Maybe the most important as well as the most overlooked skill in soccer is the first touch.
Settling thhe ball at one's feet or into space away from pressure or in a place where you are ready to play the ball quickly is an essential tactical skill.
Having the confidence that you can settle the ball where needed opens up options to players, speeds the play of game, and can create opportunities as well as avoid mistakes and turn overs.
Training to develop a thoughtful, controled and soft first touch should be a part of every training session. Run drills with this in mind always making sure the trap is exactly where it should be. Design drills around the first touch. The Ajax system offers some great drills as does the Brasilian Futebol training guide.
Develop a soft touch and watch the game open up.

This entry was posted by BrasilianFutebol, on Saturday, September 1, 2007. You can leave your response.