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Football Basics – Lofted pass techniques

Posted by Leo

Why use lofted pass?

Although ground passes are easier for the receiver to control the ball, there are some occasions that the only way to exploit space behind opponents is to loft the ball over defenders’ head. For example, if the back four defend well like a wall in front of the goal, then the only way to attack the space behind the back four is to loft the ball into the penalty area. Moreover, a good lofted pass can attack the space quickly. A good example was Dennis Bergkamp’s goal vs. Argentina in the 1998 World Cup. The long lofted pass was made by Frank De Boer.

Which basic techniques can be used?

There are three basic techniques: lofted drive, volley and chip. The following organisation charts shows the details of the techniques.

Figure 1. Organisation charts showing the basic techniques of lofted pass

The following tables summarise the advantages and disadvantages of different types of techniques:

Lofted Drive:

Contact surface & approach	Advantages	Disadvantages
1. Instep – slightly angled approach	> 40 yards With considerable pace, giving little chance to recover	Ball not rise steeply, difficult to clear defenders nearby (<10 yards)
2. Instep – wided-angled approach	>40 yards Not difficult to control Possible to put backspin Steeper trajectory	Can’t be hit with as much pace as some other methods. Therefore, defenders have more time to adjust position when the ball is in flight
3. Outside of the foot	>40 yards With pace Can be swerved away from defenders, making interceptions more difficult	Difficult to control Not rise steeply The ball will continue to roll away after pitching, difficult to judge the pace of the pass into space
4. Inside of the foot	>40 yards With pace Be swerved away from defenders Be swerved into path of attacker Easy to control Rise reasonably steeply	The ball will continue to roll away after pitching, difficult to judge the pace of the pass into space

Volley Pass:

Contact surface & approach

Advantages

Disadvantages

1. Straight approach

Over the heads of opponents who are a few yards from the ball
Played early
Long distances
With pace
Can be “dipped” by imparting topspin to the ball

Difficult to control accuracy
Difficult to control pace

2. Sideway approach

Over the heads of opponents who are a few yards from the ball
Long distances
With pace
Played early

Even more difficult to control accuracy
Difficult to control pace

Chip Pass:

Contact surface & approach

Advantages

Disadvantages

1. Straight approach

Because of the backspin, the ball will rise very steeply.
Able to clear the heads of opponents only 5,6 yards from the ball
Possible to stop the ball in a small space because of backspin

Only 20-25 yards
Players running on to the pass may find the ball difficult to control as they would be moving against the spin

Reference:

Netherlands – Argentina: Bergkamp Goal 1998 (HD), 2010 [online video]. By Frank de Jong. [viewed 23 December 2013]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsZkCFoqSBs

HUGHES, C., 1987. Soccer Tactics and Skills. Great Britain: Queen Anne Press

HUGHES, C., 1990. The Winning Formula. London: William Collins Sons & Co Ltd

Posted in Basics, Passing

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Tags: Argentina, Bergkamp, Passing, World Cup

Football Basics – Ground pass techniques

Dec 24

Posted by Leo

There are five basic techniques could be used to execute a ground pass. The following table summarises the advantages and disadvantages of different types of techniques:

Type	Advantages	Disadvantages
1. Inside of the foot – Push	Offers the best accuracy because of the large surface of the boo presented to the ball	Easy for defenders to predict Difficult to generate power so it is unsuitable for long passing Difficult to execute on the run because it is impossible to position correctly without interrupting the stride pattern
2. Instep (laces)	Easy to disguise intentions Possible to add power and pace to make it available both for long passing and shooting Can be made while running	It is a difficult technique to be executed
3. Outside of the foot – flick	To be made with the minimum of the foot movement and maximum of disguise	Only be used over short distances
4. Outside of the foot – swerve	To be used to bend the ball around an opponent Over long distance so it is a valuable shooting technique Be used when running Draw the ball away from the goalkeeper when crossed from a flank	The more swerve required, the more difficult it is to execute this technique
5. Inside of the foot – swerve	Bent around an opponent Be used over short and long distances The ball can easily be lifted a few inches over a defender’s outstretch legs Great deal of swerve can be imparted Draw the ball away from goalkeeper when crossed from the flank	Never go straight, always be spinning, possibly making control more difficult

The best footage I can think of to show the execution of the ground passes to create a goal is the second goal of Argentina vs. Serbia & Montenegro at the 2006 World Cup. Most of the passes involved were ground passes and some of the techniques they used are not covered in these 5 basic techniques (e.g. back heel pass).