A simple and great exercise is to dribble in a small square and have an opponent try to take the ball from you. Use your body to shield the ball from the defender. Always keep your body between you and the defender. Tell your friend or the person who is acting as the defender to fight for the ball with a game like intensity, pushing you and playing so hard they are almost fouling you. You can add more players and if the defender wins the ball you switch roles. This game can eventually build into a possession game that focuses on shielding. You can call out to stop play now and again which ever team doesn’t have the ball has to do push-ups or a few sprints.

When you can, carry the ball into the open space – all the while shielding the ball from the defender. Carrying the ball with the inside of your foot, this is the where you will get the most control, kind of dragging the ball along as the defender pushes against you. Make sure to bend your knees and have a strong sense about you that this person is not going to get the ball from you. Then, try to work on cutting the ball back and forth. Practice shielding the ball using all parts of both of your feet.

Try shielding the ball for a few yards with the inside of your right foot and playing it to your left and carrying it in the other direction. Next, you can use the sole of your foot to turn or switch directions. Try to use all the different surfaces of your foot without letting the defender get a touch on the ball. Chop and cut the ball back with the inside and outside of both feet. Keep the defense honest by turning and taking the defender on from time to time.

In the professional sphere, usually a free kick a specialist will step up and take the kick without trying to pull any tricks out of a hat. It’s simply an expert bending the ball into the back of the net, whether that expert is Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Riquelme, Totti, Ronadlinho, Juninho Pernambucano, or Zidane. It’s one or two steps, and purely a duel between the free kick taker and the goalie. With these experts, usually the keeper ends up hopelessly watching as the ball whizzes by him.

Then there are the power shooters, like John Arne Riise of Liverpool or Roberto Carlos, both take a relatively longer run up to the ball and rocket the ball into the net. Carlos is famous for his outside of the foot shots, tres dedos, which do have a ton of spin on the ball. The fact is, when you hit the ball with that much power, the ball is going to move. Cristiano Ronaldo has hits the ball with power, putting some funky spin on the ball too.

With the power shot though, the goalie usually doesn’t have much of a chance if the ball is anywhere near the goal. With the rest of the team crashing the goal mouth in a coordinated fashion, seizing on any misplays by the keeper, it’s hard to not give up a goal.

But let’s look a bit closer at the free kick options, from tricks to some simpler plays:

Simple Pass
The pass to one player who stops it with the top of his foot and then moves out of the way so the kicker can strike it. The player is screening the ball but also enables the shooter to get a better angle around the wall by passes it a few yards. May pass the ball just a yard or two but to the side of the wall so the player can hit it dead on. This is often used for an indirect free kick, where another player has to touch the ball.

Fake Shot
One or two players run over the ball as if they’re going to strike it, peeling off to the sides, as the chosen player then takes the shot. The keeper and the wall don’t know who’s going to end up taking the kick.

The Dance
Two players shield the ball and one player runs through as if they’re going to strike the ball, the fourth player then ends up taking the kick. So two players screen the ball, one player runs through them as they peel off, and the fourth player strikes the ball.

Sole Stop
Three players total are involved. One player, on the side, plays the ball to a player a few yards away, who stops the ball with the top of their foot (sole of their foot), and then the player in the center ends up striking the ball. The keeper doesn’t know if the first player is going to hit it or the player in the center.

Three Pronged
Three pronged approach. Players on the left, right and then in the center. The keeper has a hard time picking a side to lean to or anticipate diving to when he doesn’t know who’s going to take it. Picture Beckham, Giggs, and Rooney standing around the ball, one on the left, one on the right and then one at the top of the ball. Not a pleasant site for a keeper to see.

Single Screen
One player stands in front of the ball and the player at the top of the ball runs up and strikes the ball. Keeper won’t see the ball until the last second. Hopefully when it’s too late to reach the ball.

Quick Kick
The quick free kick before the keeper and the wall have are set. Make sure the referee hasn’t said they’re going to blow their whistle before the kick can be taken.

