LUNGES  (a.k.a. Dummy Step Move)  
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The lunge is a very versatile move that works standing still or at a dead run. Start dribbling the ball forwards then abruptly lunge (take a long deep step) with your left foot, to the left of the ball. Plant your left foot hard and take the ball back to the right with the outside of the right foot, on the diagonal. Accelerate. or as I like to phrase it - FAKE and FLY!
KEY POINTS: This move is the backbone of soccer feints. (In fact the "scissors", the "Rivolino", the "Matthews" and the fake kicks are all "lunge-type" moves.) Watch a Premier League game sometime to identify different kinds of moves, and the lunge (or variations on the lunge) will be the most common move by far. For instance, I don't think I have ever seen Michael Owen do any kind of "under the leg" or "spinning" fakes. He simply "faked" left, went to the right with the outside of his foot - and scored. That's the lunge at it's best. Of course it helps to have breakaway speed like Owen, but if you "explode" out of the fake, you will find space.


  DOUBLE  LUNGES
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Once the defenders catches on to the "lunge left - go right" concept, they will not be fooled as often. Then it's time for an occasional "double lunge". Here instead of lunging left and then taking the ball to the right you lunge both directions and then "go". So, lunge left followed by a big step (lunge) to the right with the right foot, but then take the ball back to the left, with the outside of the left foot.


  PULL  "V" (a.k.a. Pullback "V" or "Puskas")  
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Start with the ball between your feet. Begin with a rapid movement with your right foot to the top of the ball and stop briefly with your cleats on top. This motion should make it appear like you are passing the ball, or taking the ball to your left side, across your body. Instead, keep your weight on your left foot and "scrape" from the inside to the outside with your right foot. This gets the ball rolling back to your right. Then turn your hips to the right and touch it with the inside of the right foot to deflect it off to the right on a diagonal. Repeat with the right foot several times and then switch to the left.
KEY POINTS:The key to this move is turning your hips to follow the ball as you roll it to the outside and slightly behind. This allows you to take control of it with the inside of your foot and proceed in a new direction. The move works best when the defender "bites" on the fake kick motion and lunges towards the ball only to find that you have pulled it back and gone away.


  PULL  "BACKWARDS"  L's,  (a.k.a. Pullback "L" or Underneath-L)
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This is the sister move to the "V" move described above. Start with the ball between your feet. Begin with a rapid movement with your right foot to the top of the ball and stop briefly with your cleats on top. This fake kick motion should make it appear like you are passing the ball, or taking the ball to your left side, across your body. Instead, keep your weight on your left foot and "scrape" from the inside to the outside and behind, (like a pull-back) with your right foot. When the ball gets slightly behind you, tap it behind your left leg to the left side. Turn to the left and dribble off in that direction.


  SIMPLE   "L"
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This is the simple pullback of the ball with the sole of the right foot and then a push outside with the outside of that right foot. This is very similar to the "Fake Kick Push Outside" as described below.
KEY POINTS:The "backwards L" move takes some practice to pull off at game speed, but it is well worth it, since it provides an instant change in direction while shielding the ball, as well. If the defender "bites" on the fake kick, he nearly falls out of his cleats trying to cover the sudden change in direction after the move underneath the leg.


  SCISSORS  
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This is a lunge type move using an inside to outside stepover. It's a decent move but sometimes awkward to perform at high speed. Start dribbling with the ball between your feet. Plant your right foot next to the right side of the ball and swing your left leg around the ball in a counterclockwise arc, from the inside (right side) of the ball to the outside (left side) of the ball. This is an "inside to outside" stepover with the left foot. Then plant that left foot down and take the ball back to the right with the outside of the right foot. Accelerate!
There are 2 versions of this scissor type motion. The one described above when the stepover move goes out and around the the front of the ball is a "front side scissors". You can abbreviate this motion and do the stepover motion mostly behind the ball and it is a "back side scissors". They both work well if you don't just swing your legs around but actually try to fake the change in direction.
KEY POINTS:The way to get scissors to work is to "sell" the stepover as a real move or lunge to the left. Too many times players swing their legs around the ball without a lunge motion or a shoulder dip to fool the defender. If you can't get the defenders to lean the wrong way (by making them think you are actually going somewhere with the stepover), your job will be more difficult.


  DOUBLE  SCISSORS  
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Once the defenders catches on to the "scissors left - go right" concept, they will not be fooled as often. Then it's time for an occasional "double scissors" or "multiple scissors". Here instead of a scissors left and then taking the ball to the right you do scissor type stepovers in both directions and then take the ball. So, scissors with the left followed by an identical scissors-lunge with the right foot, and then finally take the ball back to the left, with the outside of the left foot.


