Receiving the Ball

On my quest to continue to grow my offensive arsenal, I came next to receiving and controlling a pass. You must have a good first touch to set the ball up in a spot where you can either dribble or shoot. Also, having a bad touch could lead to a turnover if the ball gets too far away from you.

As is the picture above, my touch pushed the ball away from me, and made it easy to steal. Ace McCloud says, "All players should be able to receive the ball with just one touch. Using more touches increases the time that the other player can catch up to you and take the ball away"(McCloud). This touch of mine caused me to use more than one touch to gain control. This simply would not do in a game time situation.

Now after some more reps, I started to get the hang of it. My first touch left the ball right next to my feet. With doing so, I am easily able to control possession. I could shoot, dribble, or pass to a teammate instantly, which is essential to correctly receiving a pass.

Passing and receiving the ball are two of the most quintessential techniques in the game. They are used constantly throughout a match but are not easy to master. It takes a lot of time and effort to perfect these moves, especially when preforming them at game speed. So what do you think? What are some tips for controlling the ball better? Should I receive a pass off of my chest, knee, or leg?