As you start to develop your foot skills and become more comfortable with the ball in soccer, you obviously do become a better player. Although, the phase of development following basic ball skills often consists of challenges that are much more mental rather physical.
In terms of game-sense, developing players often make a lot of simple mistakes that can cost them a lot during the game. These “beginner’s mistakes” can impact the whole team when you’re on the field, so I wanted to use this post to help address two of the big ones.
1. Keeping your head down
Figure 1: Making a bad pass with your head down
This is probably the most common mistake among players. Whenever a player receives a ball, their first instinct will often be to focus on keeping that ball.
When players start to focus on the ball too much, they look down at the ball as they’re dribbling and unintentionally zone everything out. They often don’t look up to see where they’re dribbling into and aren’t aware of the various passing lanes available to them.
In most cases, this ends with a situation in which the player with the ball is cornered or pressured by opponents to the point where they lose possession. Sometimes, the player does make passes or take shots on goal while doing this, but the shot or pass is often well off-target since the player never looked up to aim.
There’s no easy way to avoid making this mistake other than simply remembering to look up when you get the ball each time. It helps to think about what you want to do with the ball before you actually get it, so you don’t stress and tunnel-vision when you actually have it. Always be on the lookout for passing lanes or areas to dribble into.
2. Not using your voice
Figure 2: Speaking up on the field
This kind of goes hand in hand with the previous issue in terms of not being situationally aware. A lot of developing players don’t communicate with teammates as much as they should. Bad passes, poor positioning, and wasted opportunities are all some negative consequences of not using your voice on the field.
Without communication, teammates can’t let each other know where they are and what they’re thinking. Resolving the issue is as simple as calling out loud for a pass towards you or letting your teammate know there’s someone coming from behind to tackle him. Situational awareness gives the whole team a lot less to worry about.
Defenders and Goalkeepers frequently have the best view of the field and the ball, so players in these positions have the most responsibility in terms of communicating to the rest of the team how to move the ball best and where opponents are.
On the other hand, don’t abuse your ability to speak on the field. Don’t make inaccurate calls to teammates like constantly asking for a pass when you know you’re being covered by a defender. Using your voice is important, but using it properly is essential as well.