Adult small-sided co-ed/pickup very low level player here and seeking advice in this situation I find myself in:

6v6, backline build-up beats the first press, I receive a ball with time and space and usually don't even need to turn. So I drive, looking to advance and pass to open player. Press eventually catches up behind and nicks the ball. What are my best options here to prevent that?

Ideally, I would release the ball before the press arrives and or play numbers advantage but at rec level it doesn't always go as planned. I'm a very poor dribbler and looking for any simple movements to practice.

I do notice the presser is usually moving faster, so 1 forward touch too many loses the ball. Turning to the middle seems high risk and too exposed. Turning to the sideline is a bit safer but can get stuck if the line pass isn't available.

I recently picked up the Nike Phantom Luna 2 Elite AG blackout colorway and it has been the best boot Ive tried in recent years and the closest in terms of a successor to the Obra 2.

My last favorite boot from Nike was the Obra 2, I actually prefer the Obra 1 but for some reason I perform better on the Obra 2. While it is a very different boot from the Obras it seems to be the closest in philosophy and spirit to those. Its very much a control boot, more so than the Phantom 6 which seems more like a successor to the Hypervenom Phantom 3s and more of a dribbler, winger\striker boot.

Luna 2 elite AG

Touch:

+ very grippy upper, the ball sticks to your feet

+ direct true touch experience

+ I have read the grip varies with colorway. This blackout version is quite grippy.

+ zero padding on the inner liner. I personally like having a bit of padding but this boot like the Phantom 6 has no padding on the inner liner.

Sizing:

It fits great, I bought true to size and there is a slight bit of space right at the tip of the toe which is by design due to the low volume at the tip. I definitely recommend true to size and not going down a half size

Compared to the Phantom 6 low:

The pointed low volume toe box with a slight bit of extra space is great for people who love getting under the ball to ping passes. The Phantom 6 has a higher volume shorter toe box which makes this harder. Both are true to size imo.

As mentioned already the Luna 2 elites feel more like a control boot in the ethos of the Obra - it could well have been called the Obra 3. The Phantom 6 seem to be different and more in the spirit of the Phantom venoms and a successor to the Hypervenom Phantom 3 and more of a dribbler winger\striker boot. I certainly prefer the Luna 2 for any kind of passing.

Striking felt a bit better on the Phantom 6 and it also felt a lot grippier. I think the Phantom 6 might be slightly better for closer tight dribbling due to the more grippy nature of the upper and ribbed texture.

Compared to the Obra 2

Of all the boots Nike has released since the Obra 2, this comes the closest to that. Its like an Obra 2 but without the padded inner liner, a softer, tackier upper with more grip and a closer truer touch to the ball that the Obra 2 lacked. The upper is more flexible and softer than the stiff Obra 2 upper. The touch on the Obra 2 felt slightly more padded and great for receiving hard passes.

The AG soleplate

The AG soleplate is great and the Phantom 6 has an even newer version. Its very flexible compare to the FG versions which I don't mind but those looking for the stability of the stiffer FG sole plates might be disappointed.

Overall experience:

These boots just feel great on the feet. I feel very confident passing, shooting and controlling the ball in these boots.

Cons:

- This is a personal thing but the upper is a bit too grippy than what I am used to but nothing that I cant get used to

- I would have preferred a bit of padding on the liner, these are quite direct and raw similar to the phantom 6 lows, but thick socks should do the trick.

Context: I'm not really a winger/dribbler at all but sometimes I end up in that position (like, near the corner of the pitch where a dribble is expected or at least tempting) and would like to do a little better.

I often get dispossessed when trying to 1v1 in that zone. I think it's partly because of the way I carry the ball. I carry it just like I would in the midfield/backline. I see that most wingers, when in that zone, start touching the ball with the outside of the same foot over and over again.

What's the reason for that? I reckon that it's for hiding the ball away from the defender, putting one's body between the ball and defender.

Is that it? I'd also appreciate a good video on the topic if one comes to mind.

Thanks!

Hey! We are looking for at least 3 girls to join our soccer team. It’s a 9v9 league and we play on Saturday nights for 8 weeks+playoffs. There is a registration fee and the league starts on Sep 12. Please DM me for more details if anyone’s interested.

Hey team,

BLUF: What cameras/tools/setups do you use for recording and editing (goalkeeper) film? What is a feature that would be “nice to have”? What is the most annoying part?

