Body Posture and Pre-Scanning: The chicken or the egg?
We almost always blame a player’s closed reception on a lack of “pre-scanning.” But… is that really the root of the problem?
In general, it is said that a player must pre-scan (look around before getting the ball) in order to have a plan for what they want to do once they get it. After that, they must prepare their body posture to be able to execute that action as quickly and effectively as possible.
I want to share an idea I’ve been thinking about for a while now:
“Good body posture favors pre-scanning.”
What do I mean by that? Even though I agree with the traditional process shown in the graphic, I believe that in many cases, if a player's initial posture isn't good, proper pre-scanning becomes nearly impossible.
A player who’s about to receive the ball will typically try to pre-scan by turning their head over their shoulder. But if they approach the ball head-on, their ability to scan the field will be very limited.
As you can see in the image above, the player facing the ball—even while turning their head—has a very narrow field of vision. On top of that, if they receive the ball, their attention will shift to controlling it, making it nearly impossible to know what’s going on behind them.
So in this situation, even if the intention to pre-scan is there, it’s just too difficult.
That’s why I insist that, in order to scan properly, your initial posture needs to be open—ideally in a position that allows you to see both the ball and as much of the field ahead as possible.
In the image, the difference in scanning possibilities is clear: one player is facing away from the goal, while the other is already positioned in a more open stance.
In conclusion, maybe it’s not just about training the habit of looking around before receiving the ball.
Maybe it’s about preparing the body so that scanning actually becomes possible.
Maybe posture isn’t the result of the plan—but the starting point for everything.
Some extra tips:
Diagonal passing angles make it easier for the receiver to open up and perform good pre-scanning. Vertical passes, on the other hand, tend to make it more difficult.
Body posture is communication. The way a player positions their body shows information and intention. Do they want the ball? Where do they want it? What do they plan to do next?
Receiving with a closed body is not wrong. What is wrong is starting with a closed posture that doesn’t allow the player to see, analyze, and gather the information needed to play forward. If a player scans, analyzes, realizes there’s no forward option, and then decides to receive with their back to goal and lay it off, that’s totally fine.
Space is relative. A space may exist… and two seconds later, it’s gone. What really matters is understanding possibilities — and also the coordination and timing between passer and receiver.
Lastly, I wanted to leave a thought-starter for creating exercises around this topic.
The goal is not to hand out copy-paste drills, but to share tools that spark ideas — so that each coach can adapt and create their own, based on their unique context and reality.
Explanation: Two players pass the ball to each other, while one player, inside the Box, constantly adjusts their body posture to be able to see both the ball and what’s ahead. In front of them, a coach is holding up a colored object (a bib, cone, or anything else). The defenders will keep passing the ball until the player in the Box asks for it. However, they can only ask for it when the coach shows a specific color (in this case, green). Once they call for the ball, they must receive it with an open posture and immediately break forward.
A key detail is when they scan and when they call for the pass. The idea is that they scan and adjust their posture while the ball is in motion, so that when the defender receives, they’ve already decided whether they want to receive and play forward or not.
This drill idea can be used in many ways — as a warm-up that later transitions into finishing, as the trigger for a numbers-up attacking situation, or even as a ball control game.
Hope you found this episode useful. See you next time!
Javi
Originally posted in the Spanish language at:
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