Hey guys. So I'm having some problems with playing as a striker. I haven't played it regularly in games for 2 years or so, but still. Mostly I'm having trouble to turn around/up and face the defenders with the ball. This leads to me having troubles to shoot, and most games I don't even get ONE shot off-atleast not outside the area . I feel that I'm sort of restricted by the formation but since my team isn't all that good and that I get very few crosses, that I gotta be able to take on the defenders more by myself. I'm fairly tall, about 6'2" and quite strong on the ball (really strong legs). I'm quite technical but I gotta work a bit on that again. I used to be really quick and I'm still fairly fast. I also have a powerful shot, but I'm not extreme on placement. Also, I'm really good at laying the ball back to my midfielders and also can get it delivered to my wingers. I have tried to rely on meeting and laying the ball to my teammates and get into the box to wait for the cross, which ~never arrives. So that doesn't work. Any help?
Also if anyone knows about any games (that have been played) where I can study a really good Number 9 then that would be awesome. Thanx
I am actually in a pretty similar situation as you. I find that when we play a 4-3-3, my chances tend to come when i play on the shoulders of the defenders and get fed through balls from the midfield. however when we play 4-2-3-1, i can come deeper to pick the ball up and face the defense. Maybe its a product of the formation and how it shapes out. i would be curious to hear what others think.
Hmmm. I always feel that the CAM (the guy right behind me) in the 4-2-3-1 tends to close off the space in front of me, but then again he can feed me through-balls better than the Left and Right CMs in 4-3-3 can do. How old are you davoo, and what are your attributes?
24y.o, 6feet a lean 185lbs. Can play with both feet, will win every header. fairly fast (explosiveness/first step is better than a long foot race), technically sound on the ball. like you, will power the ball over placement. tend to play in the box more so than around it, however, i would like to balance that out more. also, like you, supply from the wings is lacking so playing outside the box is something i want to work on. in our 4-2-3-1 the CAM and CF play interchangeably, so if i drop back to collect the ball, the CAM will move either up for me to feed him or make space for me
Look at Clint Dempsey. First point: This is not your fault. If you could create opportunities regularly out of nothing you would be playing professionally somewhere. For the rest of us, its all about getting good service. Second point: CF (Striker) however you want to play it (I mentioned Clint because he is not a role player--he is a true forward and goes to the space and, if there is no space, he creates some). Is a tough position. You are going to be double marked and unless you are coming back you are going to be tightly marked. This is not a bad thing, because it means that your wingers are isolated in 1v1 matchups. Third point: Wingers are usually fast so they want run at the defenses so that they are going full speed toward the goal making them very hard to defend. They need to be fast because they have to cover some ground to get into a dangerous position. CF (strikers) are usually quick because they need that sudden acceleration to create space for themselves. They usually are already in a dangerous position so they don't have to cover ground to get into a dangerous position. All they want to do is beat that first marker and shoot. They don't need to beat both markers. Fourth point: Quickness is about what we call "tactical speed." It includes everything necessary from seeing a situation, deciding what to do and then executing. One vital way for the striker to improve his tactical speed is to play the ball earlier. Don't wait for it to come to you. Don't wait for it to hit the ground. Get to the ball as soon as possible AND then play the ball in a new direction (if not taking a first-time shot). This first touch in a new direction changes the circumstances for the defenders so that they cannot just simply continue in the same direction to close you down. If the touch is done intellegently, you will create space for you to shoot with your second touch. If you watch strikers scoring many times you will see this two touch pattern when they have their back to the goal. Which brings me to the Fifth and Last point: Never stand with your back completely to the goal. Always be on an angle so that you can see upfield by simply turning your head. This makes you tactical faster in the turns because it saves you a step and gives you better vision. What you are dealing with is space, or more to the point lack of space for you to get a shot off.
