Switch the point of attack with a lofted pass

By Tony Carr

It is important to be able to pass the ball over long distances because it is often the quickest way to exploit the space behind a defence, or the fastest method of switching the point of attack.

This is the technique:

• Angled approach.
• Lean back slightly.
• Strike with the laces.
• Strike the bottom half of the ball through an imaginary vertical line that bisects it.
• Firm ankle, extend the kicking foot.
• Sweep through and across the ball.
• The non-kicking foot is diagonally behind the ball but not immediately next to it.
• Keep the head steady.

Players stand in two lines at opposite ends of the area and take it in turns to hit lofted passes to the opposite side of the playing area.

Put one player in each of the zones. The player at the end side-foots a pass along the ground into that zone, where the player in the zone returns it.

The player at the end controls it, then hits a lofted pass to the far side over the heads of both players in the middle. The sequence is repeated at the opposite end.

A further development involves the middle player running towards the player at the end to exert some pressure after hitting the return pass. To increase difficulty, the lofted pass can also be hit first time.