New Autobiography!Looking forward to it!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Owen Hargreaves--Central defensive/holding midfielder
Tough-tackling,energetic workhorse with loads of stamina and strengthTuesday, August 5, 2008
Series of soccer skills, technique and drills
3) Volleying
Volleying is a tricky skill to master, but it's a great one to have in your locker.
The volley involves striking a ball that is still in the air, which can make accuracy even harder.
But there are few more satisfying moments than connecting cleanly with a volley and seeing it scream into the net.
Make your mind up early and keep your eyes focused on the ball as you get into the line of flight.
Use your arms for balance and imagine a strike zone in front of you.
Keep your head still and judge where you think the ball is going to arrive.
Plant your non-kicking foot on the ground. Leading with the knee, bring the kicking leg through.
The leg should be slightly bent, with the toes pointing down and the ankle held firm.
Try to keep your non-kicking foot in contact with the ground as it will keep you steady, and aim to make a solid connection with the ball.
If you try to bring your kicking leg through too quickly, you will find it difficult to control the volley.
Strike the centre or top half of the ball with the instep and keep your head over the ball to keep your volley down.
Follow through in the direction of the target.
Volleying is a tricky skill to master, but it's a great one to have in your locker.
The volley involves striking a ball that is still in the air, which can make accuracy even harder.
But there are few more satisfying moments than connecting cleanly with a volley and seeing it scream into the net.
Make your mind up early and keep your eyes focused on the ball as you get into the line of flight.
Use your arms for balance and imagine a strike zone in front of you.
Keep your head still and judge where you think the ball is going to arrive.
Plant your non-kicking foot on the ground. Leading with the knee, bring the kicking leg through.
The leg should be slightly bent, with the toes pointing down and the ankle held firm.
Try to keep your non-kicking foot in contact with the ground as it will keep you steady, and aim to make a solid connection with the ball.
If you try to bring your kicking leg through too quickly, you will find it difficult to control the volley.
Strike the centre or top half of the ball with the instep and keep your head over the ball to keep your volley down.
Follow through in the direction of the target.
Series of skills,technique and drills
2) Taking a penalty
Blast it or place it? Wait for the keeper to move? Or pick a spot and stick to it?
There are many thoughts going through a penalty taker's mind as soon as the referee points to the spot.
Nobody's expecting the keeper to save it. But he'll be a hero if he does, casting the kicker as the villain.
So where should you strike the perfect penalty?
Research carried out by Liverpool John Moores University came up with at least one definitive solution, as Professor Tom Riley revealed.
"A well-placed ball, high to the corner, will not be stopped by the goalkeeper even if he anticipates it.
"There is not enough time to react, so a kick placed in this area would have a 100% strike rate.
"Some players blast the ball straight down the middle, assuming that the goalkeeper will move, but it's not always successful."
Though the top corners may have a 100% strike rate, the shot is very tricky to pull off and therefore a bigger gamble.
But it's an interesting alternative to the conventional theory that you will often hear from professionals, managers and commentators.
Hitting the inside of the side netting, low down just inside either post is often the target for a penalty taker.
According to Professor Riley's theory, it has a greater chance of being saved - as unless the ball is well struck, the keeper can still reach it - but it is easier to pull off.
Blast it or place it? Wait for the keeper to move? Or pick a spot and stick to it?
There are many thoughts going through a penalty taker's mind as soon as the referee points to the spot.
Nobody's expecting the keeper to save it. But he'll be a hero if he does, casting the kicker as the villain.
So where should you strike the perfect penalty?
Research carried out by Liverpool John Moores University came up with at least one definitive solution, as Professor Tom Riley revealed.
"A well-placed ball, high to the corner, will not be stopped by the goalkeeper even if he anticipates it.
"There is not enough time to react, so a kick placed in this area would have a 100% strike rate.
"Some players blast the ball straight down the middle, assuming that the goalkeeper will move, but it's not always successful."
Though the top corners may have a 100% strike rate, the shot is very tricky to pull off and therefore a bigger gamble.
But it's an interesting alternative to the conventional theory that you will often hear from professionals, managers and commentators.
Hitting the inside of the side netting, low down just inside either post is often the target for a penalty taker.
