Sports Study Music Kids Site and Search Games Movies Fun Kids

 

Soccer Strategy 

Soccer Gameplay   Soccer Rules   Soccer Strategy    Soccer Glossary

Back to the main Soccer page 

soccer-team



Although soccer may seem like a relatively simple sport, soccer is only simple in the rules and the basic game play. The strategy of the game can be quite complex especially at high levels of play like professional and World Cup.

Soccer Strategy for the Offense

The team that has possession of the soccer ball is on the offense. When on offense a soccer team may take a number of different tactics or strategies depending on which players are in the game at the time and on the skill level and type of the players.

One general strategy of offensive play that all soccer players should employ is Passing and Moving. This means that you should never just stand still on offense. Whenever a player has the ball, they need to either pass the ball or dribble. Just standing still is a sure way to lose possession. This also applies to any offensive player near the player with the ball. They should always be moving and looking for an opening and providing passing lanes for their teammate.

Another good strategy is to pass the ball and then move quickly to another open space closer to the goal. By continuing to move and create passing lanes, the defense can be put at a disadvantage.

Another good offensive soccer strategy is to Switch the Attack. This is a long pass to another area of the field that has less defenders. It may be backwards towards ones own goal or all the way across the field. This gives the offense a chance to re-group and form a new attack on goal.

Some offensive soccer teams will play Possession Ball. This is when the team tries to keep possession of the ball for a long period of time. They may pass the ball backwards side-to-side with no real apparent attack. This can be a good strategy at periods over a long soccer game. Passing the ball takes much less effort than dribbling or chasing the ball. The defensive soccer team will use much more energy to try and chase the ball down than the offensive team will passing the ball around. This can also be a good soccer strategy when the offensive team has a good lead and wants to take some time off the clock.

When playing on offense, there are certain other key skills and times during the game that any team should be ready for and have a strategy. These include:

Throw-ins: Throw-ins seem like a small part of the game. You just pick up the ball and throw it back in. However, there are lots of throw-ins during a game and they should not be taken too lightly. Consistently getting a good throw-in to set up the next play can be key in keeping possession of the ball. Players that can throw the ball far can be valuable in certain areas of the field and can even set up goal scoring plays.

Goal kicks: Similar to throw-ins, goal kicks don't seem that important to many soccer players, but since there are many during a game, the coach should have a few different strategies on how and where to place the kick depending on the game situation.

Corner kicks: Most teams practice corner kicks and have a couple of defined plays. Corner's are one of the best scoring opportunities in a soccer game. There is usually a player that kicks the corner best from the left side and another from the right side. Depending on the defense, kicking the ball high and long or short can be the best play. Often goals are scored via headers off the kick, so there should be some tall players that can jump and head the ball well charging toward the kick. However, rebounds off defenders or the goalie is another great scoring chance, so a player or two that comes in late looking for the rebound is also a good strategy.

soccer-play



Soccer Strategy for the Defense

The team that does not have possession of the ball is the defense. Good team defense is essential to winning any soccer game. Defense is not just the goalie's job, but the job off all eleven players.

A good defensive soccer team will learn to communicate and form walls of defense against the offense. A player or two should always remain between the ball and the goal. Other players should be covering the other offensive players to make sure that they can't get open for a short goal shot. This is often called "marking".

It is a good idea for defenders to force the player with the ball towards the sidelines. By playing the right angle and turning the body, the defensive player can guide or channel the offensive player to the sidelines. This makes it hard for the offense to get off a good shot or get a good angle for a pass. It can also cause them to lose the soccer ball over the sideline and, therefore, get the possession back.

Some teams have a player they call the sweeper. This is a defensive player that positions in the center of the soccer field usually a bit deeper than the rest of the defense. The sweeper roams the backfield looking to steal or "sweep" any balls that get through the defense.

Defenses can also trap the player with the ball with two players preventing them from getting off a pass and stealing the ball. This can be a risky but rewarding play.

Defenses should take advantage of the soccer offside rule. By coordinating the last line of defense and keeping track of the offensive player's locations, a defense can trap a player offsides and cause a turnover of the ball.

Back to Kids Sports
Back to Soccer for Kids

Soccer Gameplay
   Controlling the Ball
   Passing the Ball
   Dribbling
   Shooting
   Playing Defense
   Tackling

Soccer Rules
   Equipment
   Soccer Field
   Number of Players and Substitution Rules
   Length of the Game
   Goalkeeper Rules
   Offside Rule
   Fouls and Penalties in Soccer
   Referees and Signals
   Restart Rules

Soccer Strategy
   Team Formations
   Player Positions
   Goalkeeper
   Set Plays or Pieces
   Individual Drills
   Team Games and Drills

Soccer Glossary
Professional Football Leagues

Mia Hamm Biography for Kids
David Beckham Biography for Kids

Kid's Poll

Which of these New Year's Resolutions would you most like to accomplish in 2012?
Get better grades in school
Make a school sport team
Keep my room clean
Learn a musical instrument
Drink more milk and eat healthier


Vote on more Kids Polls!


Joke of the Day

Q: Why is England the wettest country?

A: Because the queen has reigned there for years!






Teachers T-Shirt




Jokes for Kids  Kids Games  Kids Movies  Homework Help  Kids Sports  Geography for Kids 

About Ducksters  Link to Ducksters  Teachers 

Last updated:




This site is a product of TSI,Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use.


To cite this article using MLA style citation: