Volleying

Volleying is the art of striking the ball while it is still in mid-air. A professional player will be able to anticipate where and when the ball will arrive near him and quickly position himself to connect with it. It is one of the hardest skills to master.

Because everything happens much faster in the air, a player attempting to volley needs to be even more focused on timing and accuracy that in ordinary play. He can use the momentum the ball already has to create a very powerful strike, but if it’s not on target he will probably lose control and the mistake could cost him and his team dearly.

Not having time to think is one problem for the volleyist. Another is that a ball spinning through the air will behave very differently to one that has come rolling along the ground. The strike must be decisive and clean. There is no opportunity to calm the ball’s movement down, and little chance to judge the amount of strength required to put it where you want. For these reasons, volleys are notoriously difficult to aim.

Technically, the key elements of volleying are that the strike is decisive, the player is well-anchored to absorb the shock of the ball’s impact, and he follows through. Without these in place the ball will behave unpredictably.

As well as keeping up the pace of play, volleys can be used to seize control from the opposition. An intercepted pass can be turned to great advantage by a well-placed volley. Along with headers, volleys are a vital skill for players at the front of the field, being key to picking up crosses and delivering them into the goal.

A particularly spectacular volley is the the scissor kick - as shown in the video.

The Throw-In

The throw-in is a way of restarting play after a player has touched the ball immediately before it goes over one of the sidelines. The linesman will put his flag up and the throw is taken by a member of the opposite team.

The rules of the throw-in are clearly stated by FIFA.

• The ball has to be held above or behind the head of the thrower. He mustn’t cross the line, although he can be on it, and he must use both hands.

• All other players must stand at least 2 metres away from him, irrespective of which side they’re on.

• You can’t score from a throw-in!

• After the throw-in has been taken the thrower is forbidden to touch the ball until somebody else has done so.

Good throwing technique will focus on distance and accuracy. The priorities of a thrower will be different depending on whereabouts in the field he takes his throw.

• A player should start with the ball firmly grasped behind his head.

• It is permitted to take a small run-up to the line and where distance is required this is useful.

• As he prepares to let go, a player ought to arch his back so that his whole upper body can spring forward and propel the ball.

• He follows through to be as accurate as possible.

Like head, chest and foot control, thigh control is an essential element of playing football well, and often footballers have difficulty mastering it. It is important when the football arrives at a height above the knee where it is too low to use your head or chest. During these times it is often not worth the risk of trying to use your head or reaching your foot up, and so this is where thigh control comes in.

The best way you can achieve a good result is to make sure you get your thigh properly in line with the ball. The crucial element of thigh control is then withdrawing your thigh slightly upon impact to cushion the ball and allowing the ball to fall gently. With a little concentration, more ambitious players can bounce and guide the ball effectively by nudging or rotating their thigh slightly.

There are a number of ways you can practice to improve thigh control. For example, you can juggle the ball on your thigh as shown in the video.

You can also try playing a fun game of volley-football which, like volleyball, means you have to keep the ball in the air without using your hands or feet. This will mean you have to use your thigh a lot and the exercise will also make you better at other types of control as well. Another simple training exercise is to use a wall to bounce the ball against, trying to control the rebound with only minor flicks of your thigh.

The Sliding Tackle

The sliding tackle (also known as the slide tackle) is a means of dispossessing an opponent. Unlike other tackles, the sliding tackle happens at ground level, by sliding the body feet-forward to take the ball from the player in possession. The player must watch the ball carefully, approach from an angle and be decisive - timing is crucial.

The tackle is very effective and a key skill for defenders to acquire. However, a mis-timed tackle may cause a player to make contact with their opponent, conceding a free kick. Defenders have been known to cynically '"scythe" down an attacking player, using a sliding tackle to target the opponent’s legs rather the ball. Inside the penalty area, a poorly executed sliding tackle usually leads to a spot-kick.

For these reasons a sliding tackle can be risky. Another disadvantage is that the defender does not stay on his or her feet, which effectively puts them out of the game for a few seconds. An unsuccessful sliding tackle could leave the defender behind and give the attacker a clear run on goal.

The side-volley pass is a kind of volley used to direct the ball to another player when it’s received just below waist height. A player can pass the ball without needing to stop it and risk intervention from the opposition.

A good side-volley pass uses the instep of the foot to connect squarely with the ball. As with all volleys, accuracy is very important and they can be hard to control. The ball will be moving quite quickly so timing is of the essence. A mistimed shot will result in an embarrassing mis-kick, as well as loss of the ball.

Other points to consider:

• One’s weight should be firmly on the non-kicking foot, which will act as a pivot for the kicking leg.

• The hips are used to provide power in the swing.

• As contact is made, it is vital to follow through to ensure a clean finish. Keep your arms out to stabilise yourself.

• Aim to send the ball away at about the same height it came in. Misplaced kicks can leave it flying wildly through the air.

Because it is so frequently required, the side-volley pass ought to be learned and perfected by each member of a team. Well-used, it adds fluency and finesse to their whole game.

Also known as a bicycle kick or a scissors kick, this method of making contact with the ball is nothing other than spectacular...as long as the player can pull it off. Executing an overhead kick requires skill, athleticism and timing. The player must launch him or herself into the air, scissoring the legs as the body reaches a horizontal position, so that one leg reaches high into the air to make contact with the ball at head height.

The ball therefore travels in the opposite direction to the way the player is facing. Both feet must be airborne for this kicking technique. The footballer, meanwhile, generally lands on their back or bottom! A bad landing, especially a knock to the head, spine or elbows, could have serious consequences.

Overhead kicks are generally only used around the goal - either by a defender needing to clear the ball quickly, or by an attacking player with little room for manoeuvre. A forward in a good scoring position but with his or her back to the goal, might opt for an overhead kick if the ball is bouncing at head height.

Panama’s Luis Carlos Tejada Hansell scored a picture-perfect overhead kick against the Central American neighbour, Mexico, in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers. It was voted goal of the year by Fox Sports. The overhead kick was also a signature move of Pelé, Brazil’s footballing maestro.

A one-two combo at work

The One-Two

The one-two is a classic manoeuvre that sees two players exchanging the ball as they advance across hostile territory. It is one the most exciting sights in football to see two masters of the art ‘one-two’ the ball between, over and among bewildered defenders before driving the ball into the back of the net.

The one-two is known less familiarly as the ‘wall pass’, and it is this name that gives the best clue to its principles. One player acts as little more than a ‘wall’ off which the ball bounces back to his teammate.

Once the ball has been sent on its way by player A, his colleague B must make ready to receive the pass at the same time as watching where A has gone. As he receives the ball he must quickly return it to the space A is going for. It is impossible to execute a one-two without good sympathy between teammates, as they must have an almost telepathic knowledge of each other’s plans.

One of the best things about the one-two is that it enables the team to move up together. Used well, it is extraordinarily effective and can propel the ball deep into the scoring half with plenty of support from friendly players. Short of a single forward taking the ball up himself, it is the most rapid and threatening way of penetrating the opposition’s defence.

The one-two can be employed on large and small scales, whether it’s used to cross half the field or just to slip around a knot of defenders.