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Soccer Edition 64 Welcome to the Soccer Newsletter. Today’s subject will deal with the role of the target player. Target players are frequently told to stand up top (the most forward player on the field typically) and be a target. However, that is usually all they are told. What should they do once up there? Should they stay central or roam the width of the field? Are they supposed to turn and take a player on, or hold for support? As you can see, there are a lot of different options for a target player (and that is assuming the target player is playing up top and not in the midfield. Assuming that the target player is a central player, in most cases the main purpose of the target player is to be the player that the backs want to play the ball forward to and then the other players will either play off of this target player or if needed the target player will be expected to hold the ball to buy time for the teammates. If the purpose of the target player is to receive the ball and then have the players run off of her, then this player must have the ability to absorb some punishment from opposing players (most of the time, she will be receiving the ball with her back to the goal and a player or two right on her). It is for this reason that players need to spend time working on both techniques as well as conditioning. Many youth players neglect the conditioning aspect from a weight training side of things (of course I am talking about older youth players, not 10 year olds here). The stronger the legs and upper body, the more effective a target player will be. Before the target player receives the ball, she should know ahead of time either what she wants to do with the ball or at the very least, what her options are. If she needs to hold onto the ball to create time for support to arrive, then it is important that she create a low, wide base for balance. The ways to do this is to spread the feet slightly wider then shoulders length apart, and lower the butt. By doing this, you can create a little bit more space between the opponent and the ball as well as making it more difficult to knock you off balance (see http://finesoccer.com/edition78.htm for details on shielding). While doing this, it is imperative to be able to keep your head up in order to see the runs that should be coming to offer support. If your primary responsibility as the target player is to have balls served in the air, then your main concentration must be on winning the balls and knocking the ball DOWN toward your teammates. Too often, the target players simply try to flick balls on without regard for where their teammates are. They seem to forget that by being the most forward player on the field, flicking the balls on means playing the ball away from their teammates. Knock balls down and toward your teammates for them to gain possession. A big problem with target players is that once they play off the initial ball, they stop and become observers. The truth is that done properly, this should be when they are most dangerous. As soon as the ball is played off, spin off and make yourself available for the next pass. Most defenders tend to watch the ball after their player has played the ball away. Take advantage of this by spinning away and get behind the defense to receive a through pass (obviously you will have to be aware of offsides which is why it’s important to spin in a way that you can see the position of the defenders. Being a target player is a fun yet difficult position and the more you know how to play this role, the more effective you and your team will be. If you have any experience either as a target player or in using one, please share your experiences at http://finesoccer.com/forum.htm Remember that all previous newsletters are archived online at http://finesoccer.com Any questions, comments or suggestions should be sent to comments@finesoccer.com or posted tohttp://finesoccer.com/forum.htm If you haven’t already, please participate in the survey at http://finesoccer.com/survey.htm Have a great day! Lawrence |
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