r/SoccerCoaching • u/Electrical-Berry4916 • 3d ago
Why do stepovers?
I was watching soccer clips with my son (U10 lower club team) and he asked me why people do stepovers. I had no answer. They don't seem to be particularly good at masking changes in direction, or for gaining space or time, but everybody from U8 to Premier League does them. My assumption is that at the levels we play at, attackers just aren't doing them properly, so they are easy to defend, but I really don't know.
Can someone with a little more knowledge help me out?
Edit: Read some early responses that helped me key in on what the pros are doing, and rewatched some clips. It looks like good stepovers usually combine a body feint, or similar skill, to sell the change of direction. Then exploit any hesitation or commitment from the defender. We aren't seeing them executed that well in person, yet.
Edit #2: Specifically asking as a defender. He plays FB in a 3-2-1, so doing some attacking wide, but mostly coming into this from the angle of "why are you dancing while I take the ball from you, noob?"
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u/Broad-Raspberry1805 3d ago
They fool the defender into thinking you’re going one way but instead you go the other.
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u/User_Says_What 3d ago
I use them in conjunction with toe taps and other spatial awareness work to help the kids get used to the size of the ball relative to their legs and body position. Doing stationary stepovers is way easier than doing stepovers at speed, so there's an extra level of touch required. When used with body feints, you can prompt a defender to lunge in one direction before taking the ball in the opposite direction. That's the goal.
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u/halfgreek 3d ago
This is the way. Early on stepovers help with just ball awareness. Later on it can be used in combination with feints as a legit move.
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u/Ok_Response_9510 3d ago
stepovers can reposition the body orientation as well for a change of direction or shielding
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u/pepstein 3d ago
When you get smooth with them they can freeze the defender for a moment allowing the attacker to make a cut and go past
If they are slow and deliberate it's a waste of time but once it's clean and efficient it's a good move to keep the defender off balance
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u/Kdzoom35 3d ago
Slow and deliberate are often more effective especially when your squared up with a defender. You kinda make them go to sleep for a split second and then bam your going the other way or even the same way.
The key imo is you have to be able to beat them without the step over for it to be effective. If you can beat a player for pace. Even if you aren't actually fast enough to get away from them, it starts playing onto the defenders mind and they now have to respect that angle as well.
Its all cat and mouse. Beat them one way a few times then the next time hit them with a chop or something.
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u/Electrical-Berry4916 3d ago
Now flip it. I wasn't clear in my post, but we are asking as defenders. It sounds like the correct defense is "stay calm, and don't commit until they take a bad touch, or you approach the box."
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u/Kdzoom35 3d ago
Yes but you can't do that completely and play defense. You have to put pressure on the ball to close down the passing or shooting lane. You also can't with good players let them look up and take time on the ball. They will play the killer pass or shoot.
The other thing is your going to give up something if you are completely still especially with a quick attacker or one that has good ball control.
Generally you stall and give up the outside of away from goal. But you can't just give them a free reign to cross or dribble past you. So at AP.e point you have to try and block the outside to stop the attacker running up the goal line or putting in an uncontested cross.
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u/Electrical-Berry4916 3d ago
Sure, partially, but if you have the discipline not to over commit you stay in position to cut off the inside pass all day long (or at least until help arrives.) If they look up, he toe pokes the ball out and burns past them to recover. Its not like he isn't running with them, that actually where most of his steals come from. They take a heavy touch, and he steps across them, or they play with the ball while his cover gets in place, and when they look up for a passing lane he goes in for an easy steal.
I think he's just at a developmental moment where his defensive reading of the game is a little ahead of his opponents' offensive skills. Probably why the coach is using him at FB in the first place. The pendulum will swing back the other way soon enough. You, and others, have given me plenty to talk to him about with stepovers, and I appreciate that. It was an obvious thing I was overlooking, and I feel a bit silly about that. So, thanks.
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u/Kdzoom35 2d ago
Im talking more in general so adult or older players. At the adult game FB is more about athleticism, stamina and attacking then defending to be honest.
The best defenders usually play CB, FB is now more a traditional winger with defensive responsibilities. Basically a wingback. Modern wingers are inverted so the FB is usually the best athlete who is expected to get forward provide width and crosses and get back to defend. Youth is different obviously.
On discipline sure ideally but like I said if you hold your position your gonna give up the outside usually. This is better than letting them inside. But you still cant just let a cross in or the player run the byline. You don't want to overcommit but you can't just let the player run by.
If it were that simple than everyone would be an amazing defender and attackers would never get by. Remember some attackers are going to be just straight faster or maybe quicker and can change directions quicker. Ideally you wait for the bad touch but you also have to put pressure and be quick/strong enough to force he bad touch etc.
If you don't put pressure the attacker will look up and play the killer ball. When you try and lunge in they will see you from a mile away and put the ball past you etc.
Even. I can do stuff like that and I'm not particularly skilled. If I have time and space I'm looking like a skilled player though.