Double Screen
This is where two players stand in front of the ball so the keeper can’t see who’s taking the free kick or where the ball is going until the last minute.

Split Stance
Two players line up at the ball and the keeper or the wall doesn’t know who will take the kick or how the ball will bend. Usually two players stand in front of the ball, one on the left side, ready to take the ball with their right foot. And then the other player on the right side, ready to take the kick with their left foot.

Power
The hard kick or rocket shot to force the goalie to make a save and the rest of the team charges the goal mouth looking for the keeper to drop the ball. Purely want to make sure the shot is on target.

The Trailer
The pass to another player at the top of the box. Two players on the ball, one to the side, and one directly behind the ball, and then another player sort of trailing the play. This player sneaks up about ten or so yards away even with the free kick taker, say at the top of the box, just before the kick is taken. Player on the side runs up as if they’re going to shoot, but plays a square ball to the trailing player who now has a clear shot at goal away from the wall.

Chip Far Post
A read herring is when something is used to get people off track, or pull their attention to something else. This is like the chip far post. The chip to the far post when everyone thinks you’re going to strike the ball on goal directly, but instead you send the ball in like a cross. Even trying to head the ball across the goal mouth after the chip is a good idea, pulls the keeper to the far post and leaves the front of the goal exposed to your on rushing team.

Over the Wall Chip
The chip over the wall to a player (your teammate) who’s standing in the wall) – this player spins and strikes the ball. There must be enough space behind the wall though for this to work. Usually helps to overload the far post with players to drag as many players to that zone as possible – and disguise the play.

Shoe Tie
A player bends down as if they’re going to tie their shoe. Another player comes over to survey the scene so to speak, standing right next to the player tying their shoe. Another player stays behind the ball ready to shoot – but looking down at the person tying their shoe, not looking like they’re going to shoot. Player who’s tying their shoe then pokes the ball through the player’s legs who’s come over to help, the player at the top of the ball strikes the ball on goal – hopefully surprising the other team. The ball played through the legs gives the shooter more of an opening as it’s now a way from the wall.

Bricks in the Wall
This is where you post two or three players at the edge of the wall, to shield the ball from the keeper and where the ball is going. It can become a battle though, as the other team will fight to keep your players out of the wall. Teammates in the wall are also good targets. If you can pick out the head a teammate they can duck when you take the kick.

Across the Top
If the free kick is out wide, where you’d normally cross the ball like a corner, instead of swinging in the cross, have one player run over the ball and the other play the ball along the top of the box to a player who is waiting to strike the ball home from the top of the box.

Copyright and Source: Soccer Training Info

For example, have a defender, who is positioned on the right side, play a forty yard ball towards the top of the box. There, a forward is checking back to receive the ball. This run back by the forward can be just a five to ten yard run, first dragging the defender towards the goal and away from where he wants to receive the ball, and as a result creating the space he wants to check into. The forward then lays the ball back to a center midfielder, who plays the ball down the line to the defender who has made an overlapping run, and then crosses the ball into the box. The midfielder and forward make near and far post runs, and the defender picks one of them out with a cross.

Have each of these players rotate into the next position. The forward becomes the defender, the midfielder becomes the forward, and the defender becomes the midfielder.

Next, develop and create your own patterns. For instance, a defender plays the ball into the midfielder, who plays it back to him and then serves the ball into the forward. The forward lays the ball back to the midfielder, who then plays the defender down the line. Then the defender crosses the ball (picking out a player with the cross). Vary the passes, make all the passes in the air, keep all passes one touch, add in a cross-over exchange (where a player dribbles at a teammate and then exchanges the ball), and/or make it so all passes are played with your weak foot. Make the passes sharp and play them away from where the defender would be. Add more players and increase the number of passes that are made before a cross or a shot is taken on goal. Have a player overlap the defender and serve the ball in for a cross; have the midfield begin the play with a pass to the defender who then plays it to the forward and back to the midfielder. Have the ball played down the line to the defender, who swings in the cross.

Always try to finish with a shot on goal after running through a few patterns. Also, make sure every player or position gets a touch on the ball before a shot or cross is taken.

