THE POWER OF THE SOLE BY MARK SENIOR

THE POWER OF THE SOLE (of the foot)

Street soccer and Futsal has led to increased use of the sole of the foot in the pro game. We were all taught to control with the inside, pass with the inside etc. The problem is you can only then go one way. Using the sole you become a multi-directional player. You also bring other parts of your foot into play such as slanting your foot and using the little toe area to drag the ball.

Does the above look like a Cruyff turn? It isn’t. the concept is the same but the player is dragging the ball back past the non kicking foot with the sole and then quickly changes feet to get away.

From the position above, where can the player now go?

a.      Carry on forwards with a roll and step over

b.      Back round the non kicking foot and away from the player with next touch

c.       Back round the non kicking foot but then slanting the toes and moving the ball back towards the position its in now.

If we teach kids to  move the ball behind the non kicking foot then it opens up a problem for the defender.

a.      They're unsighted

b.      You can move in 6 different directions

If the ball is far enough back with the attacker not looking at the ball, again this becomes harder for the defender. In Futsal it is used to draw the foul. In Street Soccer it is used to draw the Panna opportunity.

ADVICE

Show your players a simple sole of the foot move. Demo and coach it and let them try it. Then the fun starts. Ask them to go and use that move and add another to it. Then add a third. Then give them a scenario. What is a second defender approaches following the first move etc. kids will then start creating moves and thinking.

Many thanks!

Mark Senior