Shot Selection: When to Power, Place, or Chip

Published on · 8 min read

Finishing is a menu. The correct choice depends on keeper position, defender distance, and your body shape. This guide maps common situations to high-percentage options so you can decide faster.

Power

Use power when the keeper is set but screened, or when you are close and the window is small. Aim low and through, not high and wild. Short backlift and quick release matter more than raw force.

Placement

Side-netting at knee height is the workhorse. Choose placement whenever you can open your hips and see the corner. If time allows, place first and add pace second.

Chip

Chip when the keeper rushes or drops early. It is a tempo move — soft and late. Practice touch so you can disguise the chip until the last moment.

Decision Rules