Effective Finishing in Soccer - Top Skills You Must Have

Finishing is a term in soccer that describes the skill of scoring. It is finishing the play off, getting the goal. Sometimes the term is used instead of shooting and sometimes scoring. The difference between just shooting and scoring in finishing terms is, finishing by scoring is successful. Just shooting is a finishing action but not successful. Finishing can be done by any part of the player other than the hands. Learning to become a great finisher takes a lot of practice and skill but pays off dividends for your team.

There are different types of finishing methods. One of the most common methods is the 1 v 1 or breakaway. In this the attacker is going up against just the keeper. There are different ways an attacker can play this, however, precision and skill usually win out over powering their way through. If you tap the ball in the low corner, you have a higher chance of scoring than you do if you were to just strike from way out going for the top 90. Keeping it simple and faking the keeper out are much more effective than playing big foot in this type of situation.

Shooting from far out is another type of finishing skill that a great finisher must keep in his quiver of skills. To be effective shooting from far distances, you must have a lot of power and be very precise in your aim. However, the two skills don't always go hand in hand, sometimes being very powerful can take away from accuracy. Knowing your opponent's keeper will help as well. Just like other players on the field, keepers have preferred sides. They have weaknesses as well and exposing their weak side with great power will usually result in a goal. Watch your opponent's keeper during warm ups and during the game to see which is his weaker side. Shooting from far away can be a very effective skill if you follow these tips.

Placement of a shot is another finishing skill that should be mastered. The top 90 is a saying that refers to the top corners of the goal. When shooting a ball this is a very difficult area to place the ball, but it is even harder for the keeper to make a save here. A lot of younger kids are taught to shoot here and mistakenly think that it is the best place to shoot a ball. In their younger years this is fine, but as an attacker that wants to develop his finishing skills and refine into a better player, the player must have a low in the corner killer shot. A low and in the corner shot is actually the hardest shot for a keeper to save. Practicing these shots for game situations whether on a breakaway or during a PK will help your finishing skills improve.

Finishing off a cross is another important skill for an attacking player to know. This can come from a corner kick or when a wing player is crossing the ball. There are lots of different types of crosses, but knowing how to finish these is crucial to a team's continued success. Getting the ball across the goal line is the only thing that matters. Which part of your body you use to finish off a cross doesn't matter. What matters is making a strong contact between you and the ball and placing it in the net. One of the techniques you will want to practice is using your head. If the ball is high in the air practice heading it downwards into the corner. This takes a lot of dedication to get a precise shot but is well worth the practice. Volleys are another technique a player can use off a cross. This takes a lot of practice to get the timing down right so that you can strike the ball with power. Do not try and force the ball too hard, it's about timing. Working on volleys is a great way to sharpen your finishing skills.

Soccer is angles. The game of soccer is about angles and finishing is no stranger ot that. Whether you are shooting near or far post, your angle has a lot to do with your success. If you shoot near post, the opportunity for a corner kick is higher with a miss, if you shoot far post the opportunity for a schlop goal is higher. You as a finisher must decide which angle is going to benefit your team in which situation. If you have a lot of your own players in the goal box, then you may want to go far post. If you are by yourself you may want to go near post, then if you have a miss, it sets you up for a corner.

Finishing takes a lot of different skill sets and is a part of your game that cannot be neglected. Great finishers are an excellent asset to any team and provide the momentum for the team in offense. Finishing can be a glory train if successful, but the point in finishing is the end result of a goal and eventually a win, not the glory behind it. Soccer is a team sport.