“My team just hoofs the ball forward and I never get any service. What can I do to make sure I see more of the ball?”
Lee Power, via email
Adam Le Fondre says:
“I had a lot of practice with this when I was at Rotherham because we played a direct style and that doesn’t suit my game. I prefer to have the ball into feet.
But from a young age I was taught to always be on the move. I always try to look busy and make a nuisance of myself.
If you hassle and pressure the defenders they’re more likely to make an error, which could lead to a scoring chance.
Even if your team is not getting the ball forward, you have to keep getting in the right positions to score.
It sounds obvious, but if you’re not putting yourself in there, you’re not going to score. Your team might only create one chance, but that’s all you need.
You can go looking for the ball, but you don’t want to lose all your discipline. You need to be aware of the team’s tactical plan. If you go chasing it, the team loses its shape.
One thing you can do is to make runs to stretch the defence to create space for the midfielders to exploit.”
For more football tips see:
Charlie Austin: Rediscover your goalscoring touch
Darren Bent: How to be a maestro of movement
Rickie Lambert: How to hit the back of the net
