The Sweetest Volley - Skill Breakdown
- aaronptighe
- 25 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Oh, there's nothing quite like a beautifully struck volley that rockets into the net.
This is what happened with Arsenal's new signing Zubimendi against Nottingham Forest this weekend.
Forest had been defending deep and keeping Arsenal at bay until this quality piece of skill. Watch the 1st goal here:
A 1st person view for coaching lesson.
Hang outside the D of the box centrally. Forest have pulled all players back deep into the box to defend the corner. If the ball comes out, I can attack it, plus be ready for any counter-attack.
Madueke swings in the corner; it's going deep to the far post. Ok, move to the left to get ready for any clearance. Stay sharp, watch the ball. Chris Wood, for Forest, has risen high; he's heading it away, back towards the centre of the edge of the box. Shift weight now back towards the ball. Let's attack it and meet it. That's it—move towards the ball and time the steps. It's coming straight to me. Choice made—going to volley it.
Keep my chest straight on, arc my right foot up and over a small imaginary hurdle—keep my toes stretched out so I connect with the laces of the boot, through the centre of the ball, and aim for the centre of the goal. Make sure I don't hit under it, as I need to keep the strike low. And CONNECT! Follow through and bring foot down to the ground quickly for balance.
The ball is flying. It’s a sweet connection. It's clipped a defender's head slightly, helping the spin deflect further away from the keeper into the roof of the net like a rocket. GOAL! The Emirates Stadium erupts.
What a strike!
It's amazing to think that it's Zubimendi's 1st goal from outside the box with a technique like that. It was beautifully done—the attack towards the ball to meet it, the zoned-in focus to execute a perfect connection on the ball, keeping it all under supreme control. It's one of the great volleys.
One2Pro:
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Aaron Tighe
Founder, One2Pro
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