The wall pass, otherwise known as the give and go, or the one two, is a tactic used in most team sports. It is the most basic of offensive tactics, but very valuable nonetheless.

The basic principle it to use the ball as sufficient distraction to allow the passer to move into a position of advantage in order to receive the ball again, but in a better position than when they gave the ball up to their teammate.

The wall pass is so named because the supporting player acts as if he were a wall that the first player bounches the ball off of at an angle in order for it to return to him as he runs forward.

A precision wall pass is primarily required in two vs. two situations.

The passer waits until the first defender is just about in range to attack the ball, then plays the initial pass to his teammate and immediately (in the same motions if possible) runs past the first defender and into the space he intends to exploit, leaving the defender off-balance.

Next, the second attacker immediately plays the ball at an angle, leading the first attacker past his defender and passing the ball before the man marking him can react. This second pass is generally played as quickly as possible in order to take advantage of the open space that the first attacker should be able to reach first.

Thierry Henry and Frank Ribery performed a classic give and go in France's 2006 World Cup quarterfinal win to eliminate Brazil.

Ribery starts the play by passing the ball back to his teammate Henry, running into open space.

The defender on Ribery follows the ball, but just before he is able to reach it, Henry passes it back to Ribery, leaving the defender lunging towards a ball that is no longer there. The above photo is just after Henry has touched the ball towards Ribery and started his run forward.

Upon receiving the ball and before the second defender can arrive, Ribery immediately plays it forward into the open space Henry is running into. Notice that Henry already has a step on the defender nearest him who is fighting the momentum previously taking him in the opposite direction.

Henry easily beats both defenders to the ball, which actually frees up Ribery for yet another return pass, this time with Henry acting as the ball. Ultimately, the Brazilian defender can no longer reach the ball and earns himself a yellow card for fouling Henry.

With a precision give and go like this, the defenders might as well not be there for all the effect they have on the ball and the two players moving forward in the attack.

In any kind of one on one situation with a keeper, the keeper must move towards the attacker on a line that runs from the ball through the center of the goal, thus narrowing the angle and reducing the area of the goal that the attacker is able to target.

If the ball is outside the reach of the attacker you should move towards the ball as fast as possible. If the attacker has full control of the ball you must be more cautious and watch for the chip or an attempt to dribble around you. If the attacker is coming from something of a side angle, then attempt to force him wide of the goal.

You must always be ready to hit the ground or the air to stop a hard shot. If the attacker glances down at the ball it may indicate a shot soon, but you must always focus your primary attention on the ball itself. Once you get close enough, you must attack the ball, getting your whole body sideways and in front of the ball. Even a deflection touch with your hand may be enough to save the goal once you've narrowed the angle down sufficiently.

Try to discover which side the penalty taker favors. Watch the attacker to see where they glance at the goal, although they may try to fool you. Check the foot angle just before contact with the ball, but mostly concentrate on the ball itself. Dive slightly forward to prevent a hard penalty from pushing your hands into the goal. Some keepers favor playing percentages and guessing one sode or the other, others rely on minor mistakes to give them enough of an edge to react once the ball is kicked.

Shots can come from anywhere and any direction. The first rule is to always be prepared for a shot to occur. Many goals are scored when a keeper is expecting an attacker to continue dribbling to the side and he suddenly turns and shoots, or when a keeper is out of position and an attacker takes a chance on a longer than usual distance shot.

Stay on the imaginary line between the ball and the center of the goal. Concentrate on the ball. Try to use your peripheral vision to keep track of other players while watching the ball if any possibility of a shot exists.

 Once a shot is taken, always try to get as much of your body as possible behind the ball. Relax the part of your body in contact with the ball in order to create give and reduce the risk of a rebound. If you can get your feet in front of the ball, do that instead of diving for it.

Be aware of the possibility of a richochet off of another player while the shot is on the way or a bad bounce on the turf that redirects the ball.

Low balls struck from close in may require you to push yourself towards the ground, turning your body sideways to face the incoming ball and getting your legs out of the way.

Push off with weight on the leg on the side of the ball, diving sideways, never face-down, getting your hands (and whole body if possible) in the path of the ball.

Jim Lehman pushes off to start his winning penalty kick shootout save in Germany's 2006 World Cup quarterfinal match against Argentina.

Get your hands behind the flight of the ball, fingers spread wide, thumbs almost touching and then bring the ball securely into your body as soon as possible.

Notice Lehman's sideways outstretched body and his hands facing the ball in the classic W position as he dives to save the shot.

Lehman completes the save still in perfect form, keeping his bodyfacing the ball and not the ground.

With more distant shots the keeper should have time to move his whole body into the path of the ball rather than diving for it.

Punch only when you can't reliably catch a ball. Punch through the ball to add as much power as possible and get a solid contact. Go for height, distance and width, in that order.

Aim for the area of least danger. On a cross that may be back the way it came or up over the top of the crossbar. On a shot the safest direction to punch may be at a slight angle to the incoming angle to direct the ball away from the attackers and into space or to a defender.

France's Keeper Fabien Barthez prepares to punch an incoming cross away in his side's 2006 World Cup second round match with Spain. Notice that although the ball isn't in sight yet, he demonstrates with his fists that he's already made up his mind to punch.