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Shooting.
Land on your shooting foot when shooting with power (Follow through).
Keep your knee and head over the ball.
Strike the center of the ball and strike through the ball.
Keep your toes pointed and your ankle locked.
Strike with power or place the ball into the corners.
Keep your hips square to your target.
Shoot often, and follow the ball into the goal. Many scoring opportunities are missed from uncontrolled balls by the goalie.
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The Various ways to strike a ball.
Instep - use the top surface area of your shoe just before the laces begin. Used to strike the ball with power.
Side of the foot - flat portion of your shoe (turn your body to the right or left depending up which foot you are kicking with. This is used more for accuracy and placement.
Outside of the foot - used to bend the ball, strike through the ball, use the outer surface of the front part of your foot.
Inside of the foot - used to bend the ball, same as above except inner part of your shoe.
Placing the ball in the net.
These are easy opportunities where you simply redirect a cross or pass into the goal with the inside of your foot. As with playing a simple pass, you don't need to hit the ball with much power, just keep your ankle locked and almost redirect the ball into the open space, usually low to the ground to the right or left of the keeper.
Again, there are always exceptions to the rules and if you can pull it off and score try new ways of shooting or putting the ball on goal. As a young player don't be afraid to take chances, although you should build up your basic foundation of skills and do the simple things perfect before trying to make heel passes or bending the ball with the outside of your foot.
Small Window.
If there is any opening take a shot. Look for those small windows where you can bend the ball around the defender and into the corner of the net. You are almost using the defender as a shield so that the goalie can't get a good look at the ball and where it is going. You don't necessarily need to beat the defender to get a good shooting opportunity, use the defender to your advantage to block the keeper and take a quick shot.
Many times your shot will end up being deflected by the opposing team and break through the crowd and slip into the goal.
Also, you want the opposing team to be worried about whether your are going to take a shot or not, so if there is a small opportunity or half chance take it with confidence. Whether it's a long range shot or a shot in amongst a crowd.
Half chances.
Follow up shots. You never know when the goalkeeper is going to drop the ball after someone has taken a shot. As a forward or attacking midfielder always be ready to follow up all shots and pounce on a shot that the goalie drops.
As a forward try to read the game and take risks when the ball is punted by the opposing goalie, see if you can read the play and see where the second ball will end up. Try to read where your teammate will redirect or flick the ball on to you. Often, the other team will miss hit or redirect the ball towards their own goal. Be ready to jump on those opportunities.
The Volley
As when shooting when the ball is on the ground, keep your ankle locked and strive through the ball. Although when striking the ball in the air make sure you are in a balanced position and you are not reaching out to far to meet the ball.
Half Volley
Meet the ball just after it bounces and is rising up off the ground. Rather than controlling the ball and taking another touch, you meet the ball on the run and strike through the ball.
Bicycle Kick
Keep your back to the target and your eyes on the ball. Bring the knee of your non-kicking leg toward your chest followed immediately with the same motion of your kicking leg. The movement of your legs will appear as if you're pedaling a bicycle backwards. Extend both arms and your palms facing the ground behind you to brace yourself.Â
Shooting drill.
Simply have a forward post up on the top of the box and form a line near the half-line of shooters who play the ball into the forward who lays the ball off to the right or left for his or her teammates to take a first time shot on goal.
Another option is to have players line up along the side of the goal and then form another line at the top of the box. The players along the side the goal play the ball with pace to the players at the top of the box, who then have three touches to get a shot off before the charging player closes them down.
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