Improving Soccer Skills [Archive] - Two Plus Two Older Archives

tbach24

05-09-2005, 08:48 PM

[ QUOTE ]
do a lot of juggling, keeping the ball in the air. this will improve your touch and skill. also practice passing against a wall or something, work on your accuracy with the side of your foot. try to keep the ball on the ground or very low when you do pass this way. being in shape and running a lot is important too.

[/ QUOTE ]

If bruiser has any chance of playing even college soccer than he better already have solid touch. Being in great shape, improving his acceleration (squats, leg presses, calf raises) are what he needs.

Nottom

05-09-2005, 08:49 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I really love playing soccer and am thinking about trying out for college team next year. Right now I am playing pick up soccer everyday and have a lot to learn. What are some good drills or books or whatever that I can do to get better? Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hate to burst your bubble but if you are trying to improve via drills and plan on making a college team you are fooling yourself. (Unless you go to a very small school)

Your best bet would be to find a good competative summer league and try and get yrou skills up by playing and see how you stand relative to the other players and if you still think you want to try out when fall comes around go ahead.

Blarg

05-09-2005, 08:50 PM

Practice your banana kicks against a wall. Practice chipping.

Jog at the beach while kicking your ball along. Great for the calves, great for the spirit, pretty girls everywhere, fresh air. Jump in the water to cool off and reward yourself for your hard work. That's good living.

theBruiser500

05-09-2005, 08:51 PM

yeah i know there is very little chance i get onto the team. maybe they will let me practice with them for a season or something like that. i've played with a couple freshmen from the team and they aren't that much better than me, i know i could be better with practice and work.

Blarg

05-09-2005, 08:53 PM

There are adult night leagues in plenty of places, too. Some of those guys are pretty damn good and very competitive. Hell, dirty even. If you don't wind up being first string, the practice alone is still fun and very demanding.

Blackjack

05-09-2005, 08:56 PM

UGH UGH PIKE 4 LIFe

I just don't like running so much... doesn't help when you're a smoker

cockandbull

05-09-2005, 08:57 PM

Pick a roll in the team for which you feel you are best suited too and watch endless videos of the players that play well there. Where do you play...i'm sure a few people will be able to point out the players to watch if your not sure.

Harry

partygirluk

05-09-2005, 08:59 PM

The first skill you should work on is learning to call it by its proper name. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

DeadMoneyOC

05-09-2005, 08:59 PM

Work on getting quicker with a ball and improve your upper body strength. Buy Beckhams new DVD(HA) and watch the champions league final on the 25th on ESPN2. Play soccer like Kaka(AC Milan guy) and you will make the team. GL

Nottom

05-09-2005, 09:00 PM

Thats cool as long as you know what you are getting into. Trying out this year will certainly give you a better chance of making the team next year (but remember if you are a Jr or Sr they will usually be looking for younger players that may be slightly worse than you, becasue they have a few years to improve and hopefully develop into someone that can play down the road).

However even if you don't make the team, you can certainly make some friends on the team which can lead to opportunities to play. My roommate from fresh/soph year tried out for the soccer team his 2nd year of school and didn't make it (messed up his ankle during tryouts), but met lots of people and had peple to play with recreationally for the rest of his time at school.

tbach24

05-09-2005, 09:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Work on getting quicker with a ball and improve your upper body strength. Buy Beckhams new DVD(HA) and watch the champions league final on the 25th on ESPN2. Play soccer like Kaka(AC Milan guy) and you will make the team. GL

[/ QUOTE ]

I doubt watching Champions League soccer will help bruiser. It will show him the team aspect of it, and guys who have insanely strong legs. CL soccer (from what I have seen) is not an individual game, and is really boring.

