Soccer

Chapter 14

Soccer fields – British English: Football pitches

Although playing fields can vary in size, from 90 to 120 meters long, and from 45 to 90 meters wide, all soccer fields have the same basic characteristics.

Soccer fields are rectangular in shape. There are two goal boxes. Each of these is 7,32 m in lenght and 2,44 m high.

The fields also have particolar lines drawn on them:

• A line that divides the field exactly in half. This line is called the halfway line. In the center of this dividing line there is a circle that has a radius of 9,15 meters.

• A rectangle, which is 5,5 meters wide and 18,32 meters in length, is called the goal area.

• Another rectangle around the above one, which is 16,5 meters wide and 33 meters high. This second rectangle is called penalty area.

• A spot which is 11 meters from the goal posts called the penalty kick mark (or penalty spot).

• An arc which is above the penalty area, called the penalty area arc.

Soccer

TARGETS

Get to know

brief history of Soccer Laws of the Game referee’s calls main formations notes on 5-a-side Soccer Get to know how to do

technical basics

team basics

General Rules of the game The teams

Teams have a total of 18 players: 11 are on the field playing, while the other 7 sit on the bench; up to 3 of these other players can be called in to substiute any of the original 11; once out, a player can not play again during the same match.

The aim of the game is get the ball to go into the opposing team’s goal without using arms or hands.

How long matches last

Matches are played in 2 halves, each of which lasts 45 minutes.

There is a 15 break between halves. The game is called

“continuous” because the clock is not stopped during interruptions in matches. However, the referee can decide to prolong the game to make up for lost minutes during the match, once the original 90 minutes have passed.

The soccer field (British English: Football pitches)

Sideline

5,5 m 16,5 m 9,15 m 11 m

Origins of Soccer

Penalty area

Penalty kick mark

Goal: height 2,44 m, width 7,32 m

Goal area

90-120 m

2 m

45-90 m

18,30 m middle line

Endline

NEWS

Game infringements

Players can not:

push, hit or try to hit, trip, charge recklessly, spit on, tackle from behind, or hold back any player from the opponent team.

If players do any of the above things, the referee blows his whistle and assigns a direct free kick .

During a match, players can not:

play recklessly;

block

play ball while the ball is offside (out of play).

If players do any of the above things, the referee blows his whistle and assigns an indirect free kick . This kind of sanction is easily recognized because the referee raises one arm and the ball can be kicked into the goal only after another play has touched it.

Direct free kick A player can shoot the ball directly into the goal.

Block

Keep a rival player from running towards the ball.

Indirect free kick The ball must be touched by two different players.

Direct free kick Offside

Indirect free kick

Goalee (or goalkeeper) infringements are also sanctioned with indirect free kicks. Main goalee infringements are:

using hands outside the goal area;

touching the ball with hands after it has been passed by a teammate;

while in possession of the ball, holding it for more than 4 seconds, or throwing it in after taking more than 4 steps.

Refereeing

Matches are directed by one referee. The referee is helped by 2 assistent referees (previously: linesmen) who must tell the referee:

• when the ball goes off the field and whose turn it is to play;

• when the ball is offside ;

• when a player is going to be substituted by another teammate;

• any fouls not noticed by the referee.

During official matches another referee’s helper, known as the

“fourth man”, decides how much time there is to recuperate at the end of the match, and tells the referee before the end of the official 90 minutes.

Like all other sports, players need to understand what the referee wants to tell them, so special signs are used by all referees.

Besides the gestures referees use to assign free kicks, they can also show a player a yellow card or a red card , when a player repeatedly behaves in an unsporty or dangerous way .

Basic techniques

Trapping (blocking or stopping)

Trapping is a technical move that permits a player to get the ball using any part of the body (except hands or arms), stop the ball in its tracks, and keep it under his control for the next move in the match.

To perform a trapping move, I must:

• choose which part of the body I’ll use to stop the ball (foot, thigh, chest, head);

• observe in which direction the ball is moving to find the correct distance from the ball;

• keep my balance, while relaxing the part of the body that will touch the ball.

Offside

A player is in the other team’s part of the field, and there are less than 2 defensemen, including the goalee, between him and the goal, and this happens when one of his teammates passes in front of him, and at the same time the player is in front of the ball.

Yellow card Warning.

Red card Send off (removal from the match).

Abc’s of the Referee Andrea Pirlo

Refereeing

Passing and kicking

A pass allows players to comunicate through the soccer ball, while a shoot is the end of an attack.

To properly pass and shoot a ball, I must:

• have a mental picture of where I’ll come into contact with the ball;

• find a balanced position which is also the right distance from the ball;

• raise the leg I’m going to kick with and hit the ball; when I hit the ball my calf must be kept rather firm.

