It is much easier to make a decision during a game when the ball is on the ground. Obvious observation. However we know that the ball is often in the air. Consequently, we must practice the techniques which are critical to getting the ball back on the ground and under a players' control. If a player cannot control a ball, then they rely on the cushion of the field and gravity to get the ball settled. These unfortunately require time; time that defenders are able to use to close down.
You can control a ball quickly in tight spaces with the top of the foot, a technique we call a 'dead touch' because it deadens the ball quickly. This technique is often taught incorrectly. It is not a matter of lifting the foot up high and then catching it like an egg which is primarily the analogy used. The dead touch requires the player to keep their foot as close to the ground as possible and then just on contact, pull that foot back and into the ground. We do not have video of this at present, but as soon as we do it will be up online for you.
"Find The Bounce". This is a statement which is critical during training sessions (both individual and team) and games. It is the essence of controlling from the air, but you would be surprised how few players consistently 'find the bounce' when they play.
So, what am I talking about? Controlling on the bounce, is 'Controlling on the Half-volley', or as a mentor of mine once referred to it as 'the Wedge" (as you wedge the ball into the ground). Just after the ball hits the ground is the best time to make contact with the ball, deflecting it back to the ground. This provides the least bounce with a single touch and the ball is quickly rolling on the ground. Often you will see players control by lifting their foot up high (perhaps knee high or higher) and then attempt to push the ball back to the ground to only find that it bounces up again.
Why not just push it to the ground or ‘get over top of it and knock it down’? It is simple physics that the higher your last contact, the greater distance the ball has to fall, the higher the ball will bounce up again. Of course if you are on a muddy grass field, the ball will not bounce; on a soft grass field brings more bounce; harder Bermuda-grass field even greater bounce; then of course there is indoors, turf fields and solid dry fields with little to no grass where you will find a lot of bounce. There is a reason why players who grow up in drier climates playing on hard fields, or players who play a great deal of indoor or turf soccer, have developed this technique. Why? Necessity. Without them taking a touch just as the ball is on the way up off of the ground they would forever be volleying the ball. Watch less skilled players. It isn’t that they solely kick the ball up in the air too often but the real problem is in that they cannot get it to the ground efficiently or quickly enough because they are too impatient to wait for the bounce or have not received the coaching on how to get it down. It is a simple technique that requires a lot of training.
Several of the coaching points below will be repeated in the pages to follow on specific techniques; however, because of the value of this technique, they cannot be written or read too many times.
Several of the coaching points below will be repeated in the pages to follow on specific techniques; however, because of the value of this technique, they cannot be written or read too many times.
Ball Control From the Air
- Get behind the flight of the ball,
- Select the controlling surface early,
- Place the controlling surface (top of foot, inside of foot, thigh, chest) into a position that provides an angle where the ball will be cushioned within the player’s ‘controlling space,
- The player may be able to get themselves slightly off of the ground in order to take momentum away from the ball,
- Relax on contact,
- If the first touch is not a 1/2 volley then attempt to make the second touch a ½ volley.
12/2006
