Soccer Free Kicks - The important status of set pieces

Today's soccer is becoming more and more sophisticated tactic wise and with a small number of scoring opportunities; that's why soccer free kicks are gaining an important status in the beautiful game.

There are two types of offensive free kicks: the ones that are shot towards the goal and the ones that are crossed. The goal shot free kicks are considered far more dangerous, but usually they're rarer since they require the foul to have happened in a central area on the pitch, close to the opponent's box. With most of the modern soccer game being taken on the sides, crossing free kicks are more abundant and despite not being as dangerous as central ones, they're still a good source of chances for scoring goals.

Direct Shot Free Kicks

The range the soccer free kicks is taken from is also a factor. Ironically, fouls that occur very close to the penalty box are considered less favorable, since the free kick taker will have a hard time printing a swirl to the ball to drop down fast behind the wall. However, this type of free kick is dangerous if the ball gets a deflection or if it passes straight through the wall, since the goalkeeper won't have time to react.

Impressive free kick takers such as David Beckham and Ronaldinho will always prefer a free kick that is somewhere between 22 and 25 yards, because they can add a lot more power to the shot, without worrying there won't be enough space for it to fall down towards the goal under the effect of the swirl.

If you take a close look at David Beckham's free kicks, you will notice that the ball starts falling towards the goal when it's around 6 yards, before that, giving you the impression that it will go over the bar. If the foul occurred centrally around 25-30 yards, you'll probably want to rely on power rather than finesse in your shot. Even if you get a well-aimed shot from such a free kick, the goal keeper has enough time to cover the ground to get it.

A powerful shot on the other hand from such a range, has 2 advantages. It closes the time frame of the goalkeeper, since the ball will move faster towards the goal and you have the chance of getting a lucky deflection from a teammate or an opponent, which will confuse the goalkeeper.

Some goalkeepers would prefer if soccer free kicks from 25-30 yards are not defended by a wall. In such a case, a wall actually hurts the goalkeeper more than it helps, since it can produce an unlucky deflection and it blocks the view of the keeper. Since many of these soccer free kicks turn into goals with the help of an unlucky deflection from a teammate in the wall.

Cross Free Kicks

Cross free kicks can usually be taken from the side areas of your team's offensive third, but in some cases you can cross from a central position (usually further than 25 yards, if you don't have a good soccer free kicks taker from that range).

What you'll want to do in either case is try to hit the cross hard with a descending curve that should fall somewhere between the penalty spot and the 6 yard keeper protection box. That's the most dangerous place a free kick can land, since it's out of reach from the goalkeeper and close enough to the goal that a slight deflection with the head would push the ball in the net.

Practicing Soccer Free Kicks

The best free kick takers in the world spend hundreds of hours perfecting their skills, so don't think David Beckham, Juninho or Roberto Carlos are simply "talented". True, some players will do better naturally from a free kick, but mastering this part of the game can only be obtained through hours upon hours in the grass, shooting from all angles and from all ranges.

If you want to train your free kick skills individually, ask your coach to let you stay overtime after the practice and maybe ask the help from a goalkeeper. It will be a lot more realistic if there's someone in the goal rather than if you shoot blindly for the net. He can also help you scoop up balls faster, so you don't have to waste time running around gathering them.