Knowing when to fire a well placed shot is one of the most important things in your game.
In this article I will try to help you with this by discussing situations where shooting is a NO NO! However, this doesn’t mean that you should never try to score from them. Let’s start…
From 40+ Yards
Shooting from 40 + yards is like passing the ball to your opponents. However, it can be done and you should absolutely try it out sometimes.
But, you need to be realistic and realize that passing the ball to a near standing teammate is a much better option.
Of course, there are situations when shooting from such distance is justified (for example: when the goalkeeper is standing to far from the goal line).
However, in 99% of the case you should look for a better solution instead of trying to increase your goal scoring statistic.
Shooting from The Side
Trying to score from the sideline can be done. However you need to keep in mind that your shoot needs to be really hard and accurate to make a threat.
My advice is to pass the ball to a better positioned teammate instead. The problem with shooting from the side is that your opponent’s goalkeeper will cover all possible ankles.
This means that you really need to fire a well placed shoot in order to score at him or her. However, if you plan to shoot from the side you will have much bigger chance to score if you use the inside of your foot.
You should also try to aim at one of the posts in order to make it harder for the goalkeeper to reach the ball.
One or More Better Placed Teammates
In soccer, it is important to shoot as often you can. However, you need to analyze every shooting situation carefully. Often, it will be a better idea to pass the ball to a teammate that is not marked.
By passing the ball your teammates will start to like you and also give you credits. However, if you take every chance as a shooting opportunity your teammates will soon or later start to complain on your game. Don’t be too selfish and share the ball with others. Keep in mind that soccer is not a one man game.
