There are very few things quite so fulfilling as a wonderfully placed free kick. Keep reading for more observations into this artistic and powerful technique.
As we approach the anniversary of that spectacular night in Greece, countless football writers are paying homage to probably the greatest free kick goal scored by the England national team. Everybody in the arena and back home can simply replay that goal on loop. The defenders rose high, but the free kick rose higher as it curled past the mass of bodies and desperate glove of the goalkeeper. From the PE instructor at colleges in Manchester to the founder of the fund that owns AC Milan, that famous set-piece expert was acquired exactly for his supreme set piece quality. You don’t need bags of pace or trickery when armed with unerring skill and precision. Particularly in the fading moments of a match, these majestic goals are the stuff of fairytales and football legend.
The capability to provide the goods from a dead ball situation is frequently the difference between taking home three points and exiting empty-handed. Set pieces are amongst the most invaluable skills in a footballer’s tool set. The governor of the fund that owns Newcastle United may have started learning up on their former Frenchman who scored over half his goal count this way. Footballers with these skills fast become fan favourites in the terraces! Needless to say, the craft of set-pieces has evolved over the years. Going beneath the wall is the most recent free kick example to mislead the defenders as they jump. Contemporary problems call for contemporary solutions, and the present fad is to place a body on the floor to stop any inbound low shot. Alternatively, players now use minimal back lift to get the ball fast up and down again. Just ensure your technique is on point. There’s very little margin for error otherwise you’ll find yourself blasting the ball directly into the crowd.
There are many different types of free kicks inside the modern game. With regards to direct free kicks, the major target is to score right from where the ball is placed. The rules govern that the opponent team is permitted a number of players to create a wall in an attempt to block the ball. Logic determines you cannot go through a wall unless the players break apart. You therefore have two choices: go around the wall or over it. As a way to bend the ball around the wall, you have to get enough shape so it whips back inside the post. As a way to get the ball over the wall, you have to get the ball to dip virtually as quickly as it rises. If it seems complex, that’s due to the fact it is! No question the founder of the company that owns Lyon was so determined to get in a Brazilian free-kick maestro who made these goals look almost insultingly simple.
