How to Carry an Outside Trap

Soccer is not only a game of speed, power and agility, but also a game of smarts. The ability to out-think your opponent is one of the greatest strengths a player can posses. It takes a true athlete to contain all of those aspects. If you can read your opponent's upcoming move, the chances of you winning the ball or containing that player greatly increases. One of the most beneficial plays the defense can make is to pull an 'offside trap.' In soccer, offside occurs when a player on the offensive team is between the goalkeeper and the last defender of the opposing team before the ball is kicked. A player is offside if they are in such a position and: receive a pass from a teammate, gain an advantage from being in that position, are involved in the play or have the possibility of being involved. The assistant referee (linesman) then flags the offside call, and an indirect free kick is awarded to the defensive team. There are two types of free kicks: direct and indirect. If a direct kick is awarded to a team, it means that team has a legal direct shot on the goal. An indirect free kick means that the ball has to be touched by another member of that team before the ball can be shot. If a defensive team is awarded a free kick due to an offside infringement, the kick is indirect. The only times the offside rule is not in tact are when either team is taking a throw-in, goal kick or corner kick. In which case it is legal for the offense to be closer to the goal they are shooting on than the other team. It is then on the defense to recover if such an incident occurs. The offside trap not only saves the goalkeeper from doing too much work, it gives the team time to regroup. The game can get very hectic and a stoppage of play gives the team time to catch a breath or two and set back up. If used correctly, it may save a goal. Playing a team who's faster is never a fun game, but speed is no match for a tidy defense. With this smart defensive play, the opposing players can lose thrust and be put to a halt. Here's how to make the play: Discuss and Practice. The only way to perfect this play is to practice and review it. This way all players are comfortable with the play in a real game situation. Communicate. The members of the defensive line must all be on the same page. Lack of communication between any single player could blow the operation and possibly cost a goal. Some teams use hand signals or code words (like an animal or school mascot) to make certain all players know what is going on. Time the Kick. The trap will only work if used at the right time. If the defense moves too quickly, the offense will have time to adjust. If they move to late (after the ball has been kicked), the defense is simply out of position. Time spent recovering from either fault, the latter being the more devastating of the two, is time the offense has to shoot the ball. Make the Move. At the last possible second before the offensive team has kicked the ball, make your way away from your defending goal. Technically, the offense has to only be a hair behind the defense to be committing the offside; but that can be difficult for a referee to decipher. At least a couple steps is recommended to make a clear statement of what is being done. One goal, no matter how much time is left, can make or break the game. It is the job of the defense to keep the goalkeeper's work to an absolute minimum. This simple play can make all the difference between winning and losing. -