Voltron87

05-09-2005, 09:07 PM

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and is really boring

[/ QUOTE ]

............................
no

DeadMoneyOC

05-09-2005, 09:09 PM

[ QUOTE ]
CL soccer (from what I have seen) is not an individual game, and is really boring.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, soccer isnt a game of individuals. Thats why I doubt bruiser could improve much over one summer unless he is playing a lot with other good players. AND CL soccer is not boring sir! Well, last weeks match between the Blues and Reds(Cheslea v. Liverpool) was boring, but it is usually pretty damn awesome, but then again I breath soccer. Its 10x better than the MLS anyway.

tbach24

05-09-2005, 09:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
CL soccer (from what I have seen) is not an individual game, and is really boring.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, soccer isnt a game of individuals. Thats why I doubt bruiser could improve much over one summer unless he is playing a lot with other good players. AND CL soccer is not boring sir! Well, last weeks match between the Blues and Reds(Cheslea v. Liverpool) was boring, but it is usually pretty damn awesome, but then again I breath soccer. Its 10x better than the MLS anyway.

[/ QUOTE ]

I watched two matches when I was in FLA (Chelsea v. ?? and Liverpool v. Bayern Munich (both the 2nd part of the aggregate)) and in both games there were teams that were clearly better, and both were low scoring and therefore not exciting. A couple of years ago, I turned on Man U. vs. Arsenal (I think) in the championship game of the premiership (IIRC again) and saw the 2 goals in the injury time. It was fcuking amazing.

cockandbull

05-09-2005, 09:14 PM

Are you looking for to improve your basic skills or learn more of the team aspect of the game. IMO, depending on where you play you'll need to have different goals in mind, for example a wide player is more interested in beating a man and putting in a good cross, where a central midfielder is either looking at the timing of his runs into the box or how to direct the passage of play.

At your age...i'm guess late teens or early 20's you should be focusing on making the most of what you have, rather than learning new stuff.

DeadMoneyOC

05-09-2005, 09:21 PM

I think the best soccer game I am have ever seen was the second leg of this years Cheslea vs. Barca. It was amazing. I cant even think of the proper words to describe this match. Please tell me others saw this one. It was even more intense for a football fan who follows all the smack talk before the games, and even more spectacular for someone who thinks Ronaldinho is a [censored].

Yeti

05-09-2005, 09:22 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I think the best soccer game I am have ever seen was the second leg of this years Cheslea vs. Barca.

[/ QUOTE ]

Indeed, twas very good.

I think tbach is getting confused with the Man United CL final.

Victor

05-09-2005, 09:28 PM

hi bruiser,

i played soccer for nearly 18 yrs competitively including in college. i also had a great coach for my club team growing up. he helped my game tremendously in terms of foot skills and vision/tactics.

the best way by far to improve you skills is to do coerver(sp) techniques. coerver has a book that you can find if you look for it and it has tons of little foot skill drills that you can do by yourself in very small confines. i used to do them in my basement. i would only do them about 15-30 minutes a day but my skills improved so tremendously that i quickly became the best in my class.

coerver was a dutch soccer player back in the 70's who terribly broke his leg in a match. in the hospital where he lay for weeks he watched endless video of all the great soccer players. he noticed fundamental ballskills that all moves seemed to derive from. so he wrote them down and eventually became a very good coach.

so clearly, i recommend you get the book and do the drills. the best drills are the simplest: inside of the foot cut, outside cut, behind the let cut, scissor cut. do them with each foot and you will have the ability to escape many situations. also, and this is very important, when doing the drills, the critical moment is the change in directions. focus on as soon as you change direction to EXPLODE the opposit way. push off very hard with you foot.

other than coervers i used to do what we called the brazillian warmup. this requires 2 people and a field. basically, one guy throws the ball at the other guys chest, (or thigh, or leg) and he traps and sends it back alternating foot each throw. dont let the ball touch the ground. do this across the field forward and backward with each foot. then switch to the thigh, etc. learning to handle flighted balls in two touches is a very skillful technique.

my only other advice is in tactics. the best skill a player can have is tactical speed. basically, this is a fancy way of saying know what you are gonna do with the ball before you get it. this is hard to develop if you are not in a team environment but you can always keep it in mind. a good way to develop is to force yourself to only play in 2 touches in your pickup games. give it a shot. next time you play tell yourself you will only use 2 touches for that session.

