Are you a soccer player who is struggling to score goals?
Are you trying to figure out why you can’t score goals as a striker?
Are you looking for the best and easiest way to score more goals?
As a long time player who has seen all types of different playstyles, there’s few reasons why you aren’t scoring goals consistently. There’s 1 simple trick, and I promise it isn’t as hard as you think.
Growing up, I had a personal trainer who drilled a certain mindset on me that changed the way I looked at the wonderful game of soccer forever. As a winger, I failed to score consistently, and personally I was sick of it. Everyone wants to be the savior of their team that comes in at the 90th minute and scores the game-winner every time without fail. Although I can’t promise this solution will be the end-all-be-all, I can guarantee that you will score more goals if you follow this one simple trick.
Now, what is that one simple trick you might ask? Shoot the ball.
I bet you’re thinking to yourself, “Wow, thanks Einstein. What a waste of time.” Read until the end, as I promise you’ll be scoring more goals during your next game or your money back. Luckily you won’t be needing to spend any money so sit back, relax, and take mental notes for your next game.
Now, obviously proper positioning, shooting technique and power, and everything else you do in the beautiful game of soccer is important to scoring goals. However, even the worst player, with enough shots on target, is bound to score against the best goalkeeper in the world.
So, what does this mean for you? It means you need to shoot the ball more. It means you can’t be afraid to take the shot, and all the preparation and all the perfect passes in the world won’t get you a goal unless you decide to shoot the ball. Every ball possession should end in a shot on goal, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a bad shot or a good shot, as long as you’re testing the keeper you’ve got a chance for the ball to go in the back of the net. You’re not going to win games by simply passing and dribbling. Goals win games, and with enough shots you’re bound to score at least one. So shoot often, and shoot as much as you possibly can, as even the worst shot can catch the goalie off-guard and end up in the back of the net.
Scoring more goals than your opponents is the main objective of a soccer match, and each time your team has control of the ball, the primary aim has to create shooting and scoring opportunities. All too many scoring changes are missed because players are simply too scared to miss. Whether it’s because of peer pressure or a bad coach/manager, don’t let anyone drill you out of shooting the ball.
Read below for five simple ways to improve your competence and confidence in front of goal and to simply score more goals.
1. Make Shooting The Main Aim
Some coaches spend a lot of time working on passing the ball, movement and support during attacking training sessions but they fail to reiterate the key point of these attacks, which is having a shot at goal. What occurs here is that the team is instructed on creating goal-scoring opportunities and are content with this, but not enough attention is given to the shot. Was it weak, well placed, on target, across the goalkeeper, worked the goalkeeper? All the analysis given is whether the shot went in the net or not.
“We played a brilliant game today but we failed to take our chances.” An often-heard comment in soccer matches. However, how can a team play brilliantly if they haven’t scored? More importantly, how can a team score if they don’t shoot the ball?
Advice: End Every Attacking Opportunity With A Shot
You must reinforce to your players that any attacking play should give rise to a goal scoring opportunity with a shot at goal being taken. You can improve this in two simple ways. First of all, ensure that every attacking player ends in a shot on goal. The first step is to simply get the shot off. Even if it’s a bad shot, there’s a higher chance the ball ends up in the back of the net from a bad shot than no shot at all. After consistently being able to end every attacking play with a shot, start practicing calling out which part of the net you’re aiming for during shooting and attacking drills.
2. Follow Up On Shots
While one player shoots the ball, there should always be someone following up on the shot. This means running towards the net after every shot, as a simple mistake by the goalkeeper can result in an easy tap-in goal. Following up on shots is an extremely easy and extremely under-rated technique which results in countless goals every season. Players and goalies alike are often lazy, whether they believe so or not. I can guarantee that most defenders won’t chase a shot to goal. Through a small 10 yard run, you can take advantage of lazy players and score the easiest goals of your life.
Advice: Practice Following Up On Every Shot During Training
Following up on shots is a simple and effective way to score more soccer goals. Train yourself to always follow-up on balls, whether you think the goalie will catch it or not. Ensure this becomes second-nature by following up every shot on goal during practice, and not stopping until the ball is out of play or in the goalkeeper’s hand.
3. Learn To Shoot With Your Weak Foot
Learning to shoot with both your feet is likely one of the most important skills you could possibly teach yourself. If you want to score more goals, you not only need to take shots and train your accuracy, but you also can’t be predictable. A player who can only shoot with one foot is extremely predictable, as the goalie knows exactly when the player is going to shoot. The most painful thing to watch is a striker who is set up to take a perfect shot with their left foot, but ends up moving the ball to the right side and losing control or losing too much momentum. Learning to strike with your weak foot makes you unpredictable, and when you’re unpredictable you will score many easy goals. This will also make you a more versatile player, being able to score from either side of the goal. With more options, you’ll have more opportunities, and thus more goals.
Advice: Repetitions With Your Weak Foot During Training
During practice, use your weak foot whenever possible. Learn to embrace weakness, and constantly strive for improvement. Make sure to keep at it, as the only way to improve your weak foot is to use it consistently. Eventually you’ll be shooting with your left foot as second-nature.
4. Encourage Shooting
A players’ mental attitude to shooting at goal is just as important, if not more so, than their technical expertise. You need to ensure that any attacking play finishes with a shot at goal. Possession of the ball means nothing unless it involves an attempt on goal. Not all efforts are going to result in goals, but failure to shoot means there is no chance of scoring. Setting up opportunities is one thing; however, not taking on the shot is another.
At times, players will be in a goal scoring position, but instead will choose to pass to another player. Usually this is because of nerves or lack of confidence and they opt to give the responsibility to somebody else. This ends up hurting the team, as delaying a shot on goal only hinders the chance of it ending up in the back of the net as the goalie has more time to prepare and position properly, while also allowing the opposing defense to come back and man-mark.
Advice: Analyze Missed Opportunities
The next time you watch your team play, whether it’s during a small a-side training session or a full game, observe how many chances there were compared to how many shots at goal were taken. Look at the ratio, then at how well the team are performing by encouraging them to attempt the shot.
Train yourself and your team to be confident and assertive when taking shots at goal. Teach them the importance of accepting responsibility for taking shots, regardless of the outcome. If a goal is not scored, at least they attempted the shot. Remember then to analyze why it was missed.
5. Failing to coach the right technique
Poor technique is the reason most goal attempts do not test the goalkeeper. Often this poor technique relates to how shooting practice during training sessions is run. For instance, how much of the session is allocated to shooting at goal from an assortment of different build-up positions? Positions such as connecting with a through ball, crosses from the left or right, receiving the ball to feet, then turning and attempting the shot. Or the various ball flights the players must get used to such as low shots, a bouncing ball, or a dropping ball.
Advice: Match-Oriented Shooting Drills During Training
In training sessions, ensure shooting is as match oriented as possible. Use the right size nets, vary ball flights and the type of service received. Ensure that players are confident shooting with either foot.
Final Thoughts
As a whole, learning to score more goals in soccer is not as difficult as it sounds. Go back to the basics and take your chances when you have them, as the only way to get better is through repetitions and attempts at goal. Simply put, you won’t score if you don’t shoot. Be confident in yourself and don’t be afraid to miss.