Bad angles in soccer aren’t all that bad if you know how to use them. Sometimes, like when a defender is screening the keeper, a bad angle can turn into a good scoring opportunity. If you’re in on goal and off to the far right or left, at a bad angle, hit the ball hard and low, try to force the goalkeeper to make a save. Get your shot on goal at least.
If the keeper can’t save the shot the ball will most likely bobble into the middle of the goal box where other players will be crashing the area looking to knock home the rebound. What’s also surprising is just how many times shots go through the defenders legs as they try to block a shot.
Watch top 20 goals from insane or bad angles in the video below.
And for an amazing bad angled shot take a look at this Mo Salah’s goal for Liverpool.
Often, a soccer player will get pushed wide by a through ball or steered wide by the defender, seemingly losing their chance for a shooting opportunity, and instead of stressing out or feeling like you’ve lost your chance, try to remember you have some other options and make the best of it.
Use this bad angle to your advantage. Here are a few ideas:
- Sneak the ball low and into the near post with your dribbling foot – before the keeper has time to react, so first time
- Bend the ball with the inside of your foot, so it appears to be going wide but will bend into the goal
- Hammer the ball low and hard to the far post (hoping the keeper can’t control it and a teammate can follow up the rebound)
- Cut the ball across the goal mouth on the ground before the defender is able to close you down (hit the ball first time across the goal mouth)
- Fake like you’re going to shoot and chop the ball back so your back is now to the goal and play the ball back to someone who is trailing the play (you cut the ball away so you can shield the ball)
- Delicately chip the ball to the far post
- Back heel the ball to a teammate who is shouting for it
Or, if you’re at the bad angle, wind up like you are going to shoot the ball but cut the ball back to your other foot and bend the ball into the far corner. This is what Blanco did recently in the MLS All-Star game. That’s Scott Parker getting embarrassed on the cut back.
You’d think an English Premier League level player like Parker would know to stand the player up and would at least ascribe to this tenant of good defense when going up against a player of Blanco’s caliber. A player who’s known for doing the unexpected. Take a look at the goal in the video below.