Victor

05-09-2005, 09:30 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Squats, leg press, etc. get your legs in the best shape possible, or else this would probably be impossible

[/ QUOTE ]

this is potentially very very very very bad advice. flexibility and agility in the legs is infinitely more important than strength. by bulking up your legs in this fashion you can run a very high risk of injury due to the reduced flexibility of muscles.

theBruiser500

05-09-2005, 09:30 PM

victor thanks for the post, i wonder maybe my compliment to you in the LHE forum payed off /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Victor

05-09-2005, 09:30 PM

this thing sux. you should be able to develop you skillz enough that the ball stays with you without the help of a gay rope.

tbach24

05-09-2005, 09:33 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Squats, leg press, etc. get your legs in the best shape possible, or else this would probably be impossible

[/ QUOTE ]

this is potentially very very very very bad advice. flexibility and agility in the legs is infinitely more important than strength. by bulking up your legs in this fashion you can run a very high risk of injury due to the reduced flexibility of muscles.

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't that were stretching comes into play?

Victor

05-09-2005, 09:33 PM

[ QUOTE ]
do a lot of juggling

[/ QUOTE ]

juggling is very good to develop touch. do things like only use your right foot (then left.) alternate between the 2 feet so its right, left, right, left, etc. also, there is technique where you kinda bounce the ball off the front of one foot and hop. the ball will be close to your foot but you can keep it in the air. its really good for you other leg as the hopping builds explosiveness while the kicking leg develops touch.

Victor

05-09-2005, 09:42 PM

[ QUOTE ]
victor thanks for the post, i wonder maybe my compliment to you in the LHE forum payed off

[/ QUOTE ]

well i think its the compliment i ever got on the forums.

anyway, a quick search found this

coerver dvd (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000DEYUH/002-2091079-1673664?v=glance)

it might be better than the book.

zephed56

05-09-2005, 10:57 PM

Footwork is very important in soccer (any sport really, even hockey). Being able to change directions quicker than your opponent is where this will help you.

set up two cones and put a stick between em, like a bridge, hop over it with one foot, moving left/right, or forwards/backwards for a short timed period, but do it as quick as you can.

Or, using masking tape, mark 4 x's that make a square, and one in the middle. Hop with one foot in some pattern over the x's. Time it, and see how fast you can do the pattern.

Another simple drill, set up cones and go through them with the ball. Set em up tight though, so you don't have much space to work with. Cut tight.

Have you played in an indoor soccer league? Try that, it's very fun.

That is all I can think of.

fimbulwinter

05-10-2005, 01:09 AM

zephed56

05-10-2005, 07:04 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I really love playing soccer and am thinking about trying out for college team next year. Right now I am playing pick up soccer everyday and have a lot to learn. What are some good drills or books or whatever that I can do to get better? Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

posting this question without posting your position and the season in which your school plays soccer is like posting a NL hand without stack sizes.

fim

[/ QUOTE ]
Huh? No, it shouldn't matter much. This isn't baseball or football (american).

DavidC

05-10-2005, 09:58 AM

[ QUOTE ]
yeah i know there is very little chance i get onto the team. maybe they will let me practice with them for a season or something like that. i've played with a couple freshmen from the team and they aren't that much better than me, i know i could be better with practice and work.

[/ QUOTE ]

I quit soccer one year to focus on karate / being an outgoing social person. By the end of the summer I was missing making plays like through-balls, give-and-gos, etc. I REALLY missed the game.

By the next summer, I tried out for the team again. They had played a winter, summer, and winter without me. They'd also gone up one league in competition. I made the team, but as a second-stringer.

Rather than accept that, I joined a house league and practiced with these guys. Every time I laced up my shoes I played like it was the last time I was going to get to touch a ball. I had a huge amount of fun that summer.

About half-way through the seeason, a number of injuries, a move, and a vacation ended up putting me on the team, and I played the rest of the season with them.

My knees were absolutely destroyed by the end of it, though. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

All I have to say is that practicing with this team is a great idea, if you're allowed and you don't make the cut.

You might want to talk to the coach before the try-out, and ask him what he's looking for.

Good luck, man. (I figure I can say this as long as I'm not talking about poker.)

--Dave.

DavidC

05-10-2005, 10:01 AM

[ QUOTE ]
The first skill you should work on is learning to call it by its proper name. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

In honour (notice the spelling) of this marvelous post, I will gift you with the ultimate frownie.