Make the patterns game-like by playing the ball with pace and making all of your touches sharp, as if you are under pressure. Start out walking through these patterns and then build up speed as your team becomes accustomed to the runs (patterns). When you are beginning to run through the patterns at a faster pace, make sure the angles of the passes are sharp and the runs are at a game-like pace.

All the players should try to check back to the ball as if they have a defender on them and make angled runs back to the ball. These runs don’t have to be long – even just two or three yards (quick cuts). Again, the overall idea is to concentrate and make these patterns game-like, turning them almost into exact set plays, to the point where your team could run through them in their sleep.

Here are some handy drills, patterns, and tips you can put into practice.

Full Field (11 players):

Have the keeper throw or punt the ball to the forward, who controls the ball and plays back to a defender. Developing a passing pattern, where each player on the field gets a touch on the ball and a series of a wall passes, dribble exchanges, overlaps, and a long switch, are included in the routine.

Half Field (6-9 players):

The left defender plays the ball to the center midfielder, who then plays it to the right back (switching the field). Right back plays the ball to the right midfielder who plays again to the right back. From there, the ball is served into the forward who is checking back. The forward lays the ball back to the center midfielder – who plays the ball to the right or left back, with both overlapping on the outside. The forward and center midfielder make near and far post runs and the midfielders crash the box for a ball that might pop back to them.

Small Space (top of the box; 3 players):

Begin the drill on the far corner of the top of the box. Right midfielder does a dribble exchange with the center midfielder, who takes the ball down the line and whips in a cross to the forward and right midfielder. Incorporate the wall pass and overlap into this pattern. Vary the passes. Play the ball short so the player has to come back to the ball. Play the ball sharply so they have to play one touch, and then when playing the ball to the player for the cross, play the ball hard to their feet and down the line so they have to run on to the ball.

Elements to focus on:

• Communicate. Say man on or turn, dictating how the pattern will evolve. If someone says ‘turn,’ then the ball or pattern will need to go forward. If someone says ‘man on,’ then the ball will come back again before it goes forward.
• Move in your position’s sphere. Make short, angled runs back to receive the ball or cuts into space.
• Every player should get a touch before a cross or shot is taken.
• Add in a few defenders as the drill progresses.
• Vary the passes: all in the air, on the ground, or chipped (lofted passes). All passes with right or left foot.
• Play driven balls.
• Require the players to score with their heads.
• Insert one long switch before you can go to goal (switch must be in the air).

More Drills and Exercises

1) This is a good warm-up and also good to do once a week: In pairs about five yards away from one another, one player tosses the ball in the air to his or her teammate’s right and left inside of the foot, top of the foot, thigh, chest, and head. Go through the cycle about ten times each – ten times on the left inside of the foot and instep and so on. Keep your ankle locked and hit sharp passes back to your teammate.

2) Keep away in a tight square, starting out without restrictions, and then go to two touch, and then one touch. Towards the end, make it a competition where the team who completes ten passes first wins.

3) Follow your pass (groups of three). This is a good warm-up drill as well as good for improving and maintaining your technique. Remember to always play crisp and sharp passes. You can set this up at various distances to work on both short and long passes.

Start out ten to twenty yards apart and simply pass the ball to your teammate who then passes the ball to the next player in a rotation; you get a good warm-up by following your pass. Start this drill using only two touches and then move on to one touch. Have the player who is making the initial pass close down the player who is receiving the pass, acting like a defender – force the player to go one direction. Make them control the ball to one side or the other with just two touches, one for control and the other to make the pass. Make one clean touch to the side and then make the pass.

Next you can spread out to thirty or forty yards away and play the ball in the air, trying to maintain the rotation and sharpness of the drill with two touch play and driving the ball into your teammates. A lofted pass is easy for the defense to intercept and gives them time to close your teammate down. You can practice all types of passes – chips, bending the ball, half-volleys, and low driven balls.

4) It’s a good idea to finish a day of practice with some crossing and finishing. Have your defenders and midfielders serve the ball into the forwards who make near and far post runs.

