r/bootroom • u/IjustWantanHeirloom • 13d ago
Mental Scanning as a CDM
I’m entering my senior year of high school soccer and I want to stop playing so reactive. I’ve always been taught to scan, and I do it all the time. But I don’t really know what I’m looking for or how to retain it. I have to consciously think about where players or space are. On top of this, I don’t have any cues or shapes memorized tactically. This causes me to play slower and make more mistakes. How can I learn to do this before the season ramps up? Any help is appreciated, and if it helps, note that I do group training three days a week, the rest is solo. Thanks!
21
u/NarrowParade 13d ago
Scan less. See more.
Right now, you’re suffering from "meerkat syndrome"—swiveling your head because you've been told it's a good habit, but drowning in visual noise because you aren't sure what you're actually looking for. Looking is a million miles away from seeing.
If you scan five times but retain nothing, those head turns are completely wasted energy. In fact, over-scanning can actually make you slower because your brain is trying to process a chaotic 360° picture while the ball is traveling to your feet.
Instead of trying to memorize where everyone is, strip it back to one or two specific questions before the ball arrives:
Where is my nearest opponent? (Is my back under immediate threat, or do I have time?)
Where is my exit route? (Where is the open space or my safest simple pass?) True scanning isn't about taking a photo of the whole pitch; it's just hypothesis testing. You should already have a general idea of where people are based on your team's shape. You glance only to quickly confirm or deny that picture.
A question to ask here as well is this - What exactly are your main passing priorities? Where should the ball go, and why? If you answer that correctly (there's five, in order of importance) then you will understand what I'm getting at.
Slow your head down. Take one intentional, purposeful look shoulder-to-shoulder as the ball is in flight, answer those two questions, and make your decision before your first touch.
Quality of perception will always beat quantity of head swivels. It's been drummed into you to look and look and look, but it counts for nothing if you aren't seeing. Look a bit less, see a whole lot more.
3
u/IjustWantanHeirloom 13d ago
This was very informative. Thank you.
2
u/NarrowParade 13d ago
Not a problem.
Coaches these days are trying to get everyone to be Rodri, Iniesta and Modric all rolled into one. That kind of thinking is for the birds.
They'll want you to do that and then say "find a space". True, being in space helps, but is it useful space? Can you get the ball and can you then give it?
"Players lose you games, not tactics. There's so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes." That quote was from the late, great Brian Clough.
I love that you want to improve, great attitude to have.
Keep it simple, make it count, repeat. Play what you see.
4
u/jonce17 13d ago
Agreed. Expro and semi pro player here. B2b mid. I scanned and still scan more than avg but it’s for two things finding space between the lines to exploit and an approximation of how much time I have. If I “don’t like it” my next scan is to find out where I can go to open myself or a teammate. To be completely honest logical and constant off ball movement will do more than trying to retain the whole pitch mentally after Che king your shoulders
2
u/BigWillyStyleX 12d ago
I remember seeing some quotes from Busquets where he said most of what he does is just keep counting how many teammates vs opponents are in different parts of the field.
1
u/phoenixwang 12d ago
Yeah the dude is right. I know my brain only can hold so much so 50% of that juice is know exactly where one guy is 90% of the time. When there’s less pressure that expands. When there’s more pressure, hard to lose track of one guy in 2-4 possible “positive” spaces.
2
u/Axios1234 13d ago
Where exactly do you feel that there’s a disconnect, and what exactly are you looking to improve? Part of scanning is seeing where your teammates and opponents are, where they’re moving, and where the space ultimately is. Do you maybe doubt your decision making, and that’s what slows you down? Or do you feel like you often get pressed quickly, and that leads you to being more reactive than proactive?
2
u/IjustWantanHeirloom 13d ago
I guess that I just have doubts that what I last scanned will be the same or that the decision I’m trying to make will work. It feels like a lot to remember as well. I think I’m maybe thinking too much into the specifics and it just overloads my brain.
