I initially learned the more natural pull side. Could hit it very quickly and long, fairly consistent, but had not options. Learned a straight (not flipover, still with backswing). Then after a long time, learned the motion for push side and practiced almost exclusively that to really get it down. Now I hit the push more consistently than the pull, which often either doesn’t move enough laterally, or mishits and sprays wide. WTF is that all about. I remember going through this learning the rollover, where I learned the push and started losing the pull…
What’s the best way to learn about this shot? Watch a bunch of Frederico tape? Live in a French speaking country for 5 years? Move to Norfolk, VA or North Carolina?
Hi,
this is Stefan from Germany. Best way to learn the front pin is play the german loewen soccer tour for a year, where almost everybody uses a front pin series ;.)
Even if I’m a tornado- and not a loewen-player and (try to) shoot a rollover instead of the front pin, I get scored often by forwards using the european front pin and try to give you some hints:
The push is ALWAYS the weak side, like a push-shot is weaker than a pull-shot. Even If you loose against Frederico, you will see that he prefers pulls.
You have much more control while moving with a front pinned ball when you use your hand instead the wrist like a snakeshooter which means that the defense have to open new holes, and that is one of the biggest secrets of this shot. Tapping around can give you the chance to force the defense to open the hole YOU WANT, instead of waiting for the hole to open. You have much more control on the defense, because you act and the defense has to react while a snakeshooter has to react on a fast moving defense.
Precision is more worth than power. You don’t have to hit the ball as hard as a snakeshooter, because you have more holes to score than a snakeshooter. These holes are the angle holes. For a simple “pullside reverse angle shot” place the front pinned ball in the middle.Than just roll slowly over the ball (keep the contact to the ball) to the pullside until it’s pinned only with the edge of the man’s foot. Lift the man of the ball, get behind it and angle it to the pushside corner of the goal. Secret is that you do this motion without opening your hand.
At the beginning try to find a comfortable shooting point. Frederico is able to shoot from any point to any side. But if he is blocked often, he “goes back” to his most comfortable shooting point, lift the man and starts his helicopter shot. Try to find the best position to score a long pullside, than work from this point to score the pull. Shoot never more than ten to one side to practise, than switch to the other side.
Some mistakes:
- The ball is pinned to far back (reduces power) or front (loosing the ball while tapping around).
- The thumb is on the wrong side of the handle. It must on the top on the handle or on the same side as the fingers are.
- Not enough swing after hitting the ball (spraying).
- The man is not straight behind the ball (spraying).
- Wrong hand position on the handle. You must be able to roll the handle for about 180 degrees ( 90 degrees backswing, 90 after shooting).
Some exercises:
- Tap around for ten minutes.
- Test your lateral speed. Does the ball goes fast to the wall and comes back to you middle man?
- Play the front pinned ball from on the side of the goal and catch it at the the other side.
- Hope that will help you to score more often.
Happy foosin’
— Stefan Janssen