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How to play better field football

About this Manual

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This Pitta6 manual was co-written by:

Cadu Sahade

I'm 22 years old and I used to be a football player. I started playing football since I was a child and at the age of 14 I went to live outside my city, I went alone to live in the club's accommodation and play in the Paulista championship. Since then I started my football career and at the age of 16 I had an offer to go and play in Japan, I accepted the challenge and went alone too, I lived and played there for 3 years and that was where I had the most football experience.

All my manuals

1) Control with your feet

The ability to dominate by positioning the ball and your body for your next movement is crucial.

This ability opens the door for quick plays, increasing scoring opportunities.

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Running with the ball under control at different speeds differentiates amateurs from professionals.

I learned over that time that those training sessions with cones, ball handling training and the famous “ladders” help you a lot in this part of ball control. Mastering these techniques elevates your game.

🟡 First touches and throws improve control close to the body by forcing you to think about what you want to do before the ball reaches your feet.

🟡 Practicing with teammates to practice 2 touches inside the box not only improves your ability to think quickly, but also makes it more difficult for opponents to predict your movements.

Quickly change game speed with quick passes and throws It is an art that can catch opponents by surprise. This ability allows you to efficiently exploit holes in the defense, creating unique scoring opportunities.

🟡 Get to know your team and take advantage of teammates who take quick shots, making quick and deep passes increases the dynamics of the game, making the attack unpredictable and more effective.

🟡 When you already know your teammates, you know who you should touch the ball to the longest and who you should touch the ball to the foot, so that it doesn't come out hastily.

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🟡 Always stay tuned for the movement of full-backs and light attackers. They are the fundamental pieces for you to touch the ball in a counter attack, as they are fast.

The ability to carry the ball with both feet is essential for effective control in field football.

This dominance allows changes in speed and direction, surprising opposing defenders. Gradual training methods are essential for any player looking to improve their performance on the field.

If you are that player who doesn't use both legs to drive, shoot and dribble, you need to improve, as this is essential for a player to stand out among the rest.

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🟡 Training back and forth with the ball glued to your foot develops this essential skill, improving agility and precision under pressure.

Perfecting control with both feet and close to the body not only elevates individual play, but also increases the ability to create opportunities for the team.

🟡 Training with straight or zigzag cones improves technical capacity and control under pressure, avoiding losing possession of the ball.

I particularly did this a lot in the clubs I was at and when I arrived in Japan this type of training intensified even more, there the coach did a lot of guidance and control because at game time this makes a lot of difference and reduces the chance of mistakes and loss of the ball. .

Sudden stops and resumption of speed with the ball at your feet are crucial to maintaining control in critical moments, allowing quick changes in the direction of the game and keeping opponents always guessing your next moves.

Controlling shots between shots with the ball develops different forces and effects, and I also did this a lot in Japan, this gives more confidence and intimacy with the ball, which makes you feel lighter when playing because you already know you have the ability with the ball at his feet.

Kick the ball in specific locations to impose the desired effect It is an essential skill in football, both for attacking and knowing how to defend against passes and shots from opposing players.

🟡 The player's ability to be dynamic and unpredictable is a huge difference, and knowledge of the effects brings this possibility like no other.

One type of training that I did a lot and that gives you better control, sharp passing and even more precise ball control is kicking the ball against the wall, do it with variations in strength to be prepared for every play.
All the coaches I've ever had have always taught me the same training of kicking the ball against the wall.

2) Think better and game vision

Learning to score efficiently is crucial to tiring less and maintaining rhythm throughout the game.

Always keeping your head up allows you to anticipate plays, crucial for defenders and midfielders who need to disarm and control the game.

Understanding the opposing team's movement helps to predict and intercept passes, making the defense more solid and the attack more opportunistic.

These skills are fundamental to improving in football, requiring training time.

Short-range marking prevents heavier midfielders and attackers from receiving the ball and having time to turn towards their goal and think of a good move.

Think carefully about where the attacker wants to go when he is coming towards you, the important thing is not to “go dry” in any change of direction, but rather, to maintain calm and the position of your body at all times in order to cover the path that could lead more danger to the goal.

Your spatial awareness is fundamental, not only where your goal is but also your teammates who can cover you if the opponent passes you, so always try to mark and surround the opponent in a way that takes him to the flanks and baseline. .

The speed at which you can control the ball and make your next move will define your ability to create good plays.

This ability allows you to suddenly change the pace of the game, surprising the opposing defense.

Using long passes, throws, and crosses into the area and towards the goal makes the attack more versatile and unpredictable, increasing the chances of success.

Teaming up with 2 or 3 teammates completely changes the game, so you can make quick passes and make quick passes that confuse the opponent's defense.

A fundamental thing is to have rapport with your teammates, because in all the clubs I've been to, we trained a lot of quick ball touches and tables, we did a lot of 4x1 training or square transitions where it was always 6x2 and thus we improved short touches and 2 touches .

3) Follow professionals in your preferred position

General knowledge of the sport improves a lot by watching football videos on YouTube, great plays by players in your preferred position, technical and physical training of your main deficiencies.

Understand when and why players decide to retreat to defend or attempt a long ball by watching videos of these moves and imagining what went through these players' heads.

Learn the importance of positioning without the ball, valuing each movement without possession as an opportunity to learn and improve.

I always watched videos of my favorite players, I was a Striker so I always saw moves by Neymar, Ronaldo, among others from these stars and tried to apply them on the field in training.