Mistakes are an inevitable part of life. There is no learning without encountering them, and football is no exception.
It is an exciting and challenging sport that demands a combination of physical fitness, technical skills, and game awareness. However, new players often lack these attributes, leading to a fluctuating improvement process.
Some mistakes are more prevalent among new players than others, and addressing them can significantly enhance their performance on the field.
7 Newbie Mistakes Every Football Player Makes And Their Solution:
1. Lack of fitness
Often, young kids don’t care about their physical fitness. They love football and are fortunate enough to afford everything required for optimal fitness, but they are solely focused on playing.
They need to understand that football is a physically and mentally demanding sport that requires lots of energy to master.
And without fitness, a player can never progress their game.
It’s important to build strength, endurance, and agility through training and also you need a proper diet and training plan and lots of discipline.
2. Communication issues
Football is a team sport, so communication is key, both on and off the ball.
New players may feel shy or uncertain about when and how to communicate with their teammates, but effective communication can significantly improve individual and team performance.
You can communicate either verbally or through gestures with your teammates during training sessions and games.
Effective communication builds team spirit and creates an environment where every player feels important and empowered to be a leader on the pitch.
3. Unnecessary rough play and over aggression
New players, “the bad boys” often don’t pay enough attention on when to use their aggression the proper way.
They run around like headless chickens and foul anyone and everyone on the field leading to injuries and bookings.
Their football is heading nowhere if they keep playing this way.
It’s important to know when to use aggression and when to succumb it.
For instance, check out this Federico Valverde tackle against Athletico Madrid. It’s ugly but it won them the cup. A player should know when to use aggression and sacrifice himself for the team:
4. Too much focus on the ball
While the ball is undoubtedly a crucial part of the game, new players can become overly fixated on it and lose sight of their teammates, opponents, and the overall tactics of the game.
They may run after the ball excessively and lose their positions, creating holes that opponents can exploit.
Remember, the ball runs faster than you do; that’s why it’s essential to maintain a balanced team formation. Tactics like ‘all-out attack’ can work, but they are risky against worthy opponents.
A coach can guide you and show you the positions on the field, but it will be you executing those plans on the pitch. Therefore, be intelligent in deciding when to leave your position for the ball and when to stay in your zone.
5. Lack of tactical understanding
Understanding the basic tactics and strategies of football is crucial for all players.
To make good decisions on the pitch, it’s essential to grasp concepts such as formations, defensive positioning, and offensive playmaking.
Without this knowledge, you may excel as an individual player but struggle to contribute effectively to the overall team.
6. Reliance on individual skills
While it’s important to have strong individual skills like dribbling, shooting, and passing, new players may focus too much on these skills at the expense of teamwork and strategy.
Everyone wants to be the hero on the pitch but football is a team game. You don’t always need to showboat.
Because these individual brilliancies often end up in loss of possession and waste of time on the ball. It can often lead to counter attacks and brilliant team goals by the opposition.
Self confidence is good but it’s important to know the importance of playing football as a team and bringing down opposition as a unit.
7. Lack of focus
Football demands unwavering focus and concentration for the entire 90 minutes of the game. New players may find it challenging to stay fully engaged throughout the match, resulting in mistakes and missed opportunities.
Every minute on the pitch holds significance, and it’s essential to maintain the same level of energy from minute 1 to minute 90.
Some Important FAQs Related To Newbie Football Mistakes:
1. Why are these mistakes common among new players?
These mistakes are common among new players because they are still learning the fundamentals of the game.
Football is a learning-on-the-job skill, and since new players lack experience with the physical demands and tactical nuances of the game, it is natural for them to make mistakes and need time to adjust.
A clever player is one who understands their mistakes and works on improving them.
2. How can players avoid these mistakes?
Firstly, players need to know and accept their mistakes. Understanding the problem is already half the solution.
Players can avoid mistakes by listening to their coaches and diligently working on the identified issues. It’s as simple as that.
3. What impact do these mistakes have on a player’s performance?
These mistakes can have a significant impact on a player’s performance, as they can lead to missed opportunities, lost possession of the ball, and even injuries.
Repeatedly making the same mistakes can hurt a player’s confidence and cause them to not reach their full potential in the game.
4. How can coaches help new players overcome these mistakes?
Coaches can help new players overcome these mistakes by providing clear instructions and feedback, and by creating a positive learning environment.
Additionally, coaches can design training sessions and drills that focus on specific skills or areas where players commonly make mistakes.
They need to educate their players not just about football but about life in general.
5. What are some additional mistakes that new players should avoid?
Some additional mistakes that new players should avoid include putting their blame on teammates, taking away all the limelight, discouraging teammates, and not caring about overall team performance.
In short, being selfish is an additional mistake both new and old players should avoid in football.
6. How long does it typically take for new players to overcome these mistakes?
The length of time it takes for new players to overcome these mistakes can vary depending on the individual player and the amount of time and effort they put into training and practice.
However, with honesty, consistent effort and good coaching, most players can overcome these mistakes within a few months to a year.
7. Can these mistakes be avoided through training alone, or is experience also necessary?
Football on the field is very different from the training ground.
While training is certainly important for improving a player’s skills and technique, experience is also necessary for players to truly understand the nuances and complexities of the game.
It is important for new players to get plenty of game experience in addition to training.
When you play games you make mistakes and when you work on fixing those problems in training you become a better player, so yes experience is very important.
8. What are some drills or exercises that can help new players improve in areas where they commonly make mistakes?
Some drills and exercises that can help new players improve in areas where they commonly make mistakes include passing and receiving drills, dribbling drills, shooting drills, and defensive positioning drills.
9. How can new players stay motivated and focused on improving, despite making these common mistakes?
New players can stay motivated and focused on improving by setting goals for themselves, practicing consistently, and focusing on their progress rather than their mistakes.
It can be helpful to work with a coach or mentor who can provide guidance and support along the way.
Always have role models in life. Whatever you want to achieve, someone has already done that. See how they accomplished it and emulate their process.
They often say Messi is a natural talent, but it’s ridiculous to claim that. Don’t take advice from people who have never kicked a ball. Everyone has worked hard to reach their level of skill, and you need to do the same intelligently.
10. What are some resources (videos, websites, etc.) that can help new players learn more about avoiding these mistakes?
There are many resources available to help new players learn more about avoiding common mistakes in football. Some good resources include Youtube channels like AllAttack.
Check out their video below on mistakes average players make:
Also, do check out websites like mypersonalfootballcoach.com and footballdna.co.uk. They have created lots of content for newbie football players.