Finishing vs. Shooting

In soccer, you will often hear these two terms- finishing and shooting- interchangeably. But they have very distinct meanings that all players must understand. Having the ability to shoot, does not mean you can finish.

Key Concepts:

• Shooting- When a player kicks the ball at the opponent's net in an attempt to score a goal.
• Finishing- Scoring a goal, generally at close range.
• Repetition- The act of repeating an act over and over.

Shooting refers to the act of kicking the ball toward the goal, usually from distance, with a chance at scoring a goal. Finishing generally refers to scoring goals from close to goal, often from a cross or through creative play. To put it simpler- shooting involves hoping the ball goes in the goal, while finishing is putting the ball in goal.

I'm not trying to minimize the skill involved in finishing versus shooting. Both attempts on goal require players to utilize particular mechanics and techniques that players must practice regularly and independently. Through practice, players learn where and how to strike the ball to create the type of shot they want to produce. another difference includes how hard players strike the ball- shooting will often require power, whereas finishing often requires finesse.

​For my teams, shooting also serves a secondary purpose. Shooting from distance early in a match can force defenses to step forward and defend higher up the pitch. Therefore, I will often coach my teams to take shots from 20+ yards away from goal in order to force the defenders to worry about shots from distance. This creates space behind the defenders for attacking players to run into and create chances for finishing on goal.

Finishing requires players to make decisions quickly in tight spaces and requires various techniques and surfaces of the foot or head- inside/outside/laces. Due to the limited time often afforded players in front of the ball, they must practice one-touch and two-touch shooting in this space. These are often scrappy goals that develop from mistakes and scrum-like conditions.

The final key, in both shooting and finishing, is going to be repetition. The higher the number of reps a player takes, the more they will perfect their technique and mechanics. It isn't as easy to do during indoor, but I would often advise my players to either stay after training sessions or spend time independently working on shooting and finishing- this may include taking free kicks and corner kicks.

Types of Shots

• Instep drive: This shot is done with the laces of a boot and is widely used. The ball is struck through with the laces or the top part of the foot. The shot is powerful but less accurate.
• Bending shot: This shot is made using the side of the foot (or the outside of the foot on occasion) and is usually but not exclusively used in free kicks. The ball bends or swerves in such a way that it beats the keeper, the only drawback is that it lacks great power.
• Chip: Also known as the lob, this shot focuses on getting the ball to a certain amount of vertical height, where the goalkeeper can't reach it and then have it come back down again into goal, it takes a certain amount of technique and precision to pull off.
• Knuckleball: A free kick or shot from distance that has no spin and has erratic movement.
• Toe poke: Used with less frequency, this shot uses the toe of the boot; as it is a quick strike which requires little motion, it is often utilized to fool or surprise opponents who would normally not expect this type of shot.