The ways to hit the ball are:

• with the inside of the foot, for passes when the ball is directly on the ground, and for precise shoots;

• with the outer part of the foot, for short passes on the side;

The most common ways of trapping a ball are 5:

• using the sole of a foot, to trap the ball when it is rolling on the round or curved;

• with the top of the foot, to trap the ball coming from above;

• with the internal or external part of the foot when the ball is rolling on the ground, isn’t very high or is bouncing;

• with the abdomen, especially when the ball has bounced;

• with the chest, for a curved ball on the ground or in the air.

Trapping

(blocking or stopping)

• with the inner instep , for passes that are long, on the ground, curved, or shoots into the goal;

• with the instep, for precise shoots into the goal;

• with the outer instep, for precise shoots and effective passes;

• with the head, for brief shoots and passes;

• with the point of the foot, for shoots into the goal; although quite powerful, it is not easy to do.

Controlling the ball and dribbling

This actions allows to move the ball varying direction and speed while controlling it; when this is done to pass an opponent, it’s called “dribbling”.

While controlling the ball:

• one pushes the ball with soft, light movements, keeping the shin relaxed; the ball must be kept near the kicking foot;

• one runs at a speed where he can control the ball;

• one looks ahead of himself and not at the ball, except for brief glances to check it, or when a player is first learning how to play.

The ball can be moved with the instep, inner or outer foot.

Save (or block)

It’s what the goalee does to keep the rival team from scoring a goal.

Depending on the force and direction of the ball, the save can be done by:

• blocking the ball with the chest;

• saved with hands, above the head, or diving on the ground;

• pushed back using fists, with one or both hands, or with the feet.

Instep

The raised part of the middle of the foot.

Passing

Kicking

Controlling the ball Dribbling

Save (or block)

A

A¹ B

Team basics Attacks

Triangle. A player passes the ball to a teammate, runs ahead to pass a rival player, and gets the ball back again (see figure

“the triangle”).

Change position and stay on the sidelines

• A player who has the ball at his side passes it to a teammate and runs along the sidelines.

• The teammate who received the pass passes the ball to a third teammate and goes to take his place.

• The last player who now has the ball passes it back to the first player and runs ahead to help as needed (see figure position change).

A

B

A¹

C

B¹

C¹

Defense – British English: defence

Player to player. Each player has a rival teammate to guard, try to get that player to go towards the sidelines in order to gain control of the ball.

Zone Defense. The whole team guards the goal by creating a barrier between the goal and the rival team; of course the area to control depends on what attacking zone the rival team is in.

Mixed defense. Some players defend a particular area of the field while others guard a rival player.

Pressing. The team, using one or two players, exerts constant pressure on the rival team’s player who has the ball.

Position change

The triangle

Roles

In today’s matches, each player’s role is not standard, but dynamic and ever changing; just like the different plays during a match. We can distinguish 2 basic roles for players: defenders and attackers; every player is one or the other, depending on whether his team has the ball or not.

For example, if a player has the ball and brings it into his area of the pitch, and begins to attack, a rival player will try to block him by defensive play.

There are different ways to attack and defend, depending on which part of the pitch they take place; in fact, the field is divided into 3 different playing zones:

• The area in the team’s goal, including the penalty box arc (first line of play or defense zone).

• Middle of the pitch (second line of play or centerfield).

• Area of the rival team’s goal (third line of play or attack zone).

Player’s roles are divided into first, second and third line, and they all must defend or attack depending on which team has the ball.

Game Systems Player lineup

The lineup, or the positions the players go to on the field, are used to best adapt to the technical, tactical and physical abilities of the athletes (see figure 11, lineup) The most commonly used are:

• 4-3-3;

• 4-4-2;

• 5-3-2.

5-A-side soccer 5-a-side football

Because soccer is an easily played and well liked sport, it has been widely played with a limited number of players and space. This limited number of players and space has allowed people to play soccer even under conditions which aren’t always the best.

So, it was relatively easy to set up a set of rules for a game in a limited amount of space and that could be played either indoors or outdoors. 5-a-side soccer

starter in Uruguay in 1930. Professor Juan Carlos Lineup 5-3-2

Lineup 4-4-2

Lineup 4-3-3

Cerini realized that students were often forced to play soccer on a basketball court so he decided to adapt the rules for spaces that were originally designed for other sports.

Professor Cerini put together rules from soccer, waterpolo, basketball and handball for 5-a-side soccer.

