Introducing our first series of our blog post to help players becoming better in this year. The first topic of the year will be a very broad topic of “First Touch”
We always hear coaches yelling out first touch in a soocer game or training but what exactly is first touch. Quite often, whenever we observe kids playing in a match. They knew what they wanted to do on the ball, due to poor control or first touch, they end up chasing after the ball and there goes our chance of making a good pass or scoring. This can be very frustrating. This lead to them feeling demotivated and slowly throughout the game them will always opt for the easy options to just pass or control the ball. To make matter worst, the external influence of despair from coaches and parents, will make him/her even more afraid to play the game. This is also one of the main reason why kids decide to make an easy options in a game. When they do not challenge themselves enough, thats where they become stagnant in their progress.
What is first touch in Soccer?
First touch is the control of the ball which set up your second move such as dribbling, passing, shooting, shielding and so on.
The game is ever changing so quick , no two situations are the same. First touch is often the difference between success and failure in a game situation. Whether you are a goalkeeper, defender, midfielder or striker, you definitely require a good first touch. All the top players in the world, possessed quality first touch and control. Hence, the permutation of first touch in a game of soccer is limitless. There are so many factors that will affect the first touch.
Tip:
A small tip is to always scan the pitch before you receive the ball in order to improve your first touch.
Here are some examples that affects First Touch in Soccer:
- Bouncing ball
- Multi directional ball
- Linear
- In the air
- Stationery
- Moving
- And many other scenario
The modern game of soccer is always evolving and speed of play is always getting quicker. Teams are beginning to adopt different types of pressing game. A good first touch allow you to have more time and space on the ball to make a good decision and not lose the ball easily. This small little advantage will allow you to overshadow your opponents and be a standout player in the team. We always stress the importance of first touch as that will allow you to see the game better with the additional time and space on the ball. Generally, when playing against quality players, the opposing players normally will be slightly more cautious and not commit as they are afraid of you getting past them.
How to train first touch?
At a very young age, players must develop a feel of the ball with all parts of both foot. The more comfortable you are on the ball, the better your first touch will be in the game. One of the most simple yet effective exercise will be; juggling the ball with all body parts. Football juggling allows you to be comfortable with both feet and put the right amount of strength on his kick, improves eye foot co ordination and lastly improve all parts body control. We have some drills prepared for you to improve your first touch, register now for our free Maestro Ball Mastery Program.
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