The Flashlight Belly: How to See the Whole Field When You Get the Ball

Imagine you are playing midfield. Your teammate has the ball. You want them to pass it to you, so you run toward them.

As you run, your chest is facing your teammate. Your back is facing the goal you want to score on. You are looking straight at the ball.

This feels natural, but it is actually a trap.

When you face the passer, you can only see one half of the field. You have no idea what is behind you. Is a defender running up to steal the ball? Is your striker wide open? You cannot tell.

When the ball finally reaches you, you have to stop it, turn all the way around, and then look. By then, the defender has already run you over.

There is a much better way to stand. It is called playing "on the half-turn" or having an "open body shape." To do it, you just need to use your flashlight belly.

Shine the Light on the Whole Field

Imagine your belly button has a powerful flashlight on it. Wherever your body faces, that flashlight shines a bright light.

If you face the teammate who has the ball, your light only shines on them. Everything behind you is in the dark.

If you turn your body completely away from the teammate, your light shines on the goal, but now you cannot see the ball.

To solve this, you must stand sideways.

Turn your body so your flashlight belly points toward the sideline. Now, your body is halfway between the ball and the goal. If you look to your left, you can see the player with the ball. If you look to your right, you can see the open grass and the defenders. You have just turned on the lights for the whole field.

How to Receive the Ball Sideways

Standing sideways is only the first step. You also have to trap the ball correctly. To do this, you must use your "back foot."

Your back foot is the foot that is furthest away from the player passing you the ball.

If the pass is coming from your left, your right foot is your back foot. If the pass is coming from your right, your left foot is your back foot.

Here is how to put it all together:

• Do not stand like a wall: As the ball comes toward you, keep your body turned toward the sideline.
• Let the ball cross your body: Do not reach out to tap the ball early. Let the ball roll across your nose.
• Touch the ball with your back foot: Use the inside of your far foot to cushion the ball.
• Push the ball forward: Your first touch should not stop the ball dead. It should push the ball slightly ahead of you, toward the goal you want to attack.

Because you are already standing sideways, your first touch naturally turns you toward the goal. You do not have to waste time stopping, spinning, and looking. You are already facing the play, and you are already moving.

Why This Makes You a Better Player

Good soccer players do not wait until they get the ball to decide what to do. They make their decision while the ball is still rolling toward them.

When your flashlight belly is pointed at the sideline, you can see the defender coming before you even touch the ball. If you see a defender sprinting at you, you can use your first touch to push the ball away from them. If you see open space, you can take a big touch and sprint into it.

It will feel a little bit strange at first. Your brain will want you to turn and face the ball. You might feel like you are going to miss the pass.

But if you practice this in training, it will soon become a habit. You will stop getting caught from behind, and you will start making plays before the defense even knows what happened.