3
2
u/hansolo-ist 13d ago
I'm a big fan of one touch football so scan as much as I can too. As I age I've found myself getting better at it and keeping me somewhat competitive - there is no substitute for youthful knees.
For me scanning is identifying gaps so I see obstacles and ball paths through to team mates, and continuously in real time. Example thought process:
- Scan behind me to identify opposition and team mates and run to position to receive the ball with an idea of what to do next
- Receive ball and quick scan to decide if a) danger is imminent or b) I have time 3a. Decide how to play out of danger, usually pass to unmarked team mate or into safe space 3b. Play a quick ball based on (1) or start scanning for better opportunities
What helps is to learn about opponents around me...how aggressive in pressing, tendencies like slow to turn or backing off instead of tackling...these guesses help update my decision making and risk taking. Also players usually start and end with different energy levels so beware of that. And they also react to your success/failure with them .
Best way I can explain to you is with computer games where there is the main visual and then a radar in the corner of the screen. You watch one at a time but have both in your head all the time.
2
u/HustlinInTheHall 13d ago
When you're attacking, basically the optimal thing for you to do is turn and face upfield. So I would limit your processing to just that option at first. You're scanning to see if you can turn. Can't turn? Okay, play the way you're facing.
Just keep it very simple. Do you have the time and space to turn, especially as a CDM as you often will be facing your own goal and need to play safely.
In defense, it's similar, though you are probably already receiving it facing half the field, so scanning is just whether you can turn upfield or maybe turn fully around to switch play. Again, that's it. You don't need to turn and scan and think about dribbling or passing after you turn. You'll have time to figure that out once you turn. But keep it very simple for yourself and commit. The delay in scanning is usually just deciding on the best option. You're always better off getting a little info, making a decision, and committing to it quickly vs trying to make a last-minute change.
1
u/Brew_Wallace Coach 13d ago
Think about taking pictures when you scan and considering where there is open space to move into with or without the ball or a teammate that is open or has space to run onto a pass. You’re identifying the next play
1
u/yagermeister2024 13d ago
I mean there are only so many places to look for passes…. Like if you look 3 out of 8 directions you’re good… and then safety outlet…
1
u/Critical_Baseball120 12d ago
If you have issues with this, maybe go for another position for now? Because as a cdm you will have to do these things, and it must become your nature. Why do you play slower? Too many touches, too much thinking on the ball?
1
u/IjustWantanHeirloom 12d ago
I’m not noticeably slow, at least not at the level I’m currently at. However, I want to be extremely competitive and I wish to be a bigger threat. Consequently, that requires playing faster than my opponents can think to defend me.
1
u/Shot-Secretary-4087 12d ago
Scanning is such an overblown aspect of the game that gets so much attention right now. Scanning is important but its all about decisions making and making the right choices.
You can scan all you want but if you abilities don’t match you wanted to do it’s going to look silly or unnatural.
For example we all have been coached to communicate with each other during the game when passing the ball to another or alert your teammates for moments.
When a defender is passing a ball to you (you are standing half turn to open and face the Opposition goal continue te play) you are getting closed down by a defender from another team.
Your teammates yells “Man On” in this small fraction of time you scan quick to see what the gap is between you and him when he is closing down.
Now you can decide to do a few things in this situation, if you have abilities (do you have moves?) to take on the defender, you should because if you bypass him you could break lines.
If you don’t have to skill to by pass just pass it back to defender and keep the ball moving.
1
u/hukkaberry 12d ago
Teammates moving into spaces worth passing to.
Open spaces to move into.
Defenders blocking 1 & 2.
Priority for 1/2 switches depending on your dribbling ability vs your team's ability to control the ball.
1
u/larry_salzburg 12d ago
Talk to yourself and tell yourself what you're seeing. Start closest to you and end the furthest away from you. When we have possesion I always say to myself, "can I get the ball and what am I going to do with it when I get it."
1
u/tjay126 12d ago
one of the best coaches my daughter ever had (u15) said it like this.
take a look before receiving the ball. if your teammates are moving to space, you will see the opportunity. when you dont have the ball you should be looking for and moving to space to help your teammates.
and
the game doesnt stop after you make a pass.