  FAKE  KICK  AND  PUSH  OUTSIDE   (some also refer to as Puskas)  
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This is a lunge type move but instead of a lunge to the left by stepping out with the left foot, you fake a kick to the left using your right foot. Then before putting that right foot back down, push off your still planted left foot, and take the ball to the right with the outside of the right foot. Accelerate!


  RIVELINO (Stepover-push outside or a.k.a. Reverse Scissors)    
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This is a lunge type move which involves a stepover like the scissors but in the opposite direction. Plant your left foot behind and to the left of the ball and swing your right foot around (or over) the ball in a counterclockwise arc, from the outside right around to the inside left. Then push off your still planted left foot to the right, and take the ball with the outside of your right foot. Accelerate! As the highlight clips show, players often combine this move with scissor stepovers and drag rolls.
If you perform the "Rivelino" outside to inside stepover, and then take the ball completely back in the opposite direction, then it becomes more like a "stepover turn" or a "stepover 180".
KEY POINTS:Once again to "sell" this move the stepover must be convincing. The defender has to buy into the thought that you are going to shoot or accelerate in the direction of the stepover before you actually explode in the other direction. This move can be done facing the defender or with your back to them. For example, you can shield the ball deep in their corner, your back to the defender, then do the "Rivelino stepover" to turn and find space for a cross.
Rivelino is probably best remembered for his phenomenal "cannon-like" shot, but his use of this particular "stepover" move has also become part of our terminology.


  MATTHEWS   (a.k.a. Inside Out Move or "Touch and Go")  
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Dribble forward and then with the inside of your right foot, touch the ball slightly to the left, as if you were going to cut that way. Instead, push off the left foot and take the ball back to the right with the outside off the right foot. It is essential to add a "little hop" to the left (with both feet) when beginning this move while you are lightly touching the ball to the inside. This keeps the left foot out of the way and in a better more balanced position to "drive" off sharply to the right.
KEY POINTS:This is an advanced approach to the basic "lunge" move. Like the "drag- swerve" below, the little movement of the ball in the wrong direction really helps "sell" the fake.


  FAKE  MATTHEWS
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This move starts just like the Matthews complete with the all important "little hop" (with both feet) to initially move the ball to the inside. But instead of taking the ball back to the outside you step past the ball with the right foot towards the right in a little lunge motion. Then you take the ball away with the outside of the left foot to the left. After the first hop and touch, the rest of the move feels a lot like a double lunge.


REVERSE  MATTHEWS  
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WATCH  THE  CLIP          - "flipflap" variation-
With this move the ball is pushed to the outside with a slight touch and the all important "little hop" (with both feet). Then it is taken quickly back to the inside with the inside of the right foot with a sharp cut.


  HALF - PREKI   
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Begin with a little lean or lunge out to the right side of the ball by lifting your right foot and stepping down lightly beside the ball. Do not put any weight onto this right foot. Instead shift your weight to the left and plan to "scrape" your cleats over the top of the ball, from the right side to the left, to begin it rolling to the left. After the ball has crossed completely in front of your body, use the inside of your left foot to touch it forward around the defender. Accelerate!


  FULL - PREKI  
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This move begins very much the same as above, but after the drag roll to the left, add a "step-over" (a Rivelino-like move) with the left foot - then as the ball continues to the left take it away with the outside of the left foot. On the highlights clips you will see the pro's add a lot more.


  MARADONA  OR  GARRINCHA  
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WATCH  THE  CLIP        - "half Garrincha"
This move is a spinning move. I teach it by learning the 3 components. Stop, Hop and Spin. Dribble the ball forward and then stop it with the sole (cleats) of your right shoe by briefly putting your foot on top of the ball. Then hop that same foot over to the other side of the now motionless ball. For an instant, you have "straddled" the ball. Finally, spin (counterclockwise) over the top of the ball and as your left foot reaches the ball pull it with you by scraping across the top. This will cause it to roll with you as you complete the spin to face the original direction. As you become more proficient, the middle part of the move (the hop-turn ) is done with both feet in the air for an instant.This describes the "Garrincha". Don't hesitate to change direction as you complete the spin and head off into open space for a pass or shot.
A "Maradona" is similar but instead of initially stopping the ball with the cleats, the ball is pulled back and slightly to the side where it is collected by the other foot as the player spins over the top of the ball. See Zidane in the highlight clip above "smoke" a perfectly executed Maradona. But like the Garrincha, it still involves an initial touch with the sole of the first foot, and then a rapid spin to collect the ball with the sole of the other foot.


