Every good soccer player wants to be the hero. You want to score the winning goal that will take your team to the next level, or in the least enable that goal to be scored. This can be a tough thing that often takes a lot of proper requirements that are beyond your control (like having a good defense), but there are a few things that you can do to improve your overall scoring.
1, Don’t Hog The Ball
This may seem completely counter-intuitive, but really it makes perfect sense. The longer you have the ball, the more defensive players will be swarming you. The only way to allow the ball to move down the field is to be a good passer. But once the ball has been passed, your job isn’t done yet. Not by a long shot. You still want to score, so keep on moving.
2. Get Open
Sometimes this can be a difficult thing to do. You want to be close enough to your teammate to get the ball, but if you’re behind them or to one side, you know that the ball isn’t really going to be moving forward or at least you aren’t going to be in a position to score. Nevertheless, letting the other team get the ball is much worse than having to pass the ball back and forth, waiting for a good opportunity, so get open. Once you get the ball, see how you can move it forward. If there are no good options, then pass it back again. It’s a simple way of playing the game, and because of this, it’s very successful.
3. Call For The Ball
It doesn’t matter how open your are or how great of a player you are if you don’t communicate with your team. Call for the ball in whatever way you like best, whether it’s clapping or yelling their name, or saying “open.” The only danger with calling for the ball is it lets your opponents know where the ball might be going, but ideally multiple people will be telling the person with the ball that they are open. Another easy thing to let your teammate know is that “you have a man back, if you need me.” Remember that being a team player is very important to this sport. Tell your teammates if they have a defender nearby by yelling “man on” and always remember that empty space is often a good place to pass.
4. Don’t Be Afraid Of The Ball
You ma laugh at this idea, but even experienced players sometimes find that they won’t go for a ball in the air because part of them is wary of it. This is not the best way to play soccer, however. Go for the ball in the air with your head or chest and don’t let your opponent get it instead. If you’re trying to score during a corner kick, try to meet that ball in the air. You’re not doing much good if you don’t really try. Master your fear and you’ll become a much stronger player.
5. Remain Calm For The Shot
Finally, we get to actually shooting. There are a number of different ways to shoot at a goal, but all of them require you to remain calm while doing so. Many goals are lost because the striker knocks the ball wide or over the goal because he’s trying to kick so very hard. Instead, remain calm and think about your placement. A well placed softer ball has a much better chance of going in than a hard shot right to the keeper or off to the sides. The same principles apply to penalty kicks. Just remain calm and choose a corner to strike to.