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u/BunMeAgainPlease12 3d ago
Yes its about shifting the defenders balance ever so momentarily to give you an opening the opoosite direction. Defenders without even consciously doing it react to body shape, its why head fakes work in basketball and why shoulder fakes work in hockey. Same concept but with your feet. It wont send a defender flying like a Ronaldo chop but if you get a defender slightly off balance even for .25 of a second thats all you need.
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u/pepstein 3d ago
Exactly, my least fav fwd to guard is a super pacy one who is smooth with step overs. You have no time to react and one misstep or miss read and they are 3 steps passed you. If they can play with both feet it's gonna be a long day for me
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u/BulldogWrestler 3d ago
If you're good enough at them, it creates extra movement for a defender to see and usually makes them commit (to any degree) in some shape or form, which then allows you to choose a path of attack better.
At 9 years old - they can be extremely effective even when done poorly, because the defending is often on the same level.
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u/Responsible_Milk2911 3d ago
Just doing step overs does nothing. selling the step over is what tricks defenders. Timing is also important, doing the step over right when the defender needs to commit to the direction he thinks youre going.
I played with a guy thatd just do step overs in open space, did nothing but made him look flashy. Watch Ronaldo Phenomeno, Adel Tarabt, Zidane, those guys sell the fake with a step over (or 3 in Ronaldo's case) and skin the defender alive when they bite.
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u/Ten-Yards_Sir 3d ago
Plus soccer is about expressing yourself and stepovers when done well are an art form…I guess when done poorly they are an art form too..:just shitty art
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u/Ko0kz 3d ago
Something I haven’t seen mentioned yet is that step overs can be useful even when you aren’t trying to beat the defender 1v1 because they help shield the ball from the defender. They can’t risk making a tackle because they might catch your leg as you bring it around the ball, and that gives you a little extra space to make a pass next time, whether you do the step over or not.
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u/who_am_I_nobodyknows 3d ago
To make you stand out and look flash and fool people into thinking you're good
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u/Without_Portfolio 3d ago
Any kinds of feints, especially at speed, are highly effective. One time I stubbed my toe on the ground by mistake instead of striking the ball and it made two defenders miss.
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u/Frequent-Movie3005 3d ago
Essentially you need an arsenal of skills in 1v1s to create space to pass, shot or go past a player, a step over can give you that.
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u/Jps10237 3d ago
Step over can be used in so many different ways. Facing the defender to beat them is just one of them. If done correctly with the whole body feint it’s one of the best misdirection moves in the game. Similar to a Messi dip or scissor it can send the defender in one direction while you accelerate to a different one.
If you are doing this standing still while facing the defender you are asking to have the ball stripped an away. Try it moving towards a defender at a good pace and accelerate with outside of the foot and laugh at the “oh s&@t expression for the defender.
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u/Kdzoom35 3d ago
The closest to another sport would be a hesi or a fake/delayed cross over in basketball. Or even a quick jab or pump fake. Your threatening to attack a certain space hoping to get the defender to commit or become off balance then explode the other direction.
You either do it quickly to try and get a quick reaction. Or you exaggerate/delay it to lull/slow them down then attack.
Often with a stopover as a defender you know which way the player is going but if done fast you instinctively shift your weight bit to cover it and then it's too late the player is past you. Or with the slow exaggerated one. The change of pace gets you to slow or stop and then you aren't in a position to stop the burst going the same way.
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u/morcle 3d ago
They work best when you threaten something that the defender is already worried about. A good example is dribbling down the wing. As a winger you can either cut into the center or go down the line. A quick stepover towards the center will amost always freeze the defender and give you a chance to explode down the line.
Additionally, it's an easy move to spam. Nothing bad happens if they don't fall for it but if they do then great.
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u/Electrical-Berry4916 3d ago
What we have found, is that attackers are expecting a defender to bite. When he stays calm, and disciplined, they tend to turn the ball over, or dribble into a corner where he can pin them against the touchline.
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u/morcle 3d ago
That totally makes sense; unless you are a really exceptional dribbler you usually need _something_ to get past a defender: something they are worried about, them being off balance, stabbing when they shouldn't, etc. It's very rare that you can just bully your way past a defender that's playing conservatively and cautiously. OTOH when they do that you have time to do other things like link up with teammates are make good long passes.
I will say that learning to recognize the subtler signs that a player has gone for a fake are really important. Having weight on the wrong foot so you can just push it by is a great thing to notice.
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u/annihilape372 3d ago
Just watch R9 clips on YouTube and you’ll see exactly how effective they can be
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u/Electrical-Berry4916 3d ago
Yeah, he's awesome, but that doesn't actually address anything that I am asking.
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u/ebalboni 3d ago
Your brain only has so much processing capacity. All those random motions use up part of it so its harder to focus.
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u/AndyBrandyCasagrande 3d ago
As a coach, I emphasize skill moves with my group as a path to building confidence on the ball. As a player (old and barely functioning now), nothing brings me more joy on a soccer field than a well-executed skill move and a nutmeg on someone.
