Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Some call it the beautiful game and there are many different aspects to the game but the most enjoyable is definitely the attacking bit. Everyone wants to see games with goals, and it is the attacking players that are responsible for scoring goals, even though sometimes defenders get in on the action. For players playing in an attacking position is usually more fun as well. Some people notice that when they are attacking and have the ball they seem to get tired a lot less than the defending players. It also seems, especially in youth soccer that the best players are the ones who opt to play in the forward positions because it is more fun there. If you want to become a better forward then you should consider implementing the following strategies to your game.

The first thing you need as a forward is good movement. This movement is essential for you to evade the opposition defenders especially if they are much stronger than you. You must be able to get a feel for where your team mates are going to pass the ball and then prepare to be there when they do. This can be accomplished by simply playing with your team mates more so that you get used to how they think and how they like to pass the ball. You should be familiar with their favorite foot as this will usually affect how they are going to pass the ball especially in tight situations. It will take a bit of time for you to get used to your team mates but even the best players have to go through this stage when they transfer to new clubs and are playing with unfamiliar players.

The second thing you have to master as a forward player is the timing of your runs. One of the best ways for a team to set up a goal scoring chance is by playing a through ball. This is when the ball is not played to exactly where the receiving player is, but rather in front of him so that his movement will then take him away from defenders that are marking him and bring him one on one with the opposing goal keeper. The reason you have to master your runs is that there is an offside rule in soccer which states that when the ball is played to a player who is in the half of the opposition team he must not be ahead of the 10 outfield players of the opposing team. The key with that is when the ball is played the receiving player must not be ahead but when a forward has mastered the timing of his runs he will usually start running before the ball is played and by the time it is played he will be either level or still slightly behind the opposition defender. By the time the defender realizes where the ball is being played the forward is already ahead because he has anticipated where the ball is going to be. This gives the attacking player a few yards on the defending player and since he does not have to control the ball as it has been played ahead of him he has a one on one chance with the keeper and a golden chance to score a goal. This only applies when there is an offside rule of course.

The third skill an attacking player must master is that of finishing. Finishing refers to the art of being able to score a goal from a good goal scoring opportunity such as a one on one situation with the keeper. This is probably one of the most difficult skills to master. Some say that you are born but I believe that with a lot of practice and hard work you can improve this skill. The key is to consistently practice finishing goal scoring chances on the training ground. This is the only place where you will get a lot of chances to do so as in a game you would probably only get a handful of chances.

Being a forward player is quite fun so it is essential that you master some of the skills mentioned in this article. If you do not, and you end up wasting goal scoring chances as a result, you may find yourself playing as the goal keeper which isn’t the best position in the world.

Author Bio: Anthony Muzonzini maintains a website designed to help newbies to the beautiful game learn How to play soccer

Category: Sports
Keywords: how to play soccer, soccer, striker, forward