STOP  AND  GO  ( drag roll, "stop-hop", and Beardsley variations)  
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Begin with your right foot on the ball with your cleats touching the top. Scrape your foot to the left to set the ball into motion, rolling to the left. Then stop it for an instant with your left foot, before you quickly "scrape" it again and get it rolling again to the left. Review the K.C.Legends clips for 2 other variations. The Beardsley is sometimes referred to as a "Hip Swivel".
KEY POINTS:This move works well down the wing to find space for a cross. (e.g. Cobi Jones). It also works at the 18yd. line to make room for a shot.


SCOTCH  MOVES  (three variations - "straight" - "stepover" - "step-on"(Kenzie).
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These are all moves that redirect the ball underneath the leg, (but in a different fashion than the Cruyff or "pullback L"). The basic manuever ("straight Scotch", if you will) starts with stepping over the ball with the left foot. After placing that foot down use the inside of your right foot to tap it underneath your left leg and off to the left side at an angle. Turn to the left and take it with your left foot. Yes, this is similar to the famous Cruyff but doesn't really start with a fake kicking motion and then a chopping movement. It is more of a quick little "tap" underneath the support foot.
The "stepover" variation uses the left foot to momentarily stop the ball then it proceeds to step beyond the ball and finally the right foot finishes by cutting it underneath that left leg with the inside of the right foot. And the "step-on" or "drag-out" variation stops the ball and even "drags" it to the outside with the sole of the foot and then knocks it underneath the left foot which has stepped beyond the ball.
KEY POINTS: I've seen this move work really well and I've also seen players end up in collisions sith the defense. Unless the defense is really "wrong-footed", begin this move a little further out from the defender to avoid crashing into them.


  DRAG  SWERVE  
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This move is similar to the Matthews without as much of a "little hop". Begin the ball rolling to the inside by dragging accross it with the sole of the right foot. Before touching the right foot to the ground, use the outside aspect to push the ball back to the outside. The left leg stays planted throughout the entire "swerve" motion and then pushes off in the new direction.
KEY POINTS: OK, this "family" of moves has to be my favorite. The Drag Swerve and it's sister move the Reverse Drag Swerve are deceptively simple, but so very effective. Like the Matthews moves, the feint is "sold" on the little drag movement of the ball before exploding in the opposite direction. Another bonus is that the move begins with the sole of the foot on the ball which allows multiple options (pullback, pull "V", pull backwards "L", half Preki, etc.) if it looks like the Drag move is inappropriate. These moves are especially effective on a smooth field, indoors or with Futsal. If the field is rough the Matthews moves probably work a little better. Have fun.


  DRAG  SCISSORS   (a.k.a. Fake Drag Swerve)   
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This move starts out just like the Drag Swerve with a little drag roll to the inside using the sole of the right foot. Then instead of "swerving" out with the outside of the right foot, you do a right footed scissors move, stepping over and around the front of the ball, finally taking it away with the outside of the left foot. It feels a little like the "full Preki" move which is a drag to the inside followed by a Rivelino stepover with the other foot, whereas here it is a "scissors" with the dragging foot.


OUTSIDE - INSIDE SWERVE (a.k.a.  Rev. Drag Swerve or "the Ronaldo")
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This move is a swerve first to the outside and then back with the inside. The left foot stays planted while you push the ball out with the outside of the right foot. Without losing contact with the ball, switch the right foot around to the outside and then cut inwards accross your body with the inside of your foot and accelerate. This move is very similar to the "Reverse Matthews" but the left foot stays planted and doesn't do the "little hop" to the right at the beginning.


  INSIDE - INSIDE  SWERVE  
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This is another deceptively simple little move that I have seen work wonders. It begins as a sharp cut to the inside using the inside of the right foot, then immediately cut the ball back with the inside of the left foot to dart past the opponent. This has to go "bang-bang" with no steps in between the cuts. It feels a little like doing the actual inbetween drill in warmups, but you explode forward.
KEY POINTS:The key here is to sell the first sharp cut as a move in that new direction. This may make the defender "put on the brakes" and "poke" out at the ball becoming "wrong footed". Of course, your intention was not to change direction at all, and you fly into the left foot cut that takes you back on your original course as you "brush" past the defender.

© 2005-2008. Barrie Spirit Soccer
Fakes to beat the Opponent
The descriptions, information and video clips on this page are provided courtesy of Jim King and StrongSoccer.com  Jim retains all rights and Copyrights to his videos but has agreed to allow me to post them at the Barrie Spirit Soccer website free of charge.  These are just a sample of his many excellent soccer video clips which are available at the StrongSoccer.com website. 
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