Two footed or 1 super foot?

[panchester07]

So I've come to realize, that there are many outstanding dribblers that are left footed .. I believed for a while that left footed players where naturally better driblers, or that they simply have an advantage over us right footed. I mean, Messi, Robben, Maradona, and a whole bunch of others. But then I realized, the only reason they are so good left footed dribblers, is because they only have their left foot. You never see Messi beating palyers wtih his right, passing or shooting unless he's in a super tight situation with his right. Neither Robben, Maradona etc. Most left footed players are all left. On the other hand, most right footed players, are more two footed. They can beat players cutting with their felt, can shoot and pass with their left better. If you go to the principle "you improve with every touch", since the left only use their left foot, they are gonna have a super left foot, and an okay right one, since they take way more touches with their left. On the other hand right footed players take more touches with both foot. They obviously still use their right foot more, but they use their left a lot. In a left footer, the ratio of touches left to right could be 10:1. In a right footed, it would be something around 5:1. Obviously every player is different, but that could be a rough estimate. Also, in practice, in training and in all sessions left footed always use their left.

So knowing why they are so good dribblers, and shooters, and passers with their left foot, would you rather......

Have 1 super foot? Like Messi, Maradona, Robben, etc( i could name 50)
Have 1 great foot and 1 decent foot? Like most right footed players?

Why?

Opinions?

[collin]

for me, i am naturally two footed, so i use both feet and can shoot and pass and do every single touch and skill with both feet exactly the same. this is a huge advantage for me. but for people like messi and maradona and only useing their left feet can be a disadvantage, only useing your left can make you predictable and if there every comes a time where you must use that bad foot then you will mess it up. so no i would not want to have 1 super foot

[styale18]

1 great foot and 1 decent foot bc having a decent weaker foot opens up lots of possibilities, plus being able to play more positions. Also, a two footed player is less predictable and more balanced

[panchester07]

Fair enough, good answers.... I'm exactly like that, 1 great foot and the other decent .. I can make cuts with the left, though I don't do it more than 1-2 times per game, but very effectively because its unpredictable. Passing and shooting really well with the left, in a current league i'm playing I have 1 goal with my head, 1 with my right, and 4 with my left foot, prolly got that from imitating Messi, Robben or Van Persie. I dribble mostly with my right and have little trouble beating people when I try to..

But I always wonder, what if I only use my right, if I'm good already with my right, imagine if I would only train and play with it.. Much like the players I've mentioned....

Its an interestingggg interrogative

[klc123]

Depends how you mean Panch.

Messi and Maradona were heavily one footed, but they still have a decent right foot for controlling the ball and making easy passes, sometimes shots.

I personally in a match do nearly everything with my stronger righter foot when possible, why would I use a weaker tool when I have a better tool to do the job? In training I train both, whereas on the pitch, I only use my left in situations I must use my left, whenever possible I use my right.

I understand what you mean though, I obviously dribble with my right foot a lot more because I beat players better with it, and I think using your stronger foot really makes a difference, even Cruyff and Best, who would be considered two footed, mainly used their right, stronger foot. If its good enough for them, its good enough for me.

[panchester07]

Right footed players take what, 35,000 touches with their right, and 15,000 with their left per year maybe??

Left footed take 45,000 with their left, and 5,000 with their right.

Their left is stronger, better, than a right footed's right maybe, but their righttt is shittier by far than a right footed's left.

[klc123]

Hmm, sort of.

It depends how you train, to be honest I train my weaker foot, but most of my training is on my stronger foot.

How about you?

[panchester07]

Definetly train my right more, and now that I have this information, I'm going to make the difference 3:1 maybe, whereas before it was 2:1. All the drills can be done only with the right, or only with the left, or with both. Now that I know how much its all about touches, I'm going to make sure my right is ready to compete in a world of gifted left footers ..

[MUFC1994]

Why not try to have 2 super feet?

I usually train with a 1:1 ratio and it's really helped. I'm still more confidant with my right, but I wouldn't hesitate to take a game winning shot with my left.

[LiveTheDream]

Bobby Charlton once said in an interview that you wouldn't have told Puskas to work on his (weaker) right foot

I think it's important to be at least decent with your weaker foot. You never know when you're gonna need it, and let's face it, if your in a position to score pretty easily and you have to shoot with your weaker foot and you duff it up simply BECAUSE it's your weaker foot then you're gonna look like a right dick

[pickyourheadup]

Right footed players take what, 35,000 touches with their right, and 15,000 with their left per year maybe??

Left footed take 45,000 with their left, and 5,000 with their right.

Their left is stronger, better, than a right footed's right maybe, but their righttt is shittier by far than a right footed's left.

I think your last point could be true in many cases.

Perhaps the reason could be that left-footed players grow up having to learn on their own. They cannot copy their right-footed coach or teammates. Left-footed players, therefore, spend a lot of time trying to tranlate right-footed technique to left-footed technique.


On the other hand, right footed players grow up with everyone around them using right feet. They then have more time to improve their left foot.

This was just my opinion; I'm left footed.

[panchester07]

ahha no man, that has nothing to do with it, sorry..

I explained why, and its because left footers are very left footed, you see many trying to take shot with the outside of their left before taking it with their right, etc, etc. They use their left so much that its very domesticated, while we right footed split the touches we take between left and right, they are taking touches with their left much more consistently that we with the right. Therefor, "you improve with everytouch" and them taking much more touches with their left, gives them a much more stronger left than right. Pass the ball to the right, and you'll see how they can't dribble straight, its because they take every touch with their left, and therefor improve it much more. Its all about the touches. Me, I take 5 touches with me right, and 1 with me left, and repeat. They take 25 with the left, and 1 with the right, therefor their left is golden, but their right is sh*t. The thing with them though, they only need one leg to conquer the world... Maradona, Messi, Rivaldo, Robben, Van Persie(not as good but still amazing technique)... All these players are all left, but their left is brilliant so they can afford to be like this.

[Icy]

Typically don't say this, but in terms of dribbling there is absolutely no reason you need 2 feet that are ridiculously good. It's not like shooting\control where you are going to get into situations that you can only use a specific foot. Your movement really controls which foot you use, and if you're smart you're going to keep it in favor of your good foot.

On that note though, there will be times that things just don't turn out that way and you have to use your weaker foot. This is fine because it's very easy (just time consuming!) to get the skill of your weak foot to a great level. The consistence won't be the same as your strong foot, but the fact that there won't be many opportunities of using it to screw up with it won't matter.

If you view your skill as something that can based off of 100% (this being the ABSOLUTE best you can make a skill) the first 80% out of the 100% is very easy to achieve. It's the last 20% that takes forever and the difference betweens good pros and great pros. On this note you can easily get your weak foot to 80% and it'll be fine for those times when you HAVE to use it. For the most part though you can control not having to use it by your movement on the field.

[klc123]

I completely agree Icy.

Training is like a marathon, the last mile is always the hardest one.

You can get your weaker foot up to a decent standard with lightening speed, but once your at that level, it takes longer and longer to improve.

[collin]

or we can all just train twice as much as the left footers and get both of are feet 100%!!!