According to Professor Riley's theory, it has a greater chance of being saved - as unless the ball is well struck, the keeper can still reach it - but it is easier to pull off.
Series of soccer skills,technique and drills
1) Bending the ball (free kick,dead ball,passing)
Position your standing foot a comfortable distance from the ball as you approach at an angle.
Start by practising this skill for a dead ball situation such as a free-kick.
But you also want to have the ability of curling a shot or pass from open play when you are on the move.
To curve the ball from right to left use the inside of your foot, striking the bottom half of the right side of the ball.
Or if you want to curve the ball from left to right with your right foot, use the outside of your foot.
Aim to make contact with the bottom half of the left side of the ball.
In both cases your followthrough will not be in the direction of the target as you are cutting across the back of the ball rather than kicking through the centre of it.
Position your standing foot a comfortable distance from the ball as you approach at an angle.
Start by practising this skill for a dead ball situation such as a free-kick.
But you also want to have the ability of curling a shot or pass from open play when you are on the move.
To curve the ball from right to left use the inside of your foot, striking the bottom half of the right side of the ball.
Or if you want to curve the ball from left to right with your right foot, use the outside of your foot.
Aim to make contact with the bottom half of the left side of the ball.
In both cases your followthrough will not be in the direction of the target as you are cutting across the back of the ball rather than kicking through the centre of it.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
De Rossi one of the world's best midfielders--Lippi
ROME, Aug 2 2008(Reuters) - Italy coach Marcello Lippi has backed Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson's determination to block Cristiano Ronaldo's desired move to Real Madrid.
"The 100 million (euros offered) by Real is astonishing. But not everything can be bought," Lippi said in an interview in Saturday's La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"I think it's right that a player is not authorised to have the last word always.
"Ferguson is stubborn. I think Ronaldo will stay at Manchester. It's the right decision from a technical point of view.
"However, Portugal's result at the European championships shows that not even Ronaldo can win a big tournament on his own."
Lippi reiterated his admiration for Ronaldo's Manchester United team mate, England striker Wayne Rooney.
"I'm in love with Rooney," he said. "It's beautiful to see him run after his defender until the (corner) flag. He's the prototype of the modern champion."
The 2006 World Cup winner added that he thought it was a shame Frank Lampard was not moving from Chelsea to Inter Milan.
He ranked the England international as one of the world's top four midfielders, along with AS Roma's Daniele de Rossi, AC Milan's Andrea Pirlo and Barcelona's Andres Iniesta.
He also had kind words for Barcelona's Argentina forward Lionel Messi, describing him as a "football genius".
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/feedarticle/7696319
"The 100 million (euros offered) by Real is astonishing. But not everything can be bought," Lippi said in an interview in Saturday's La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"I think it's right that a player is not authorised to have the last word always.
"Ferguson is stubborn. I think Ronaldo will stay at Manchester. It's the right decision from a technical point of view.
"However, Portugal's result at the European championships shows that not even Ronaldo can win a big tournament on his own."
Lippi reiterated his admiration for Ronaldo's Manchester United team mate, England striker Wayne Rooney.
"I'm in love with Rooney," he said. "It's beautiful to see him run after his defender until the (corner) flag. He's the prototype of the modern champion."
The 2006 World Cup winner added that he thought it was a shame Frank Lampard was not moving from Chelsea to Inter Milan.
He ranked the England international as one of the world's top four midfielders, along with AS Roma's Daniele de Rossi, AC Milan's Andrea Pirlo and Barcelona's Andres Iniesta.
He also had kind words for Barcelona's Argentina forward Lionel Messi, describing him as a "football genius".
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/feedarticle/7696319
Friday, August 1, 2008
Attacking play
Attacking play--communication between midfielders and strikers is vital in build-up play. I will try to anticipate the movement and body language of the midfielders but sometimes it helps if the midfielders actually call out the name or say something to facilitate the reaction of the strikers. I will also try to meet every cross but really,it's no easy task. People say I am the poacher type of striker, aka the "fox-in-the-box", I can exhibit fast reactions at times but i think not every striker in that category can meet every cross played and score a goal like that. I will need to practise more crosses-score-play
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