• If the keeper gives a good ball to the defender, the defender makes a mess because he/she is unable to make a decent trap, look forward and reach a midfielder that is unmarked! So, he/she ends up loosing the ball, the other team get it and……………………goodbye!

• Supposing that the first 2 situations were good, but the midfielder doesn’t know how to control the ball, and how to turn, and raise his/her eyes, looking forward and give a good assist to the forwards so, goodbye……….again!

• Supposing that the 3 situations above went well, but the forwards don’t know how to shoot properly so, instead of scoring, they shoot out of play or even worse, pass the ball to the opponent keeper!

Like in chess, the magic situation in which the white (the team) had the advantage to ‘move’ is gone. Now, the black team has the ‘move’ and if they do the correct ‘moves’, in a few ‘moves’ they will have they well deserved checkmate!
 
As I stated at the beginning, soccer strategy, like chess strategy, is a precise science not based on opinions.  Unfortunately, too many ’players’ that just ’play chess’, are convinced they are chess players, like too many ‘players’ that just ‘play’ soccer, are convinced to be soccer players.

Chess players study and practice:

• The openings. The most common are more than a dozen, with many variations for each of them.
• Through these openings, very soon they will control the center of the chess board.
• Through the control of the center of the chess board, they will launch an attack to one side of the board to hide a deadly attack to the other side of the board that, in a few moves, will lead to a sure, mathematical, not  debatable and definitive…………checkmate!

Soccer players study and practice:

• The openings. A good pass from the keeper to an outside defender/back or to a midfielder that will easily control the ball and look forward.
• Through these openings, they will control the center of the soccer field.
• Through the control of the center of the soccer field, they will launch an attack to one side of the field to hide a deadly attack to the other side of the soccer field that, in a few pass, by switching field, will lead to a sure, mathematical, not debatable  and definitive………………goal!

So, you want to be a chess player?   STUDY!

You want to be a soccer player?  STUDY!

If not, you can just continue to play chess or soccer, and both of them are really fun anyway!

Gianni Mininni