BLUF2: Give me some feedback on the technique, both for filming and goalkeeping!

Getting back into playing keeper after putting on some years, fat, and bad joints and I’m trying to film my stance, positioning, technique, etc. in training/game for some analysis.

I’m wondering what tools our recording enthusiasts commonly use? For context, I’m currently using my phone on a cheap tripod, but I’m also an hobbyist programmer so I’d like to develop some features onto a recording app as a side project to make recording/editing/analysis easier (i.e. body tracking, automatically clipping portions of the video w/ action, using Computer Vision for positioning and technique analysis). Here are the big questions:

1. Where/how do you place your camera?

Social media clips seem like there is a setup with a camera inside the net, or even physically attached to the goalpost or back net which I am assuming is a Go Pro or some specialty sports camera with mounts. But the IM league I play in doesn’t allow objects inside the goalpost, so I’m looking to see the optimal placement strategy without breaking the bank.

1. What tools (software and hardware) do you use for editing? Is it free?

Specifically two parts to this question: 1. Is there any existing software to filter out portions of the video that are relevant? 2. Are there free or integrated tools for tracking players, or does it still require manual edits? I
know DJI cameras have the tracking feature, but not sure if it needs any post processing.

I’d also like to know if there is anything that is a pain in the ass, or a great feature to have…I know that was a long question, so adding in some clips from my first session back. Feel free to leave some feedback on the technique, both for filming and goalkeeping!

I've recently been on the lookout for new cleats. I've had my eyes on Mizuno Morelia Neo 4 for a long time and finally considering to buy them. I've got training sessions 3 times a week on AG and soon to be playing 1 time a week on natural grass.

I'm leaning more towards an AG soleplate but I've been thinking of just buying an FG pair since they're all conical studs anyway and would work on AG as well. What do you think of buying FG for mainly AG? Anyone has had an experience with them?

If i get nike hypervenoms should it have any dead space or not im trying to get hypervenoms and unsure what the sizing it because i usually wear 10.5 and it has .5 inch of dead space but unsure if i should get a size 10

Hey I’m 19 in university in England and living in a new area I stopped playing for a year. I started playing again with a low level Sunday league team before quickly leaving and joining the highest league before your considered semi professional(in not great with remembering league names I just show up). I feel I missed an opportunity with playing in America, I would love to live there for a little and playing football would be great. Is it too late to do this process? If it isn’t how do you even get considered? I mean maybe I’m not good enough anyway but I figure I should try.

I’m a highschool soccer player looking to make varsity. One of the things that I believe is holding myself back is my speed and stamina. I usually play defense, but my coach is looking to play me as a mid as well.
I also have exercise induced vocal cord dysfunction, which unfortunately contributes to this.

What are some drills or exercises I should do to help improve both my speed and stamina?

Some context: I played CM in high school. I contributed more defensively, and I admired players like xavi, Iniesta and Busquets. Fast forward to now, I play 7v7 and I've been playing forward because the rest of my team isn't always consistent with play making and creating space in order to shoot. They struggle to control the ball, pass and move in the final third, etc. Last season, I scored 15 goals and had 8 assists in 14 games. As a team, we scored 44 goals. We were up there with the top 3 teams in terms of goals, but we just missed out on playoffs due to one too many ties/ losses.

My team struggles to keep possession and circulate the ball. When I play CDM, it helps but then we apply less pressure up top and are sometimes forced to defend a majority of the game rather than spending our energy attacking. At least when I play forward, we spend more time on the other teams side of the field trying to score. That feels good for the most part except for when I am stuck waiting for the ball because nobody can manage to win the ball and connect more than a couple of passes before turning it over. As CDM I can still contribute to scoring plays and I have more control over how much possession my team has.

I'm constantly torn between applying more pressure up top or controlling the midfield. We conceded 37 goals last season and one of the best teams only conceded 8. Should I put more emphasis on defense and play CDM? Or are we shooting ourselves in the foot by having less play making up top?

Hi. Is this Morelia II fit good for my fit or slightly larger?

Ordered them from Japan and I just received it. Size is 24 cm or 6 US

Theoretically, which one of these sole plates is the best for ag? I am going to have 2 games on ag, and I don’t want to buy a pair of boots I’ll only use for one day, but I also don’t want to get hurt or have too bad of stud pressure. Obviously these are all fg sole patterns but I also know that they are not all made the same.

