Football is one of the most popular sports in the world, played by millions of people all over the globe. One of the most crucial skills in football is crossing, which involves a player kicking the ball from out wide into the center of the field. A well-executed cross can lead to a scoring opportunity, but how effective is crossing in football?
What is Crossing?
Crossing is a technique in football where a player delivers a ball into the penalty area from a wide position. The objective of crossing is to create goal-scoring opportunities so that attackers can head or kick the ball into the goal. Players who perform this technique are usually wingers, wingbacks, or fullbacks.
The Types of Crosses in Football
The effectiveness of a cross in football depends on its type. Here are the main types of crosses used in football:
- The In-swinging Cross: This cross moves towards the goal from the opposite side of the player’s foot, causing the ball to curve and bend towards the far post, where an attacker can head the ball into the goal.
- The Out-swinging Cross: This cross moves away from the goal towards the side of the player’s foot, causing the ball to bend away from the goalkeeper, where an attacker can head or kick the ball into the goal.
- The Low Cross: This cross runs along the ground, making it difficult for defenders to clear the ball, as it can easily be deflected into the goal by attackers.
- The High Cross: This cross is delivered into the air and is aimed at attackers who are good at heading the ball.
- The Cutback: This cross is when the player delivers the ball towards the edge of the penalty area, where attacking players can take a shot at goal.
The Effectiveness of Crossing in Football
The effectiveness of crossing in football depends on various factors, including the skill level of the player delivering the ball, the quality of the cross itself, and the ability of attacking players to finish.
A well-delivered cross can lead to a goal-scoring opportunity, but it’s important to note that a high number of crosses fail to hit their intended targets. In fact, research has shown that only 1 in every 35 crosses ends up with a goal being scored.
This means that crossing is not always an effective option. It can be a high-risk, high-reward strategy, as it leaves plenty of room for defensive errors, as well as requiring a perfectly executed technique.
While crossing might not always result in a goal, it’s still an important skill to master in football, as it can create pressure on the opposing defense, opening up other opportunities for scoring.
When Crossing is Most Effective
In situations where a team is struggling to break down an opposing defense, crossing can be an effective strategy. Teams that have tall, athletic strikers who are skilled in heading the ball are the most likely to benefit from crosses.
In addition, crossing can be particularly effective during counter-attacks, where a team can quickly move the ball downfield and deliver a cross before the opposing defenders have time to regroup.
The Importance of Training for Crossing
To become effective at crossing in football, players must train consistently to improve their technique. This includes practicing accuracy, the timing of crosses, and developing a range of different types of crosses.
Players should work on their crosses from both sides of the field, as well as from different angles. This will allow them to deliver crosses regardless of their position on the field.
Conclusion
Crossing is an essential skill in football, and while it might not always result in a goal, it can create pressure on the opposing defense, opening up other opportunities for scoring. To become effective at crossing, players must train consistently to improve their technique, accuracy, and timing of crosses. By mastering this skill, players can help their teams to create more scoring opportunities and ultimately win more games.
FAQ
What percentage of goals come from crosses?
When it comes to scoring goals in soccer, there are a number of different methods that teams and players can use to try and put the ball into the back of the net. From long-range strikes to expertly executed set pieces, there is no shortage of ways to score. One of the most common methods, however, is the cross.
A cross is when a player passes the ball into the penalty area from the side of the field, with the intention of setting up a teammate for a shot. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as a low, hard cross along the ground, a high, looping cross into the box, or even a back-post cross that allows a teammate to sneak in behind the defense and head the ball in.
But just how effective are crosses when it comes to scoring goals? What percentage of goals actually come from crosses? According to data collected by the website FiveThirtyEight, during the 2014-2015 English Premier League season, only 1.6% of all goals scored came directly from crosses. This means that, on average, it took 64 crosses to score a single goal.
Of course, it’s important to note that this statistic only takes into account goals that are scored directly from crosses – in other words, goals where the player who received the cross was able to score without any further input from other players. There are many other ways in which crosses can lead to goals, such as if a defender accidentally puts the ball into his own net while trying to clear a cross, or if a cross causes confusion in the opposition defense, leading to a goal being scored from a rebound or loose ball.
Despite this, the fact remains that direct goals from crosses are relatively rare in modern soccer. Part of this is due to evolving tactics and playing styles – many teams now prefer to play possession-based soccer, focusing on short, quick passes rather than long balls or crosses. Additionally, modern defenses are more organized and disciplined than ever before, making it harder for attacking players to find space in the box and get a clean shot on goal.
That being said, crosses can still be an effective weapon in a team’s arsenal, especially if used correctly. Teams that play with fast, skilled wingers who can deliver accurate crosses into dangerous areas can cause problems for even the most well-drilled defenses. The key is to use crosses as part of a varied attacking strategy, rather than relying on them as a one-dimensional approach to scoring goals.
What is the average cross accuracy in the Premier League?
In football, a cross is a long pass played into the penalty area from either side of the field, with the aim of providing an opportunity for a teammate to score a goal. Crosses are one of the most common methods teams use to try and create chances in front of goal. However, not all crosses are successful, and some can be easily cleared by the opposing team’s defenders.
To gauge the effectiveness of crosses in the Premier League, football analysts collect data on the number of crosses attempted and the number that are successfully completed by players. According to the latest available statistics, during the 2019/2020 Premier League season, there were 15,016 attempted crosses across all games played. On average, only 18% of these crosses were successfully completed, highlighting the difficulty of executing a good cross into the penalty area.
It is worth noting that not all crosses are equal, and different types of crosses can have varying levels of accuracy. For example, “whipped” crosses, played with pace and curl towards the goal, are often considered to be more dangerous than a “floated” cross, which is played with less speed and height. Crossing accuracy can also vary depending on the player’s position on the pitch, as crosses played from deeper areas are typically more difficult to execute accurately.
While crosses remain a popular tactic in the Premier League, completing them accurately is a difficult task. As the statistics show, on average, only 18% of crosses attempted in the 2019/2020 season were successfully completed, highlighting the importance of accuracy and precision when attempting to provide opportunities for your teammate to score.