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WHERE IS THE GAME GOING?

An Analysis of Systems, Trends and Technique (Part 2 of 3)

Dribbling:
The United States has been known for having legendary 1v1 artists, such as Carin Gabarra and Mia Hamm.  We have developed slashing 1v1 dribblers in our country.  Dribbling for possession is a component of dribbling that we have not developed at the same rate.  Dribbling with change of direction and creativity in order to keep the ball and allow more numbers to get forward is the next step for us.  Brazil is known for their dribbling ability, both beating players 1v1 and keeping possession.  Their comfort level with all surfaces of both feet, in particular the sole of their feet, is exemplary.  They use deception, creative quick touches, and change of direction to offset their defender, and they accomplish this at speed.  An American trademark is to go forward, which is a great strength if the game dictates it.  To often, we dribble or pass forward when it is not on and consequently we unnecessarily lose possession.  Some ideas to train this component are in the above section entitled “receiving.”

Service:
Germany showed in the 2003 World Cup and the 2004 Olympics that one of their strengths as a nation is service-both flank service (end line and early service) and final passing.  In residency preparations for the Olympics, the U.S. Women’s National Team spent a great deal of time in both these service areas.  In the 2003 Women’s World Cup, we got around Germany several times, but our service from the flanks was too often to the goalkeeper; in 2004, we beat Germany in the semi-finals of the Olympics on a goal from end line service away from the goalkeeper.
 
Regarding end line service, our players need to be able to find a player in the box with an appropriate ball away from the goalkeeper.  This can be trained with and without defenders.  One run we added to the near, far, and slot runs was a run referred to as the “4 hole.”  It’s a run toward the near area of the goal, about 10 yards out.  Players need to be able to serve every kind of ball, ideally with both feet, so time must be spent on this skill, at speed.  The important aspects of early service that players tend to have problems with are the quality of the ball and the accuracy of the ball.  The ball needs to be driven (the game dictates whether it can be on the ground or if it needs to be in the air) and needs to be served behind the defense so they are running back to their own goal.  Coaches need to spend time in the attacking third for us, as a nation, to keep progressing.
 
In 2003, Aly Wagner was the best and maybe only true final passer on the team.  The coaching staff spent an enormous amount of time on improving our players’ ability to hit quality final passes more consistently and on developing more players to be able to serve high level final balls.  The important components of the final pass are the ability to texture/bend balls, the ability to serve balls both on the ground and in the air (with back spin so it dies behind the defense), and the appropriate pace of the serve.  Often times, players serve final balls that run to the goalkeeper or out of bounds because they are too heavy or too straight.  Coaches need to create environments to get constant repetition on bending balls with all surfaces of the feet on the ground and in the air, serving soft balls with back spin in the air, and serving balls with the appropriate pace that lead the runner perfectly.  This will aid in improving the technique of final passing.  Small-sided end zone games or games with off sides lines will contribute to improving this skill in a game-like setting with repetitions.

It is vital to train areas that will improve our teams and our players between both penalty boxes, but there is also a high demand of work that needs to be done in the penalty boxes.  Flank service and final passing are sophisticated techniques that require a tremendous amount of quality repetition and settings to train execution in game-like environments.

Tackling:
Every coach would name passing, receiving, heading, dribbling, and finishing as techniques, but many would omit tackling.  The need to develop more ball winners in America is resounding.  We spent all of 2004 trying to find a back up to Shannon Boxx, our ball winner in the midfield, in the event of an injury.  We evaluated several players in that role, but no one in the entire country compared to Boxx.  The addition of Boxx to the team in 2003 filled an enormous defensive hole in the midfield and reminded all of us why we need to continue to develop tackling ability in players. 

The techniques of block tackling, slide tackling, and toe poking, and teaching environments when to and when not to tackle are crucial to incorporate in team training.  Some coaches might believe that tackling is solely about mentality, which is an important element of tackling, but it is a skill as well.  There are correct and incorrect ways to tackle and times to tackle that need to be taught.  The proper slide tackle technique can destroy an opponent’s chance, reduce the amount of corner kicks teams concede, and turn a defending play into an attacking transition.  When was the last time you taught slide tackling?

Finishing:
How many times in soccer does a team out-shoot another and lose?  It tends to happen often, especially to American teams.  The reason for this might be that we create so many more chances than other teams that we lack the focus required on a consistent basis because players feel they’ll get more opportunities.  This might have been the case in the nineties, but parity in the game has lessened this occurrence from happening so often.  On the whole, foreign countries need far fewer chances and finish more opportunities.  We, in America, need to improve our ability to get more shots on the frame and raise our overall finishing percentage in order to win the games we dominate.