Grr!! http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/sauer/angry-smiley-026.gif

http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/sauer/angry-smiley-026.gif

DavidC

05-10-2005, 10:04 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I think the best soccer game I am have ever seen was the second leg of this years Cheslea vs. Barca. It was amazing. I cant even think of the proper words to describe this match. Please tell me others saw this one. It was even more intense for a football fan who follows all the smack talk before the games, and even more spectacular for someone who thinks Ronaldinho is a [censored].

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm still captivated by the Ireland - Germany match two World Cups ago.

Next World Cup I should be able to take the time off to watch all the matches (if the poker thing goes well / continues the trend).

OOC, whens' the next world cup. I do love soccer, but I don't watch t.v.

Cyrus

05-10-2005, 11:08 AM

Large enough for the job? Place them down on the ground some eight feet apart. Them's your goalposts. There's no other way in hell that books can help you learn or improve yer football -- don't be silly.

The best players coming out of Brazil learned their football that way, playing in very tight quarters -- in streets or even rooms. When you play in close quarters your ball control skills (have to) improve dramatically or you're getting creamed.

J_V

05-10-2005, 11:11 AM

You have to be realistic. I don't know where you go to school, but playing for a college team when you don't even know any good soccer drills is far-fetched. People devote their lives to this game, you're gonna need more than a summer.

Cyrus

05-10-2005, 11:13 AM

I'm a Chelsea man through and through but the goal Ronaldinio scored against my team was probably the best I'm likely to see this lifetime. Simply phenomenal.

I wish both teams were to meet in the final.

(Note about the final: Good luck to Liverpool, my heart's out for the Reds. But here's the funny thing, this time it will be the Brits who play a tight, defensive game and the Italians of Milan who will offer flair and attacking spirit. How totally strange.)

Ulysses

05-10-2005, 11:37 AM

Victor's posts were great. Juggling with another person and being able to go on indefinitely without dropping the ball is huge.

Two additional basic things that Victor didn't mention:

1) Crosses. Work on being able to cross the ball precisely. Very easy to practice on this going from wide right and left into a goal.

2) Do a lot of sprints with the ball. Make running full speed with the ball at your feet second nature.

DireWolf

05-10-2005, 11:53 AM

[ QUOTE ]

2) Do a lot of sprints with the ball. Make running full speed with the ball at your feet second nature.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is Key. As long as you can think while you have the ball u will be fine. So many people freeze up when they get the ball, and cannot complete a play. This also goes hand in hand with knowing what you are going to do before you get the ball.

You don't have to be able to make any crazy crosses or shots, If u make solid passes, move quickly, don't make many turnovers, and can play defense you should be fine.

sfer

05-10-2005, 12:00 PM

Great post victor. My HS coach was Dutch and we would do these to warm up before running laps and stretching every practice. They help tremendously.

The other thing not mentioned yet is to join a competitive league. Pickup soccer and competitive soccer with skilled players are two entirely different things.

theBruiser500

05-10-2005, 01:52 PM

[ QUOTE ]
You have to be realistic. I don't know where you go to school, but playing for a college team when you don't even know any good soccer drills is far-fetched. People devote their lives to this game, you're gonna need more than a summer.

[/ QUOTE ]

mainly i want to get better, that part about playing for college team was thrown in as an afterthought, "gee, that would be really cool" sort of thing

kem

05-10-2005, 03:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I really love playing soccer and am thinking about trying out for college team next year. Right now I am playing pick up soccer everyday and have a lot to learn. What are some good drills or books or whatever that I can do to get better? Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you're going to be better off going and buying some cleats and finding a pickup game than you are by spending your practice time in front of a computer asking soccer advice on a poker forum.

The Gift Of Gab

05-10-2005, 04:13 PM

Bruiser,

Another important basic skill is being able to pass, shoot and chip well with both feet. If your weak foot technique is off, find a friend or a wall to practice with until both sides are equally fluid and accurate. Don't be one of those guys who has to cut back an extra time to get a shot off.

Which school is this? Good luck.

theBruiser500

05-10-2005, 04:33 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I really love playing soccer and am thinking about trying out for college team next year. Right now I am playing pick up soccer everyday and have a lot to learn. What are some good drills or books or whatever that I can do to get better? Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you're going to be better off going and buying some cleats and finding a pickup game than you are by spending your practice time in front of a computer asking soccer advice on a poker forum.

