The following is a short guide for those who wish to become good strikers. In football the attacker is the player with the most advanced position, who is mainly in the front line and has the responsibility of scoring more goals or of exploiting each situation in the best possible way, putting his team-mates in a position to score. To become a good striker you need to have many qualities in your favor. The enormous responsibility that attackers are often invested with explains why they receive much higher salaries than players in other roles. The steps in this guide assume you have basic football skills and are ready to perfect your technique as a quality striker.
Steps
Step 1. Improve your ball control skills
Even the best players in the world are constantly working on 'touch' - the way they 'feel the ball' and the ability to quickly control it at the first touch. Sensitivity training and the foot-ball relationship are the basis and the characterizing prerequisite of every movement. To improve the individual technique it is extremely effective (albeit simple) to repeatedly kick against a wall. However, 2-on-2, 4-on-4, or even 1-on-1 ball possession drills using cones as nets, and using two-touch ball possession are ideal. In ball possession games try to be 'creative', even though it may seem foolish to you. Creativity is the fundamental quality for the attacking role. To give space to creativity, teammates must play with speed and in constant motion in order to open the game and let the teammate with the ball free passage.
Step 2. Improve your speed of movement
You always have to stay alert, boosting speed, strength and agility. As an attacker it is important to constantly move (in different directions), play on the surprise factor and confuse the defenders. The next time you play with your back to the goal, circle around the defenders before closing the gap, or check before returning to win the ball and consolidate the recovery. Continuous movement will allow you to always be ahead. Don't let yourself be marked easily because you would also have less control over the ball. Rule number one is not to follow straight lines, but to constantly change direction. This will allow you to easily counter even the most aggressive tactics of offside traps.
Step 3. Improve your ability to kick at the net
The first skill of an attacker. Shooting technique is an art. Practice alone against a wall at a distance of about 5 meters and hit the ball lightly with the outside of the foot, just above the neck. Keep doing it even if it seems too 'normal' and a bit mundane. Then, step back 15 meters and start kicking the ball precisely and powerfully, controlling its trajectory. One of the most common mistakes is the crossover, a movement in which the ball is hit by moving the foot with which you kick behind the support one and then crossing it with it. The ball is thus hit by a sharp blow to the base, which then generates a cross or in any case a soft shot upwards. Do not be fooled, corner kicks and free kicks are beautiful, but they remain some spectacular football "subtleties" typical of the champions.
Step 4. If you feel that you are familiar with these techniques before, try practicing head shots
After spinning the ball, and after receiving it with the first touch, try to throw it on the fly. Hit the ball with throws of the partner placed in front and do not be afraid. Follow the ball with your eyes until the moment of impact with your forehead (do not close your eyes!) And while waiting for the ball to arrive, stand in front of it. Give the ball the trajectory. Don't just let it bounce off you.
Step 5. Improve the finalization
Compared to shooting, finishing is kind of an art. In situations where you only need to take down the goalkeeper or finish an offensive pass, you need to have the right mental motivation and strong nerves. In these situations too many attackers try to shoot with power while it would most likely be more appropriate to score by 'making the bank' or 'placing' the ball in the net. The only way to train to be able to do this is to put yourself in these situations. Practice is essential. Good touch is still essential.
Step 6. While each coach thinks that certain aspects are more important than others, the ones listed in the previous steps remain a must
If you have fully mastered these general concepts, you will undoubtedly become the best player in the world. Each has their own strengths.
Step 7. Work on your strengths together with your teammates, because football is a team game
Step 8. Individual technique is of fundamental importance; for example, when you are in front of the defender you can use your technique to "take them down"
Don't attack or dribble like an automaton. Do each of these things as it comes naturally to you. Changing the attacking action every time will serve to destabilize the opposing team's defenders.
Advice
- Try to stay as calm as possible with the ball. If you have a good first touch, trust and everything else will spring from there.
- Enhance cardiovascular fitness to promote concentration and game awareness in crucial moments.
- Observe good strikers on television or live.
- Trust your own abilities and those of others. Never let missed opportunities negatively affect what happens next.
- Eat a balanced diet rich in carbohydrates and keep yourself constantly hydrated.
- Do not lose your temper with the ball, proceed slowly and with a firm step.
- Buy a cheap net and set it up on a local pitch. Pull, pull, pull!
- Use your imagination in ball possession drills.
- Bend over, watch the ball, aim for the net and shoot. This will help you make powerful low shots.
- Improve cardiovascular fitness as much as possible while maintaining strength and power. You should aim for a threshold greater than 13 in the shuttle test (this is usually the minimum for professional players).
Warnings
- Work with your team and listen to the manager's tactics.
- Skills don't power up over the course of a night, but every good touch on the ball will make you better.
- The path to professional level is a frustrating one. The coaches have their own opinions on who is selected in the teams; often they are wrong and it is all subjective. Your skills and personal satisfaction are your reward, don't play for money or fame.
- Don't monopolize the ball. Passing the ball is as important as your continued movement.
- Don't try to be "creative" all the time. You need to find the right balance.