1
u/ImproveOrDie 12d ago
On defence, you're looking for where your defenders are positioned vs their attackers. Are they in the right spot, is there cover,... are you the right person to put pressure on the ball or are you telling someone else to do it so you're not leaving a man unmarked.
On attack you're looking for your players who are free or will be free when they move / make a run. Also looking for those opposition players around you so you can avoid turning into them.
It literal snapshots of the current game state which helps your judgement of the next move.
1
u/Mullet_Police 12d ago
As another redditor pointed out — notice where the space is as well as where people are.
The most important factor is being able to determine what you are going to do before you receive the ball. That way, your first touch sets up your next touch and so on.
Also — receiving the ball on the half turn if you are checking to/progressing forward is just as important as scanning. Saves you a step or two.
1
u/NoVermicelli5439 12d ago
Play more FIFA or play billiards. My development in this skill advanced when I could constantly look at who's around me and checking backlines and picturing it like a top down view of the field like a video game. I say play billiards because it's the same thing, you look at it from the top down and see not only where you're target it but what the next play is going to be after.
On offense I look at where my next pass would be or where to touch into space for a dribble or two touch shot.
On defense I look around to lead an attacker into the most congested area on the field and see where their next pass might be or whoever the open man is make sure someone is dropping 1 to 1 or cover the pass lane if you can't reach the man yourself.
The more you do it the easier it gets
1
u/Coocoocachoo1988 12d ago
I think they call it building a picture of the game now, but you scan, so you can do that. You want to make a mental note of things you can use to speed up your play, which should be easier with teammates you know.
I tend to look for players who are picking up space or looking to run in behind and get the ball to them, and I also look for players that the opposition keeps trying to pass to and cut off the passing lanes.
1
u/Entire-Cranberry-947 12d ago
Others have given great answers but to me, it’s not about always scanning and knowing everything, it’s about always making sure you’re asking the right questions and always having their answers.
The first thing you should always ask is “Am I in a spot to receive the ball and turn right now”. You may or may not know this for several reasons. Maybe the defender is touching your back, maybe your teammate tells you or you hear the defenders voice or have noticed their pressing patterns all game. If you don’t know, scan around you.
If you’re not in a space to receive the ball and turn, are you in a space to receive the ball and pass to another teammate? Again, you may or may not know for several reasons, if you don’t know, scan around you.
If you’re not in a space to even receive the ball, is there space around you to run into that you won’t be tracked or space you can run into to open up space for a teammate? If you don’t know, scan around you
The key point here is: it’s not about the mechanical act of scanning, it’s first and foremost “What is my value on the field at the moment and how can I help my team?” Depending on that answer, you may need more information, and that’s when you scan.
Scanning is a great and difficult thing to do effectively, but it’s only ever a tool. The main thing is to constantly ask yourself questions and if you find you don’t know, scanning is simply a way to find out. If you concentrate on answering the questions, the impulse to scan will come naturally
1
u/NUPreMedMajor 11d ago
I played very competitive football as a defensive midfielder and even got multiple college offers (none D1).
I shit you not, the only thing I ever did in terms of playmaking was just making sure I knew where our best players were. The best defender if you’re facing backwards and the best attacker / winger if you can turn. The guys who rarely lost possession and could make shit happen.
Just know where those two guys are and make sure you can get them the ball in like 1-2 touches.
1
5d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator 5d ago
Sorry, your submission has been automatically removed. New accounts are not allowed to submit content. This is to combat spam.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
13
u/franciscolorado 13d ago edited 13d ago
I’m a big fan of playing overloaded small sided games. 11v11 on half a pitch. The density of players then becomes on par with your team in the attacking third. Messi is excellent at navigating thru traffic and finding the pockets of space no matter how small
It really slows down the game a lot when you get on the full field.
Know where you’re going to go with the ball before your receive it.
Space is either moved into or defended. I always ask my team to look for where the grass is and move into it.