Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-01-11


As WE have explained at length,
- trapping in soccer is play in
tended to control an intercepted pass,
wild pass or descending ball.
Blocking is another phase Of the
same play. Particularly is it used
when stopping the ball from going
where it is intended by an opponent.
The fullback uses blocking tactics when
he is unable to use the foot in kicking
or the head in heading. He usually
tries to block the ball by getting d.
rectly into it's line of fight after 1t
has left the opponents foot.
If the ball is low the player simply
down and sole up, to let the ball strike
the sole and be grounded directly in
front of him when he Immediately ad-
vances sufficiently far to put his foot
to the ball and send 1t where he wants
to. In case the ball is breast high the
fullback receives the ball on the chest
and advances between the forwards,
| who are attacking, the ball being car
ried on the chest during this time by
reason of the fullback coming forward
fast enough to keep it there until he
is clear of his opponents. when the
ball will come to the ground and he is
then able to send it in the desired
! direction.
The halfback uses the block when he
is up behind his forwards and when
the opposing halves have taken the ball
| from the forwards and kicked 1t to one
Of their own forwards. In this in
stance the blocking is phase of the In :
| tercepting tactics of the halves. But
there are also times when the half can
block the ball on his chest, or, as he
should really do, jump off the ground
high enough TO trap the ball on his
stomach and bring 1t to ground.
Forwards Use Foot Block
The forwards use the foot block wher
they are close on the opposing fullback'
Tor the purpose Of neutralizing the full
hack kicks in the effort to clear. BY
being close in on the fullbacks the at
tacking forwards have many opportu
mites for blocking with the foot Oh
trapping with the stomach. Fullbacks
subjected to this sort of pressure fre;;
uuently become very much ratified ant
Get TO kicking wildly, and the wilder
fhey get the more does the blocking oil
stomach trapping forward get his
Another phase Of this department OF
the game is when the same tactics arr
appIied to the goalkeeper. This, OF
Course. naturally follows when the tac-
tics are applied to the fullbacks. There
Is nothing disconcerts a goalkeeper OF
fullback quite so much as when ms ef,
forts to clear are frustrated by skillfu
blocking on the part OF the opposing
forwards. :,
The exercise Of the ball blocking
tactics brings US to opponent blocking
tactics, where the effort Is made &c
block an opponent IN his endeayor nc y
drihble. pass or receive the ball. It
hlock an opponent the player usually
nlaces himself in a position to prevent
the opponent doing anything to or with
the ball. Blocking an opponent does
not mean charging. In blocking there
ia always q space between the players
the blocker simply putting himself II
nosition to prevent the opponent doint
aanvthinQ with the ball II he has it
or preyent him receiving the ball If HI
does not have 1t.
This Is a play in which the half
hacks should take particular interest
for IL il by his blocking tactics tha
the wing half prevents the wing for
ward receiving the ball on long o'
even a short pass, although in thu
| latter case II becomes soihe"nat VI VI
intercepting move. The wing hal
should always be in position to prevent
his opponent from receiving the ball
In this case, OF course, he gets in /
position back to and in front Of thu
forward, and with tactics of this sor
a merry battle goes on between thu
two. the half trying to block and thu
forward trying to keep from beini
blocked. Another instance of thi.
blocking move usually takes place be-
tween the center half and opposing
center forward.
When a forward is pestered by {
half he does not, as rule, have an!
time TO play with the ball in case b,
receives Il, and being unable to senC
or carry It forward by reason of an
other opponent blocking any move il
that direction. he Is compelled either I,
snap the ball back to a convenien
mate or over the head Of the half o.
blocking opponent and put it in posi-
tion for another forward to receive ant
,, do something with 1t.
Tackling Is another phase of block
. ing and Ia defined as putting one