When doing a crossing drill or any drill, try not to hit a ball that is still. Have a teammate play the ball into the players who are crossing the ball – either a crisp pass into their feet or play a ball ahead of them. It is not a game-like situation if the ball is dead and not moving. The next player in line plays the ball to the person who is crossing the ball. Use a crisp pass to start the play. Forwards line up at the top of the box – making near and far post runs, midfielders and defenders out wide.

ACL Injuries in Women

Female athletes are more prone to ACL tears

By Jonathan Cluett, M.D., About.com

Updated: January 1, 2008

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Kate Grossman, MD

Copyright and Source: About.com

Female athletes are known to have a higher risk of injuring their ACL while participating in competitive sports. Unfortunately, understanding why women are more prone to ACL injury is unclear.

Several studies have been done, and what is well known is that in sports that place a significant demand on the ACL, such as basketball, soccer, cheerleading, and others, ACL injuries are up to ten times more common in women than in men.

It is no secret that men and women are built differently, have differently shaped skeletons, have unique body types, etc., but no one knows exactly what causes ACL injuries to be so much more common in women.

Some theories are:

• Hormone cycles are different
  Ligaments, like many other tissues, are affected by hormone levels in the body. ACL injuries are known to most commonly occur in the pre-ovulatory phase in women. Furthermore, women on oral contraceptives are thought to have a lower rate of ACL injuries than women not taking oral contraceptives.
• The ACL is shaped differently
  Women have a slightly smaller ACL, on average, and the place where the ACL passes through the knee joint, the intercondylar notch, is slightly smaller. These anatomic differences may account for a greater susceptibility to ACL injury.
• Women play sports in a more upright position
  Men are thought to assume more of a crouching posture while playing sports such as soccer or basketball. The ACL is usually injured when the athlete is in more of an upright position. Also, women who participate in so-called neuromuscular training programs that teach balance exercises have a similar rate of ACL injury as men who did not participate in the training.

These are some of the theories, but unfortunately, no one knows exactly what causes the increased risk of ACL tears in women. More investigation is constantly taking place to better answer this question.

What is known is that women are more prone to ACL injury, and that neuromuscular training programs can lower the risk of ACL injury in female athletes.

Information about anterior cruciate ligament injuries

By Jonathan Cluett, M.D., About.com

Updated: January 1, 2008

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Kate Grossman, MD

Copyright and Source: About.com

An ACL Injury – ACL Tear

What is an ACL injury?
One of the most common problems involving the knee joint is an anterior cruciate ligament tear. The anterior cruciate ligament (also called the ACL) is one of four ligaments that are critical to the stability of the knee joint. A ligament is made of tough fibrous material and functions to control excessive motion by limiting joint mobility. Of the four major ligaments of the knee, the ACL injury is the most common knee ligament injury

.

What is the normal function of the ACL?
The anterior cruciate ligament is the primary restraint to forward motion of the shin bone (tibia). The anatomy of the knee joint is critical to understanding this relationship. Essentially, the femur (thigh bone) sits on top of the tibia (shin bone), and the knee joint allows movement at the junction of these bones. Without ligaments to stabilize the knee, the joint would be unstable and prone to dislocation. The ACL prevents the tibia from sliding too far forward.

The ACL also contributes stability to other movements at the joint including the angulation and rotation at the knee joint. The ACL performs these functions by attaching to the femur on one end, and to the tibia on the other. The other major ligaments of the knee are the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL, respectively).

What happens when there is an ACL injury?
When an ACL injury occurs, the knee becomes less stable. The ACL injury is a problem because this instability can make sudden, pivoting movements difficult, and it may make the knee more prone to developing arthritis and cartilage tears.

Why are ACL tears such a big problem?
When the knee is unstable, patients often complain of a sensation that the knee will ‘give out’ from under them. When this giving way sensation is because of an ACL injury, the knee joint is sliding too much. This can be a problem because each episode of instability (the ‘giving way’ sensation) can cause damage to the knee cartilage. Therefore an ACL injury makes patients more prone to developing arthritis and meniscus tears.