[/ QUOTE ]

kem shut up, you're not funny

theBruiser500

05-10-2005, 04:33 PM

umass amherst

partygirluk

05-10-2005, 04:36 PM

Is 5-a-side popular in the U.S? It would be good for you because

i) It improves your fitness a lot.
ii) You touch the ball much more than 11 a side
iii) You have to be competent at all aspects of the game as you don't play in fixed positions
iv) Competitive matches are shorter than 11 a side so involve less commitment

Victor

05-10-2005, 04:43 PM

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Is 5-a-side popular in the U.S? It would be good for you because

[/ QUOTE ]

indoor soccer is 5-way. its different because it requires far more quickness and less tactical buildup than outdoor. in this respect it is more like basketball.

outdoor, small-sided is how most pickup games are comprised.

as far as developing skill, i liken small-sided, small goal games to shorthanded holdem. they are both the best way to increase skill and make you a complete player. they are both far more fun.

JoeU

05-10-2005, 10:05 PM

Bruiser,

First of all, I'd like to wish you luck in trying out for the team. Make sure you are in shape for tryouts. That will get you off on the right foot.

Victor has made some great posts in this thread. I thought jdl22 would have responded by now, he knows alot about soccer here as well.

As for my 2 cents, this is what I've seen over the past 25ish years of playing soccer:

The biggest difference between D3, D2 and D1 college soccer is the players ability to control the ball when passed to them (first touch). The majority of D1 players have an excellent first touch, while the majority of D3 players aren't quite as gifted. Improving your ability to control the ball when passed to you is very important.

Many players will say they are "right footed" or "left footed". Get rid of this conception immediately. Good soccer players are just as good with their right foot as they are with their left foot. Work on passing, shooting, and trapping with both feet.

You have to have a good base of knowledge. Strategy, and the flow of the game are very important to learn. This will effect your ability to play many different positions. Running into space, clearing space, playing the ball to space, etc are an extremely important part of your "base" of knowledge.

Hopefully this helps a little. Good luck again!

Joe

Nagoo81

05-11-2005, 01:04 AM

http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~pn25/bruisersoccer.jpg

kem

05-11-2005, 03:38 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I really love playing soccer and am thinking about trying out for college team next year. Right now I am playing pick up soccer everyday and have a lot to learn. What are some good drills or books or whatever that I can do to get better? Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you're going to be better off going and buying some cleats and finding a pickup game than you are by spending your practice time in front of a computer asking soccer advice on a poker forum.

[/ QUOTE ]

kem shut up, you're not funny

[/ QUOTE ]

who's trying to be funny? my post was serious: turn off the monitor and practice. and asking soccer advice on a poker forum isn't going to help you get better.

Blarg

05-11-2005, 03:56 PM

Thinking is always bad. Slamming your forehead into walls or sniffing glue should eliminate the danger.

pudley4

05-11-2005, 04:20 PM

[ QUOTE ]
this thing sux. you should be able to develop you skillz enough that the ball stays with you without the help of a gay rope.

[/ QUOTE ]

exactly (if you've ever seen the commercial, you'll understand what a joke the product and post are)

drexah

05-12-2005, 08:25 AM

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http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~pn25/bruisersoccer.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

ahahahahahahahahaha

drexah

05-12-2005, 08:27 AM

If you want to play soccer competitively, none the less in College, you should really consider stop using the computer, or at least use it much less (IE. poker). You have to be in ridiculously good shape to play soccer, get outside as much as possible, run, push yourself and keep up a strict diet/routine. I'm playing next year in prep school (My high school team won the State Championship last year in Mass.)

JackWilson

05-12-2005, 09:19 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I think the best soccer game I am have ever seen was the second leg of this years Cheslea vs. Barca.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have to disagree with you here. Man Utd vs Arsenal, FA Cup Semi-Final Replay, 1999.

EDIT: Bruiser, in my experience the biggest difference between okay players and good players is fitness. Lots of guys are really good at kicking the ball around etc, natural ball skills you could say, but without the level of fitness required for running around constantly, chasing every ball, they could never be GOOD.