How they can deal with setbacks and react to missing guilt-edge chances is vital, and often separates the good strikers from the world\u2019s best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We spoke to football psychologists to enter the minds and methodology of how they return to goal-scoring form. We will also delve deep into pressures<\/a> and responsibilities strikers face, and the weight of expectations against individual player goals and reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From Alan Smith\u2019s 70-game goalless streak to Saido Berahino\u2019s failure to live up to the goal scoring hype, the Premier League has seen its fair share of strikers struggling in front of goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mathew Shaw, a Sports and exercise psychologist specialising in football has worked with elite level footballers ranging from internationals who have represented their countries at World Cups, to Champions League players all the way down to the lower leagues of amateur footballers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said \u201cpart of it is down to the individual and their personal goal. With some players, it won\u2019t phase them at all compared to other players, which determines how I approach talking to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA lot of the time it\u2019s caused by players dwelling on a missed opportunity within the game, which can linger with them, resulting in this negative mindset. That self-belief and arrogance that you need to play at the highest level such as the Premier League fades, and then they start over analysing their own game in their heads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOther times it may be strikers suffering from low confidence, and it’s our job to help them regain this motivation to get back to what they are capable of. It\u2019s a vicious cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With football being more stat driven than it\u2019s ever been, there\u2019s an over-fixation towards players hitting certain numbers, scoring x amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pundits are obsessed with xG and goals per minute ratios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whilst this can be insightful, you have to take stats with a pinch of salt due to the fact they can be interpreted differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes when we investigate the stats of strikers struggling for goals, it\u2019s clear that they simply aren\u2019t getting enough shots off or getting into the correct positions to enable them to take the shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It all depends on the individual player; some may be more stat driven and set their own benchmark for what metrics they want to be hitting by the end of the season, whereas others will leave the numbers on the side for fans and pundits to talk over whilst they focus on their own performance each game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How quickly players suffer psychologically from goal droughts varies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan Abrahams, a football psychologist said: \u201cSometimes strikers, especially those who set such high targets for themselves at the elite level, it can affect straight away when they aren\u2019t scoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOthers will be aware that they are still contributing to the team despite not scoring.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Context is extremely important for strikers to consider. For instance, if they are in a team that are struggling in the league, and they have a greater responsibility to deliver for the team, then there\u2019s this magnifying glass over them which can make it more challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the other end of the spectrum are strikers who are part of a fluent, high-performing team where goals are coming from everywhere on the pitch, thus placing less pressure solely on the striker to score all the goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just look at Man City and the free-flowing football they play under Pep Guardiola which allows for more creativity and goals from everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When strikers aren\u2019t scoring it\u2019s the end of the world. When they are failing to do so regularly it builds up to more pressure from fans and the media, even to the point whereby abuse is thrown at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The weight of delivering goals can be suffocating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mathew Shaw said: \u201cStrikers face overarching feelings such as frustration and guilt, as though they should contribute more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe main psychological impact is that the reality of what they are doing doesn\u2019t quite measure up to the expectations set by both themselves and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s this lack of confidence, motivation and cloud of uncertainty surrounding their thoughts on and off the pitch\u201d, emphasizing the intricacies of the mental battle waged within a striker\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, how do strikers deal with this huge pressure you may ask?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, it\u2019s often based around how they frame that pressure, and methods that they choose to utilise depending on their own circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Undoubtedly, strikers scoring regular goals is the primary solution to winning games, and that\u2019s where this daunting pressure upon their shoulders builds up \u2013 particularly on some of the bigger clubs in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You only need to look at Erling Haaland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Norwegian powerhouse had huge shoes to fill when he joined Manchester City last season, replacing the 260 goal scorer Sergio Aguero.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He joined the City team with this exuberating confidence, borderline arrogance some might say, and he certainly stepped up to the incredibly high standard that the fourth highest Premier League goal scorer set, netting 36 goals \u2013 a record in a singular season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other strikers may be playing for a less free-scoring team, Dan Abrahams said: \u201cIf players are aware that they are joining a team that doesn\u2019t create so many chances they can in turn rationalize why they aren\u2019t scoring as much. It\u2019s about them applying context and realising that their struggles might be more down to the rest of the team and how they tactically set up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI help players change their relationship with pressure, how they see it, how it makes them feel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fan pressure can be both positive and negative; it can be quite motivating and energising, but also it can sap these things out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMost players I\u2019ve worked with have higher expectations on themselves than what other fans put on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe best dressing rooms have players who have high expectations of their teammates, and they are way more concerned with that than pressure from supporters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Football being the global phenomenon that it is, eyes are watching these players from all over the world; intensely analysing and heavily critiquing their performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve seen strikers struggle to face up to the criticism of not scoring chances that they perhaps should have done, whereas others can let these emotions get the better of them and in turn creates this dark shadow over their performances, causing them to be fixated on all the background noise and less on their own individual mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mathew Shaw said: \u201cThere are fundamental things we can do to change this, sometimes it\u2019s around how they talk to themselves off the pitch,<\/a> making sure they talk to themselves in a helpful way to improve their game. Sometimes it’s about after missing chances, how do you bounce back quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s limiting their accessibility to analysing the chances they missed and just focusing on the next one that comes their way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The million-dollar question that fans and players all want to know is: What are the secrets to strikers regaining that feeling of stroking the ball into the back of the net?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The truth is that, sadly, there is no singular answer to their relentless pursuit of goals, every striker has a different mentality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whilst it\u2019s not a guarantee that they will consistently find the back of the net again, they can alter the way they think about their game and how to get into better areas, which will result in an increased likelihood of them returning to the scoresheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shaw helps them \u201cvisualise those chances better and allow them to feel more familiar when they are out there. If we see them not shooting, we use a soundboard approach to help them get into the box more, and potential areas where they can change their fortunes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne thing I emphasise a lot is when these periods happen, they can often think they have to rush to change, and panic sets in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe best strikers who solve their goal droughts keep to their original game, this is what they call processing goals to make sure they are thinking about two or three things maximum, often around being more aggressive and assertive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking them back to the simple strengths of their game removes any sort of doubt they may have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan Abrahams said: \u201cI challenge them to think of an alternative view, or to rationalise and put it into the context of the match. It\u2019s making them think more critically about their performance than emotionally. Breaking it down into simple, achievable targets will lead to more shots on goal and hopefully more goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSimple instructions such as decision-making, anticipation, desire or motivation are all factors to help solve a goal drought. How to be more proactive off the ball. Control the controllables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLess is more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the daunting nature of goal droughts, success stories abound of strikers who have emerged from the shadows of adversity, stronger and more determined than ever. Through sheer grit, motivation and unwavering belief in their abilities, these great No.9s of our game have defied the odds to reclaim their rightful place among football\u2019s elite goal scorers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan Abrahams<\/a> is a best selling author and sports<\/p>\n\n\n\n psychologist who has worked with the likes of <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gareth Bale, Eddie Howe, and Steve McClaren. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Matthew Shaw<\/a> is a sports psychologist who has<\/p>\n\n\n\n worked with Team Great Britain athletes and <\/p>\n\n\n\n helped them medal at the Olympics.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Related Content<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n Here at xGenius, the minds behind football, we will uncover all the top secrets to rediscovering that goal scoring touch and delve deep into the psychological impact of fan pressure along with expertise analysis. Find out what separates the good strikers from the elite.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":1945,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22,10,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alfie","category-pressure","category-top-story-3"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/xgenius\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/expert-box-3.png\")
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