Athletes often have particular difficulty once they have sustained an ACL injury. Many sports require a functioning ACL to perform common maneuvers such as cutting, pivoting, and sudden turns. These high demand sports sports include, but are not limited to:

• Football
• Soccer
• Basketball
• Skiing
• Gymnastics
• Hockey (Ice and Field)
• Wrestling
• Lacrosse
• Rugby

Patients may be able to function in their normal daily activities without a normal ACL, but these high-demand sports may prove difficult. Therefore, athletes are often faced with the decision to undergo surgery in order to return to their previous level of competition.

What factors contribute to ACL injuries?
ACL injuries can strike anyone, but there are certainly some individuals more prone to ACL injury. Sports listed above can cause high forces to be placed on the ACL. Participants in these sports are especially prone to ACL injury. Another factor that contributes to ACL injuries is the gender of the patient. In college basketball, women players may be up to 8 times more likely than their male counterparts to sustain an ACL injury. There are different theories as to why women are especially susceptible to ACL injury.

What are the symptoms of an ACL tear?
An ACL tear most often occurs during sporting activities when an athlete suddenly pivots causing excessive rotational forces on the ligament. Other mechanisms that can cause an ACL tear include severe trauma and work injuries. Individuals who experience ACL tears usually describe a feeling of the joint giving out, or buckling–patients also often say they hear a “pop.”

Signs you may have sustained an ACL tear:

• • Sudden giving way of the knee
  • Hearing a ‘pop’ at the time of injury
  • Sudden swelling of the knee joint
  • Pain in the knee when walking

What should I do if I think I have an ACL tear?
Patients who think they have an ACL tear should be evaluated by their doctor. An ACL tear may be difficult to diagnose immediately after the injury because of associated pain and swelling. There may also be muscle spasm that contributes to making the knee difficult to examine. Therefore, it may not be possible to conclusively determine the presence of an ACL tear soon after the injury. If an ACL tear is suspected, you will return for follow-up evaluation with your orthopedic surgeon.

How does my doctor make the diagnosis of an ACL tear?
The presence of an ACL tear is suspected whenever a patient has an injury to their knee. In the orthopedists office, knee instability can be assessed by specific maneuvers performed by your physician. These maneuvers test the function of the ligament to determine if an ACL tear is present. The most commonly used tests to determine the presence of an ACL tear include:

• Lachman Test
  The Lachman test is performed to evaluate abnormal forward movement of the tibia (shin bone). By pulling the shin bone forward, your surgeon can feel for an ACL tear. If there is an ACL tear, the shin bone will move too far forward.
• Pivot Shift Maneuver
  The pivot shift is difficult to perform in the office, it is usually more helpful in the operating room with a patient under anesthesia. The pivot shift maneuver detects abnormal motion of the knee joint when there is an ACL tear present.

What other tests are needed to diagnose an ACL tear?
A complete examination of the knee is also necessary to determine if other injuries may have occurred that could be causing your symptoms.

Your physician will also evaluate x-rays of the knee to assess for any possible fractures, and a MRI may be ordered to evaluate for ligament or cartilage damage. However, MRI studies may not be needed to diagnose an ACL tear. In fact, the physical examination and history are just as good as a MRI in diagnosing an ACL tear! Many patients are concerned when their doctor does not order a MRI. While the MRI may be necessary in some cases, it is not necessary to diagnose most ACL tears.

Will I need an operation for an ACL tear?
The decision as to whether or not to operate on an ACL tear is dependent on several factors. Some patients who experience ACL tears are able to resume normal daily activities without surgical reconstruction of this ligament. There are some important factors to consider in making the decision as to whether or not operative treatment of an ACL tear is needed. These factors include the age of the patient, the activity level of the patient (both recreational and occupational), the expectations of the patient, the ability and willingness of the patient to participate in post-operative rehabilitation, the degree of instability of the joint, and any other associated injuries to the knee (e.g. other ligamentous or meniscal problems).