The size of the field and the permission to shoot a goal once you’ve passed the halfway mark were taken from handball. Game time (40 minutes), number of players and their positions on the field were taken from basketball.

All the rules regarding the goalee were taken from waterpolo. Over the next few years 5-a-aside soccer spread all over the world.

It reached Italy in 1961 when the first Championship of 5-a-side soccer clubs was held. Until 1983 there were two federations and two championships, then 5-a-side soccer entered the FIGC. In 1989 the 5-a-aside soccer division was created and the federation delegated The National Amateur League to manage the championships.

Playing area

The field has a rectangular shape which is from 25 to 42 meters wide and from 15 to 25 meters long; the goals are 3 meters wide and 2 meters long.

On the field are:

• a halfway line, a circle that has a 3 meter wide radius;

• a 3 meter long parallel line that meets at the shorter sides of the field with one quarter of the circumference, located at 6 meters from the goal; the center of the circumference is the goalpost (6 meter line); at the center of the 6 meter line there is a free kick spot;

• at 10 meters from the free kick spot there is another spot (free kick).

Differences with 11 player soccer

Despite the many similarities between the two games, there are differences between them: the number of players, pitch, size of the goal, duration of game, general rules.

These differences allow each player to come into contact with

the ball more often, playing techniques are faster, and so are

passes and changes from defensive to attacking play.

While 11 player soccer allows players to be specialized in certain positions, the lower number of players in 5-a-side soccer demands that every player on each team works together, attacking and defending. Even when only one player lets his guard down, the rival team quickly gains an enormous advantage.

Numer of Players. There are 5 players (includine the goalee).

Other 7 players are available on the bench for substitutions and can enter or exit the game in any moment.

Playing surface and Pitch size. The sizes of the pitch allow matches to be held in gyms, while the size of the goals are reduced so that players are obliged to get close to the goal in order to try to score.

Game time. There are 2 periods of 20 minutes of real game time ; with a 10 minute break in between; each team’s captain can ask for a one minute break per half.

General rules of the game

5-a-side soccer rules copy 11 player soccer rules. There are some differences though, to allow for the different player number and for the different kinds and sizes of pitches.

1. Throw-ins are not handled with hands but kicked, and the offside position rule is not mentioned in the Laws of the Game.

2. For the free kicks, throw-ins or corner kicks, the distance required is 5 m.

3. The goalkeeper cannot:

• after having released the ball, receive it back from a teammate before it has gone beyond the half-way line or without it being previously touched or played by an opponent;

• touch or control the ball with the hands, in his/her own penalty area, if it was voluntarily passed to him/her by a teammate;

• touch or control with the hands a teammate throw-in in his/

her own penalty area;

• touch or control the ball with hands or feet, anywhere in his/her own half of the pitch for more than 4 seconds.

4. After the 5th foul (resulting with a direct free kick) a penalty kick is awarded to the opponents; the ball must be kicked by a player standing in the penalty spot. None of the other players, except for the goalkeeper, can stand in front of him/her while kicking.

Real game time

Whenever the game

is stopped, game

time is also stopped.

Player’s positions

Because defensive and attacking play are so quick, each player needs to be able to play every position. However, in better teams, there are players who play specific postions:

center attacker, pivot, outfielders and goalee.

Centerfielder defense. Usually a strong defenseman and good game organizer is assigned this role.

Pivot. Must be a good scorer, but mostly is a refrence point in attack play; able to rapidly change position and give other teammates the possibility to score.

Outfielders. Connecting points among the players, must be able to quickly adapt to the game being played.

Goalee. Because shots are usually violent and close, the goalee

must have quick reflexes much like a volleyball player in order

to block the ball; he must also have a good vision of the game,

to block and counterattack.

Basic Techniques

Basic techniques between 5-a-side football and 11 player soccer are not very different. They both ask for the same abilities.

One difference is the head butt, which is rarely used in 5-a-side soccer, because it’s better to play while the ball is on the ground.

Game (Player) Lineup

The most common lineups used in 5-a-side soccer are 2-2, 1-2-1, and 3-1 (see figure 12 Game or player lineup).

• 2-2. The players are in two lines, one attack and one defense; of course players change from attack to defense and viceversa.

• 1-2-1. Also known as the diamond, this position allows quick defense moves, while the center defenseman attacks and leads the game; at the same time, the center defenseman stays behind, ready to reorganize defense from a better position.

• 3-1. The 3 lined-up players pass the ball to the centerfielder who tries to get the team to move up by playing on the sides of the pitch.

Game (Player) Lineup 3-1

Game (Player) Lineup 2-2 Game (Player) Lineup 1-2-1

Questions

Concept Map