such as thigh and chest you can increase precision by awarding 1 point only if the ball is trapped and volleyed back without hitting the ground.

To add movement and make practice more dynamic you can split your group in half. Use a 20 yard box and have half of the group on the outside of the box, have the players on the inside trap and pass the ball back. After the trap and pass the players move to another player and repeat the process. This drill can be used to reinforce movement and communication between players.

Touch Away From Pressure

When a player becomes comfortable with the technique of receiving a soccer ball, and can consistently settle a ball with his first touch they can progress tactically. Tactical elements of receiving the ball revolve around defensive pressure and what opportunities exist on the field in terms of open passes or shots.

Defensive pressure should dictate what a player does with the ball. Players should practice turning away from defensive pressure upon the first touch. If a player settles a ball before touching in the direction he or she wants to go, the extra touch will result in possession being lost if playing against quality opposition.

A player must recognize defensive pressure and open up the body to settle the ball away from that pressure by opening up the hips and shoulders. The ball will still be controlled 1 step away but will roll in the direction away from the defender, also allowing the player to use their body to shield the ball away from a potential tackle. A drill that can be used to teach receiving the ball and opening up away from pressure is illustrated in diagram A below;

Diagram A

In the diagram the Player in the middle should receive the ball and open his hips and shoulders upon contact, trapping the ball away from the defender near him before passing to the player on the left. Following Drills Designed with Coachfx

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ACTION PLAN

• Aim to practice receiving the ball on a daily basis, it will the foundation of your ability as a soccer player.
• Practice 100-200 repetitions of trapping a ball.
• If alone practice by kicking or throwing a ball against a wall.
• If you have a group of friends use defensive pressure and practice opening up on first touch.

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