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WHERE IS THE GAME GOING?

An Analysis of Systems, Trends and Technique (Part 1 of 3)

The United States Women’s National Team has been one of the top 3 teams in the world for over a decade.  There are many reasons for this, one of which is the attitude of aspiring to grow and progress as a nation.  A vital element in this philosophy is evaluating all the top teams in the world, their strengths, and how the American player and team compare or set the highest standard in the world.  The level of the women’s game is radically and rapidly improving, and we as a country, despite winning gold, are hungry to do the same.  The 2004 Olympics was an amazing event and a spectacular success for the U.S.A, Brazil and Germany, as well as developing nations such as Japan, Nigeria and Mexico.  Below, we attempt to share our thoughts on what we can learn from other countries and players, where the game is going, and what areas of our own game the USA must train with urgency.

Focal Points in Technique Training in the USA
The Olympics gave us tremendous insight on technical areas in which we need to improve dramatically and with urgency as a nation.  Here are the highlights as we move forward in an effort to urge coaches at every level (including the senior team) to spend a greater amount of time, energy and attention on the technical training of our players.  After all, the technical implications to tactical success are found in every play that creates a breakdown.  Before we can significantly improve tactically, we must first be competent technically.

Receiving:
Receiving is an area where the United States must spend some quality time improving.  Years ago, many referred to this skill as “trapping,” this title describing the ball being dead or not moving.  It is essential that we train receiving the ball at speed and moving with our first touch.  The Brazilians’ first touch at speed is impeccable in every player in every position on the field.  They can have a defender draped all over them or hitting them from behind, and they have the skill, balance, and suppleness in their feet to receive the ball well while being close to top speed.  Marta is a perfect example of the technical dimension as a whole, and certainly, of possessing productive touches.  China has always been known to possess an exquisite first touch, but it is different from the Brazilians.  Chinese players (all of the players on their team, I might add) have an efficient and sharp first touch; Brazilians have that plus the added creativity of deception and flare (i.e. lifting the ball, flicking).  Japan is starting to separate themselves in this skill as well, and their ability to play one touch is extraordinary. 

We have a great need to train our players to receive the ball with the two demands of being under pressure and having to do it at speed.  We should focus on our first touch both with our back to goal and facing the game.  We also need our players to play different kinds of entry balls: perfect balls on the ground, but also balls that are driven, flighted, bouncing, skipping, hard, and soft.  We need to put our players in environments to have these demands be game-like and for them to get repetitions at top speed.  Limiting the space and having a time limit might help train this skill without defenders.  It is vital to move toward having defenders to make it real and game-like.

In addition to first touch, we must also train our touches that follow the first.  Do they help us find space and time or do they get us into trouble?  Brazilians are the best in the world in this area.  Along with their ability to receive a ball under immense pressure at speed, their ensuing touches are creative and effective.  They are dangerously penetrative when it’s on, or they are possessive when it’s not on to serve.  They are comfortable with all surfaces of their feet not just in passing but also in dribbling.  

Training the second, third, and fourth touches is an area that needs to be trained with a greater commitment in time and repetitions. Many coaches play one touch and two touch games, which are extremely important.  Playing tight space games with mandatory 3 or 4 touches should also be considered.  Coaches can train this area in 1v1 and small-sided settings.  We must improve as a nation solving pressure with our first touch and our ensuing touches.

Striking the Ball:
Striking the ball with the instep for shooting and for long balls with both feet is a technical focus area that needs to be given high priority.  Over the last decade, we, as a nation, have improved in the distance of our long balls, but overall, many American female players are not as comfortable striking balls with the instep as they are with the inside of the foot.  This might be the reason that many players tend to use the inside of their foot when shooting from long range or striking a ball over distance when they should be using their instep. 

Two common problems occur, with regards specifically to shooting with the instep - either the player does not actually use the instep (rather she uses the inside of the foot) and her shots rise because she strikes the ball underneath it or she has poor follow through.  Shannon Boxx has textbook technique in shooting with her instep.  Her shots rarely go over the crossbar, which is due to her follow through.  Ideally, this skill is trained in a variety of situations, with the ball moving away from them (i.e. after a preparation touch, off the dribble), with the ball moving toward them, and striking balls out of the air/volleying.

With regards specifically to driving a ball with the instep, the common problem seems to be the place on the foot where the ball is hit.  Many players do not actually strike it with their instep; they strike it with the inside of their foot so it bends.  Driving balls with the instep must also be trained in different situations, with a ball played back to the player and with the ball moving away from the player (i.e. after a preparation touch, off the dribble).  This skill cannot be overlooked in training. 

A suggestion for coaches who might not feel comfortable demonstrating it and thus, might not spend time on it, is to have a current female player or a player on the team that does it well demonstrate it.  We have a desperate need to spend a great deal of time striking balls with the instep with both feet correctly.  Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O’Reilly spent hours striking balls with their instep both in finishing and long balls (with both feet), and they made dramatic improvements.  Lindsay Tarpley’s strike with her instep from 30 yards against Brazil helped the United States win a gold medal.  She practiced that exact shot every day.  This skill needs to be trained at every age level, and it needs to be taught correctly at younger ages.