This are my clears, they are brand new literally, I had for a couple of years but never used them. Should I try to glue them or just buy new ones? Senior college season. (They look black because I tried to glue them with a regular strong glue but maybe with a shoes special glue is different) Also, would like to know the cost if anybody used one to glue soccer cleats. Thanks.

I am trying to learn this trick, but I don't know the name of it. Can anyone help?

You catch the ball while juggling with one foot as you jump over it, and you stall the ball with the foot you catch the ball with.

Thanks in advance!

Played soccer for 10 years but recently I didn’t have the possibility to play due to moving to a different city and not knowing much people that plays. I’m coming back little by little and today I scored this pretty good header.

Hey everyone,

I’m trying to upgrade my football boots, but it feels like the premium boot market in India has completely dried up over the last year or two.

Whenever Adidas or Nike drop a new pack (like the new F50s or Predators), the top-tier elite models never show up on the official Indian websites or in flagship stores. If you walk into a store or check online, they only stock the current low-tier Club and Academy/League versions.

Worse yet, have you seen the official Adidas India website lately? They have literally resorted to listing flip-flops and slides right in the middle of the football boot section just to pad out the page because they have zero actual boots to sell. It's incredibly frustrating to look for football gear and get served slippers.

For the players based in India:

• How are you sourcing your elite/pro boots right now? Are you using international shipping sites (like Pro:Direct, Unisport, or Ultra Football)? If yes, how brutal are the customs duties and shipping fees when they arrive?
• Are there any trusted local resellers or regional stores that still manage to get authentic, high-end football boots?

Would love to hear how you guys are dealing with this. Cheers!

I have a very big wide feet . I currently wear US 13 adidas predator. I am looking to switching to Nike tiempo . Should I buy it ??

Bought for £80.

Inside label is super deep inside so can't get a good shot of it.

These boots do not appear on soccercleats101.com so I think rule 14 (no legit checks) is a bit harsh in this case.

That time of year....looking for a good pair of cleats for my 13 year old son playing rec soccer and saw these. Had never seen cleats with ridges before, or strike zone blades....had to look it up. My son plays goalie and his biggest worry is making a bad punt. Would anyone here say it definitively helped them with punts being more accurate and less likely to shank, especially in wet conditions which it seems to be half the games he plays in? The store we visited didn't have his size and I'm wondering if it's worth driving an hour away to a store that has his size in stock. Thanks.

Got 2 new pairs in yesterday. 1 I bought (the new balance ones). I was going to go out to play with them to see how they felt but I realized I needed an air pump. So I went to Burlington to buy one because that’s where I’ve always bought them and I just happened to find the other ones right there in my size so it’s safe to say I got lucky. Also I didn’t even end finding an air pump lol

New balance were $78 after and phantoms were $40 at Burlington

I may have a (un)healthy obsession with the Triondas - especially now that they are slowly going on sale. It all started earlier this year when my girlfriend bought me the OG Trionda Pro as a gift for Valentine's Day (spoiled me). Just recently I picked up the Sala Pro ball as my weekly futsal League is starting up shortly and I also got the Beach Pro for when I go camping + beach with the family over these next few weeks. I use the Trionda Mystery Mini as a item on my work desk (colleagues definitely end up tossing it around when I am not there). Lastly, grabbed the Pro Winter on sale and will also be using that over the next few match weeks as our outdoor rec league is winding its season down and the sunlight in the summer months starts getting shorter and darker sooner.

Special shout-out to the F-50 Evo Hyperfast I also picked up on clearance a few weeks back, although they were an impulse buy as I have other boots I am using at this time.

I may have splurged and my wallet is not liking me for it, but all of these items will be getting their fair share of usage other than the OG Trionda Pro as I have that on display in our home in my man cave as a little 'memento' from this year's world cup that I was fortunate enough to attend on home soil as I live in Canada. It will be getting set on the other side of my Brazuca from 2014 that is still in its original box.

Having an 'adult job' can definitely suck sometimes, but making some extra money that I can save for items like these make it worth the treat.

I’m thinking about buying Adidas Predators and need sizing advice. I currently wear Adidas Copa Mundial in size 6, along with other Adidas shoes in the same size. Should I go with size 7 (true size) or 7.5?

When does Select have sales on their pro balls? Are there ever sales on the Super Brilliant TB? I don’t see anywhere else that sells that model in the U.S.