To me, it sounds like you're having trouble creating your shot. I.E. getting the space to shoot. 1.) Are you one footed? Unless you're really good it's relatively easy for two defenders and a goalie to neutralize you. Being able to go the other way would help. 2.) Two-touch technique. Think Bergkamp and Henry. First touch sets up the shot and your 2nd touch IS the shot. Prepare mentally and physically for this and you'll start getting a leg up on the defenders. Even if it doesn't pan out, you're forcing them to defend on your terms, not theirs. Most inexperienced (sorrry) strikers receive THEN think about what happens next. The attacking third is so crowded and defenders are on high alert that you have to be thinking faster, thinking a play ahead. So you have to identify that space you want to attack with your first touch early. Constantly scanning and identifying space helps in this process. 3.)Using your body to turn. You're tall use that to your advantage. Bend your knees and get your arms out to establish your space. If that defender is on your back, "seal" them off to one side when the ball is coming in. Now you know where he is and you can see where his help is coming from and you can already just swing your hips around for a shot on goal. 4.) Help your midfielders by signaling WHERE you want the ball. Point to the ground right in front of you if you want it at your feet. Point to either side of you to tell them you want it more to a certain side. A thumbs up over the shoulder to get them to play it over you. Also, the above sealing to one side is another signal that obviously tells them to play it to the side you're facing, but even then you can signal if you want to be played in or played to your back foot. 5.)Body positioning. Independent of any defenders, inexperienced strikers don't prepare their bodies to get a one-touch strike on goal. They are facing the wrong way or their hips are turned that they can't get a body part to the ball played into a dangerous position. Study Robin Van Persie, he's a center forward but he's rarely back-to-goal—he's face up and doesn't need to turn to attack goal. If he's wider than the goal, he's facing toward the middle or toward the endline. If he's in the center of the field he's still facing goal or at least angled toward it. Playing like this requires a lot of moving to get free of the marker. This is a bit of victim thinking. You have to get out of this mindset if you're going to be a good striker. As the opposition gets better, no matter how good your midfielders/wingers are, opportunities will still be few and defenders will make it really hard to get those "golden" opportunities. The reality of playing striker is that you have to make the most of few chances. Sure, the more chances you get the probability of scoring goes up but you need to make a higher percentage of the chances you do have come out positively—goal, shot on goal, or corner kick. Lay-offs are nice so keep that up but know that you need to pick up the goal scoring too.
Thanks guys, that was helpful. Elessar, do you know a particular game of RVP that I could download in order to see how he plays? If anyone has got other things to add in, then feel free!
Without digging too hard, here's 20 goals of his. A vast majority, he has his body prepped early and hips facing or angled towards goal. Subsequently, most of his finishes can be first touch finishes. Also note that while not always a 4-3-3, he is working with wingers (Walcott and Gerv mostly). Generally When he has to take a touch, it's light and sets up his shot for the 2nd touch. This is the 2-touch technique that I'm speaking of. Here's one hundred RVP goals. In general, it's good to study strikers. It's so easy now with youtube, we didn't have this when I was young. And study not just ones you like or have a similar body/game but different ones too. More importantly, watch what they are doing away from the ball. At the 4:40 mark is a good example of "sealing" (well he didn't exactly have to seal him off but it's the same effect if he had had a defender on his back). 7:00 great 1st touch. Henry, on the otherhand, is a good study in how to get into scoring positions. If Henry can be "forgotten" by defenders, anyone can. At the 3:35 mark you can see him start in the left wing and by the end he's drifted, unmarked to receive Ljungberg's cross. In an earlier one, he just stands in place and let's everyone clear out and finds himself alone. In goal 14 he again, just drifts to the blindside of his immediate defender—this is another skill I'll add to my list, get on your defender's blindside, even for just a second then make a run off that. 6:18 is great 2-touch.
Besides which, standing at an angle will make you better at hold-up play too, because you'll be able to keep the defender farther away from the ball. Also, talk to your central midfielder at practice. If you like through balls better than crosses, which seems to be the case, you'll want to practice one combination in particular: laying the ball back and immediately turning to receive a through ball. With your back to goal, take a step or two away from goal, pulling your marker with you; lay the ball back to someone close; turn and make a short run into the space that you just created. If you can get away with it, push off the defender a little to slow him down when you're doing that. Let your teammates know you want the through ball right there rather than a cross.
You can try dropping of the lead striker role during the game, playing in the hole and spreading the play to the wing and then trying to time a run for a cut back at the edge of the box. Also arrange with the wide players crossing options during the game. near post or back post. generally unless they over hit them, they keep them low as I am playing striker at the minute but I am really a second striker. I talked with the wide players and we came up with a system, first 2 near post, 3 cross back post, other wing the opposite. It was may job to make the dummy run and lose the defender. I did manage to score a few goals last season through losing the defender at the third cross, at the back post. Having made to dummy runs to the front post, we caught the defence of guard. Our coach resigned last season leaving a player manager in charge so it was up to some of us to help out with the tactics. Organise a plan with the players you need to create chances for you, of course sticking within your coaches style