A major international soccer league reported on where and how goals were scored. Over 400 goals were recorded and we will provide an analysis of the results, and what it means from a coaching point of view.
Where The Ball Struck
In percentages, here is where the ball went into the net, looking at the goal:
Top Left: 8%
Top Center: 4%
Top Right: 5%
Middle Left: 7%
Middle Center: 8%
Middle Right: 6%
Bottom Left: 22%
Bottom Center: 21%
Bottom Right: 19%
What It means
This clearly validates what good coaches have been teaching their players for ages:
Shoot Low: 62% of all goals were scored low. This makes sense because it is most difficult for goalkeepers, especially tall ones, to get down to the ground. It is more natural for goalkeepers to jump high.
Surprisingly, the numbers were evenly distributed between left, center and right of goal. However, when isolating the corners, 67% of goals were scored in the corners and 33% down the middle.
Combining the above two statistics: Shoot Low into the corners.
From a goalkeepers perspective, the biggest improvement would result from training hard and diligent on saving low shots. Spend extra time and improve your positioning and agility to get the keeper low and into the corners faster. You might reconsider an old technique that has come somewhat out of favour, one which this author hasn't seen practiced very much: the foot save. It is a natural save to stop low shots.
Practice Idea
Take some time at the end of the practice with your strikers and goalkeepers and train shooting low in the corners. It will benefit attackers and goalies. Make a competition out of it. Every ball scored low in the corners is a point for the attackers and everyone saved is two points for the goalies. See who wins.
Next we will look at from which distance goals were scored.
