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Passing.
Inside of the foot. This is the most common part of the foot you use when passing the ball. The part of your foot that gives you the most surface area, thus giving you the most control and accuracy.
Outside of the foot. This kind of pass is used when you want to bend the ball into a teammate or into an area, often your body is in a position where can't make a simple pass. Try to strike through the ball, following through with the upper portion of the outside of your foot.Â
Inside of the foot. Same as above but with the inside of your foot, wrapping your foot around the ball so the ball curves into your teammates feet or into an area as with a cross.
Long Passes (Driving the ball in to a teammate). If you are picking a player out you don't need to follow through the ball but instead, strike the ball sharply and stop your follow through just after hitting the ball.
To work on technique try kicking the ball against a wall. Make sure to use both your right and left foot. Keep your ankle locked and strike the center of the ball with pace. A firm pass is much easier to control than a soft or lazy pass.
Overall, passing allows your team to keep possession of the ball and find holes in the opposing team's defense. As a team try to keep the ball moving and spread the defense; taking advantage of open spaces. The best way to accomplish this is to play one and two touch.
While training you should try to make the situations game like, with the right kind of intensity and pressure (anybody can play keep a way when they aren't under pressure) but only the good player can do it under game like pressure. Try to make the areas you are playing in small so that there is constant pressure on those with the ball and then open the game up and play in a larger area when you are getting the right intensity.
Passing Patterns:
Give and Go or Wall Pass.
This is where you make a pass at an angle to a teammate and he plays the ball back to you after you have made a run behind the defender. The key here is suckering in the defender, let him get just close enough to you, where the defender thinks he or she has a chance of getting the ball, although not so close they can get a touch on your pass.
Once they are close to you and the angle is right, they're almost on their heels in a way, you make the pass and then break into the open space where you want to receive the ball.
It is important for the person making the pass (the wall) to put the right weight on the ball so the person initiating the give and go can run on to the ball and not have to break stride.
This is a very important play and essentially there are millions of variations and this is the foundation for organizing a support system on your team. You can play a give and go to create a scoring chance or to relieve pressure from a defender to have time to make a long pass.
Short short long.
This is two short passes and then a long pass to spread the defense or escape pressure. Two small give and goes and then a long pass as the defense closes in on you. Generally, in soccer your team will have time and space to make a two, three, or maybe four passes in a small area to escape pressure and then the next pass should be a switch or a longer pass that breaks from the pressure entirely. A few exchanges on the left with the forward and midfielders and then a switch to an open midfielder or defender on the right side of the field.
Third Man Running.
This is where you play a ball to someone knowing that there is another teammate reading the play and running to receive this pass from the player you just played the ball to. For instance, the defender plays a driven ball into the forwards feet because he or she sees their midfielder making a run towards the forward. Another example could be where the center midfielder plays the ball out wide to the winger or outside midfielder and the defender makes an overlapping run.
Checking Out - Opening Up Space.
Moving from a certain position or area to make space for a teammate. A wide midfielder makes a run into the middle because he or she sees the defender is moving up into attack.
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The Overlap.
Similar to the give and go in that this a stock (common) play in soccer, with a number of variations.
The most common type of overlap is when the outside midfielder cuts into the middle with the ball and the outside defender behind him makes a run down the line. This is more just simple run. An overlap is more when the player with the ball plays it to his teammate and then makes a run around that player. A center midfielder making a pass to a winger and then running around him or her to receive the ball down the line.
Make the Ball Do the Work.
The ball will never get tired. So make it work by spreading it around the field, always keeping the other team chasing the ball and expending energy. Play the ball into the forwards feet, get it back, swing it to the left defender get it back, play it to the forward get it back and then play it in behind the defense to an on rushing winger. It is kind of an amoeba like progression up the field. Of course, ideally there could be one or two passes and you're running at goal. There are many different styles to play and this depends upon your team makeup, the score of the game, what the conditions are of the field, and so on
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