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Category: Goals and action, but also a great teaching tool for coaches and players.

Suitable For: Everyone who enjoys watching goals being scored or who wants to learn more about how goals are scored.

Summary: This is a great, very well done goals DVD that is not only lots of fun but also very educational and a great teaching tool for coaches and players. Time will fly as you watch this video. The thing that is great about this DVD is that most goals are shown twice, once at normal speed, a second time in slow motion and sometimes from a different angle. Also, it doesn't just show the lucky or incredible goals, such as the shot from 30 yards out, it shows lots of normal goals, the type that normal players score and that are based on good positioning, team play and good coaching tactics. It also shows the build up of play, tells the scorer, the game and the date. Goals are shown by famous players such as Eric Cantona, Paul Scholes, Alan Shearer, Andy Cole, Teddy Shearingham, Robbie Fowler, Paul Ince, Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs. Watch for Les Ferdinand. He is as exciting as Andy Cole; an incredible striker, scoring in every way imaginable. He moves like Pele. So smooth and fast, an incredible athlete. He is the third leading goal scorer in the English Premier League history (Andy Cole is second and Alan Shearer is first). 404 English Premier League goals from 1992-1995 (yes, it still looks current and the quality of play is superb).

If you are interested in this as a teaching tool, watch for the following:

1. The location from which most goals are scored. Notice that most are scored from in front of the goal and inside the Penalty Mark (12 yards from the goal) when several attackers are in the area.

2. The runs and positioning of supporting attackers

3. What caused the goal? Some are individual brilliance, some are caused by dribbling, but many result from balls crossed to the goal front within 12 yards of the goal.

4. Notice that many goals are scored from the Far Post on a cross (these are very difficult for the Goalie to cover).

5. Notice that in the scoring area, one touch passes and wall passes are used play the ball to open space in front of attackers so they can run onto the ball.

6. Many goals originate from passes to space near the goal front ("passes to space" instead of "passes to feet").

7. Very few goals occur because a player makes a fancy "move". They mostly result from passing to attackers in front of the goal, inside the Penalty Box. The moves involved are usually simple body swerves, quick cuts, or a change of speed (few scissors or Coerver type moves). (However, it is important for young players to practice footwork and dribbling).

8. Occasionally, goals are scored on breakaways or from aggressive runs into the box, but at high levels of play the defenders are very good and don't allow those a lot.

9. Quite a few goals are scored from flick or redirected headers.

10. Scrappy, aggressive strikers will score goals on rebounds and second efforts. (Guys like Tony Coffee, Chris Sutton and Alan Shearer aren't as fast or athletic as Andy Cole, but they are smart, tough and position themselves well).

11. On Penalty Kicks, the Goalkeeper should stay on his feet until the ball is struck.

12. As many goals are scored using the inside of the foot as by instep drives.

13. Most headers are scored inside the Goal Box and many of the headers are headed down to the ground. If you have a player who can head the ball, having him play off the far post on corner kicks and crossed balls may be a good idea.

14. Many goals are scored from Set Plays (corner kicks, free kicks and PK's)

15. If there is one lesson here, it has to be that you can increase your odds of scoring by getting several attackers in front of the goal and then passing the ball into that area. Many goals are due to having attackers in front of the goal and sending the ball there.
16. Smart, unselfish attackers will dribble to draw defenders, which will create the opportunity to pass to an open teammate (versus being selfish, dribbling too much and losing the ball). The players who can create scoring opportunities in this way are very valuable and deserve credit for the goals that result from their assists. As a coach, you should always give these players immediate credit for the assist, and do so in front of all players and parents.You should also insist that the first thing the scorer does (instead of trying to grab the spotlight and all the glory) is to thank the player who made the assist by giving him or her a "high 5" that everyone can see (a 'thank you" that all the other players and spectators will notice). This is a way to publicly say "thanks for the assist, I recognize that you allowed me to score this goal".

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