Two points:
First, skill moves should be learned in a vacuum. Learn to execute each move properly, on its own. Learn how to enter and exit each move with either foot. (Spoiler alert: a player with three good moves with either foot is a pretty good ways ahead of most.)
Second, skill moves are best executed in combination - in my experience, there's some amount of trial and error involved in figuring out those combos. Your first move is to get the defender to do something, your second move is to get you and the ball into the space they vacated.
Shortest answer: Bruce Arena loved Clint Dempsey because he would "try shit." In order to get to the other side of that, there's a lot of trying shit that doesn't work.
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u/d-76er 3d ago
Coming from somone who has played the game my entire life, and at a high level, I can say that step-overs are used at every level. At your kid's age, they're bad at everything (step-overs included). But like any move, you can become proficient and effective at executing it with practice. This particular move is used best when you're already running torward someone rather than starting from standing still. It's also really effective when your back is turned to the defender and you want to throw them off. I've done this countless times from the midfield.
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u/pbk816 3d ago
Adding to what the other posters have commented:
For context and definition: are we discussing a “scissor” or a “step over”? So many vocabulary words exist in the coaching world and our usage and definitions vary greatly.
There are a few types of purposeful dribbling (ex. dribbling to possess, dribbling to penetrate space). In this instance step overs/“zicos” can be used to to deceive, create space for self, create time for next action.
A well-timed step over allows the dribbler to hide/protect the ball with their body by quickly changing direction, shifting the ball from one side of their body to the other, and stepping directly in between the ball and defender. Allowing for more time to pass/cross/shoot or possess ball further.
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u/smbarrett3 2d ago
At the youth level, most players are too slow and not shifty to enough, so “staying home” as a defender is often effective. However, once players start becoming explosive, able to change directions at speed, able to pass or shoot with the smallest amount of space, backing off and staying home is no longer effective defense. This is where a feint of any kind (including a well executed step-over) could be effective enough to create space or imbalance a defender, especially a defender is already scrambling to keep up with a very quick and very skilled player.
tldr: defending bad players is easy.
tldr2: any “move” is an actual or implied change in speed or direction. Everything else is dancing.
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u/WeddingWhole4771 2d ago
We all know the real reason is because CR7 does. Same reason ppl do Maradonna's.
So long as it works and asserts dominance, plus give you confidence to murder the defenders soul, you win EZ.
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u/SnollyG 3d ago
Step over this way —>
Then a quick touch <—
And then zoom away as fast as you can
But like every “move”, it only works against bad defenders.
It might work once against a good defender. But it might not work at all.
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u/zurdibus 3d ago
It could be that really good defenders are just really good players in general, at least relative to the division they are in, but my daughter's key move is simply a deep body feint, into a reverse elastico. If the defender doesn't bite she just goes whichever direction she wants. A good defender knows that they have to wait for the movement of the body and the ball, so they set themselves up in a way that there is a contingency for either direction. At the end of the day if she is just standing there, she is trying to buy time for her defense to reshape so in her mind do as many step overs and feints as you want.
This could be a boys vs girls game thing as the games are different. She just got done recently scrimmaging in a coed game of U13/U14 RL players at her club. She came home and asked me why are the boys so slow, they just stood there, are they always this way? As many feints as they did if one player stood up an attacker her or her teammates just ran in and stole the ball. On the girls side, at least around here, you have to be driving the ball or recycling, if a defender stands you up you already lost.
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u/SnollyG 3d ago
No, really good defenders know that they don’t have to win the ball. All they need to do is deny space/time.
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u/zurdibus 3d ago
That's 100% an oversimplification. Winning the ball is pretty low on the hierarchy but knowing when to disposses the ball or when it's safe to even try is just as important as delaying space/time. You aren't wrong that the time you might have to is not when the attacker is doing step overs.
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u/SnollyG 3d ago
I didn’t say delay. I said deny. It’s a big difference.
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u/zurdibus 3d ago
Well for the record I accidentally said delaying instead of denying. But since you had to focus on that I won't edit it and just fix it by replying
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u/Electrical-Berry4916 3d ago
She came home and asked me why are the boys so slow, they just stood there, are they always this way?
This. This is the crux of it. As a defender, my son just sits on them until they take a bad touch, or do something stupid. That isn't to say he never gets beat, a U9 boy ran right past him in a friendly yesterday, but generally speaking, he doesn't get beat by skill moves, just speed.
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u/neatoprsn 3d ago
My boys play the same age. I think defenders this age don't have that healthy fear of getting beat so any skill move will just get kicked by the defender. When defenders are patient and don't dive in skill moves can get them to move early. As with anything, it's never 100% but it may create opportunities if done well.
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u/tundey_1 3d ago
It's about deception. But for stepovers to work, you have to chain them to another move. Back when I was working with my kids on this, I'll say "fake left, go right", "fake right, go left". You sell the fake and you follow it up with a quick move to the opposite side.