The Soccer Corner is a blog dedicated to the game of soccer. Anything from benefits to a formation to skills that will help you improve your own game will be included. I love the game of soccer and want to share some of my knowledge.
The video above will take you through a few drills to help improve your ball control on the field.
These drills seem simple but create a solid foundation you may build on top of.
I remember doing these drills when I was 8 and continuing to practice with these same drills in college.
Tip Toe Toppers : This help with quickness and soft touch. Keep your touch light on top of the ball. The ball should barely move from its spot. So many times during a game, a ball needs to be controlled and collected with a deafly soft touch.
Tap Taps : This drill begins to move that ball in small quick touches back and forth between a players feet. This a great drill to do in combination with the Tip Toe Toppers.
Drag and Pulls : A more advanced drill to help incorporate a nice way to escape pressure. With this drill, it is important to begin slow and increase speed of movement the more you become comfortable with the move.
Roll-Ons : This drill works on a players lateral movement with the ball. Occasionally, a player will have to change directions rapidly side-to-side. This drill works on that movement.
With all these drills, always begin slow and increase speed as you become more proficient in the skill.
Apply this movement and control to practice and ultimately in a game.
Be sure to use both feet for each drill. Using both feet in soccer is extremely useful at the highest levels.
The only reason I knew anything about the EPL was because I played a video game called FIFA all through high school and college. In the early 2000s, the EPL began to gain popularity in the United States.
Major broadcast companies began picking up the games more and more each year. I decided to hop on board and choose a rooting interest.
Now, I knew about Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United but I did not want to root for any of the top 4. I looked at Manchester United as the Yankees of English soccer and decided to go with their same town rivals, Manchester City.
Manchester City has seen a very rapid rise through the ranks of the EPL. They were a middle of the pack team when I hopped on board and have grown to a perennial title contender.
Manchester City were also the part of the greatest game I have ever watched.
It was the last day of the season, Manchester City and Manchester United were tied going into the last games of the season. If both teams won, Man City would have won the title due to the tie breaker.
Manchester City was playing QPR. QPR was a bottom of the table team, a team City should have easily dismantled. Manchester City help their own fate in their hand, win the game, win the title!
City scores a first half goal and goes into half time 1-0. I have my laptop open to the Manchester United game as well. Manchester tied with Sunderland at half. I am feeling good but still uneasy.
Early in the 2nd half, QPR scores to tie the game 1-1. This means that at this point, Manchester United has the title if the game ended in a tie. Man. U. is up 1-0 on Sunderland and looking strong. I am screaming at the defense, the TV, out the windows, HOW CAN YOU LET THAT HAPPEN!!
10 minutes later (58th minute of the 90+ min. game), QPR receives a red card, the player is ejected! I cheer and dance thinking this is our opportunity! We have to score!
66th minute: Typical City! A substitute for QPR goes on a crazy run down the left, beating City's usually reliable center-back wonderfully. He then sends a cross to the far post and with City's defence all over the shop, QPR forward sends a header down into the ground and up into the net, past Joe Hart, City's goalie! This is astonishing. There are Manchester City fans in tears. Their team now needs to find two goals against 10 men in the next 24 minutes. My jersey is now in the trash can.
Manchester United's game ends first. United wins 1-0 and with City losing 2-1 with 5+ minutes of extra left, United stars celebrating. I am irate at this point. About to turn the TV off.
Then Dzeko is subbed in....
A soccer game is 90 minutes but with subs, ball going out of play, and fouls, extra time is applied. 5 minutes were added onto this game.
92nd minute, corner kick, Dzeko's first involvement in play....GOOOOOOAAAALLL!! He smashes a header into the net, collects the ball and sprints back to midfield to get the kickoff started quickly.
I cheer but know that with 3 minutes left, scoring again is unlikely to happen. I put my jersey back on and prepare for the sad end to an amazing season.
94th minute, City is dancing around the edge of the penalty area trying to gain an opportunity for a shot. All of a sudden, Ballotelli (who I hated most of the season) is able to collect the ball among two or three QPR defenders and get the slightest touch to Aguero.
I start standing up and inch closer to the TV.
Aguero beats a defender near the 6 yard box, I am hoooold my breath.
Aguero rips a shots, near post, and..
GOOOOOOAAAAALLLL!!! Aguero has scored virtually game winning, championship clinching, most iconic goal in Manchester City history!
I could not believe it! I had to watch replays and highlights for days following the game to make sure it was real.
If you have 10 minutes, watch the video below. This video will show you the incredible ending to the game.
When speaking in soccer lingo, describing a starting formation of the players uses a serious of numbers.
4-4-2, 4-5-1, 4-2-2-2 are some examples of soccer formations.
The numbers from left to right represent the number of defenders, midfielders, and forwards. At McDaniel College, we played a version of 3-4-3.
The 3-4-3 includes 3 defenders , 4 midfielders, and 3 forwards.
This formation screams offense! As a striker, players as one of the top two players, this formation allowed for open, fast play build-up which lead to many scoring opportunities.
3-4-3 does not work for many teams. First, your team must have three high quality defenders. Each defender must be able to play on an island. Meaning, a player has to feel comfortable with no support behind him.
Second reason is the two midfielders and the soft forward (the player playing slightly behind the two forwards) must be excellent in quick passes and touches.
Fortunately, McDaniel had those to aspects and both were some of the best in the conference.
Our center defender was the conference player of the year and the soft forward was a former conference player of the year. Our team that year set a record in goals scored in a season.
The reason I loved playing in this system was because I was given opportunities to use my speed to make runs behind defenders and into open space.
Soccer combines all areas of fitness. Depending on your position, every player may require a different fitness skill set.
A striker may require speed to outrun defenders and strength to hold the ball to keep possession.
Defenders usually have an exceptional first step and quick lateral movement to adjust to offensive players' movements.
Midfielders have a combination of all areas. Outside midfielders require speed to get up and down the field to support offense and defense.
I played striker and occasionally moved to outside midfield in my college days. I would say my strengths were quickness and top speed. I was a smaller player in size but could out jump many players taller.
These drills are a few that I used to help increase my speed and power. During the offseason is when I would really ramp up the movement specific drills.
Uphill sprints – to develop strong power in the legs, players have to run 10 yard sprints. Coaches typically allow a lot of rest time in between the sprints so the players do not get burn out considering the sprints is done uphill.
Step Jumps – with no ball needed, this exercise is done after a warm-up. Players will stand beside an object which is typically a cone but not always. The player is to bring their knees to their upper torso and jump vertically over the object. As a part of many conditioning routines, 3 sets are recommended. The players should try to avoid touching the surface of the soccer field or gym if possible.
4 Cone Drill - used to developed forward, backward, and lateral quickness. Using short yardage helps to improve first step quickness and change of direction. This drill can be modified to move forwards the entire time, forward and backwards, and incorporate lateral movements too.
