The sitter: Why football players miss easy chances

It happens nearly every weekend in major football leagues such as the Premier League and La Liga. Football players miss easy chances right in front of the goal. Yes, a missed sitter can be an incredibly frustrating event but there are reasons football players miss easy goals.

Let us look at some reasons why players miss sitters.

1. Poor shooting technique

If you miss routine goals on a regular basis, it could be due to a poor shooting technique. The problem could be caused by striking the ball wrong, getting your feet mixed up, or connecting with the ball with the wrong part of the foot. Practice and training can help you get your footwork and striking correct.

2. Having shooting practice against defenders

Shooting practice against an empty goal can be useful for helping you get your feet and striking correct. However, adding a defender or two to your shooting drill will give you an experience of where to go and how to react to playing against others. Adding a defender to your shooting drill will help you deal with the pressure experienced when playing in a match.

3. Hesitation and taking too much time

One of the biggest issues football players have when in front of goal is hesitation and taking too much time with the ball. Often times, players do not have as much time as they believe when they get the ball in front of goal. It leads to them doing too much in front of goal and striking their shot wide or with too much power.

4. Speed and timing

One reason players miss easy chances in front of goal is due to a lack of speed and strength. A lack of speed can prevent a player from getting on the end of a chance and tucking it away. If a player’s timing is slightly off, he or she can skew their shot wide by making poor contact.

5. Worried about injury

Players often shirk going after crosses because they believe they will collide with another player. The fear of injury puts footballers off of going for passes they can convert into goals. Football players cannot be afraid to go for the ball and finish chances when they are presented.

Missing easy goalscoring chances can be avoided but it just takes training to put away chances.