TMDaines
Fun sponge.
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- Sep 1, 2014
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It correlates with his long range shots conversion rate. Mata is properly more intelligent than most at choosing when to shoot.Yep, his raw conversion stats are fairly surprising!
It correlates with his long range shots conversion rate. Mata is properly more intelligent than most at choosing when to shoot.Yep, his raw conversion stats are fairly surprising!
Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t bad at free kicks is he?
I guess that both "great" and "a lot" are quite subjective terms. I think he can easily be the best free kick taker in the world right now. Is there anyone who is clearly better than him, that it would make it wrong to call him the best free kick taker right now?He's getting more mentions here for best free kick taker in the world than anyone else when he doesn't really score them a lot. I said he wasn't great in that context, not that he was a bad free kick taker. Ronaldo has scored more free kicks than any other active player and he's not great at them either.
Yeah, Zico would be my favourite from yesteryear. Accuracy is unmatched.Yep, his raw conversion stats are fairly surprising!
Anyway, for the current lot — intermediate range: Pjanić, short: Dybala
All-time — intermediate range: Juninho, short: Zico
Aye, he should be first choice for anything within 25 yards. But I noticed that recently - it might have been the first or second free-kick after he scored against Leicester, he couldn't even muscle his way to the top of the pecking order and had to stand sadly in the background while some clown ballooned it over the bar.I actually think Mata is too polite and civil to get taking more free kicks. Can’t imagine him ever arguing with anyone to take them.
His efforts are generally quite tame in power but there’s very few better at placing top corner.
I'm fairly sure these stats are inaccurate as stats weren't collected as thoroughly in the early days of the premier league as they are now.Ronaldo being mentioned in this thread is boderline a joke, isn't it? He always takes them despite ballooning 95% into row Z.
Scored a cracker against David James a decade ago to be fair.
These are Premier League stats form a couple of years ago, Ronaldo's % may have improved in Spain.
Juan Mata : Shots 28, Goals 5, Conversion 17.9 (per cent)
Sebastian Larsson : Shots 90, Goals 11, Conversion 12.2.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink : Shots 62, Goals 6, Conversion 9.7.
David Beckham : Shots 54, Goals 5, Conversion 9.3.
Nolberto Solano : Shots 78, Goals 7, Conversion 9.0.
Thierry Henry : Shots 144, Goals 12, Conversion 8.3.
Danny Murphy : Shots 67, Goals 5, Conversion 7.5.
Ryan Giggs : Shots 73, Goals 5, Conversion 6.8.
Leighton Baines : Shots 76, Goals 5, Conversion 6.6.
Laurent Robert : Shots 154, Goals 10, Conversion 6.5.
Cristiano Ronaldo : Shots 164, Goals 10, Conversion 6.1.
Just checked, those stats are from the 2001/02 season until January 2015.I'm fairly sure these stats are inaccurate as stats weren't collected as thoroughly in the early days of the premier league as they are now.
Beckham must have more than 5 league goals from free kicks, surely?
Good era for free-kick takers that, or perhaps I'm just being a nostalgic sad case. Can add:A few from the past who were awesome
Marcus Ascunsao
Juan Roman Riquelme
Alvaro Recoba
Roberto Baggio
Alex Del Piero
Ah that makes sense!Just checked, those stats are from the 2001/02 season until January 2015.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...l-news/mata-named-most-deadly-premier-8482163
Not the best sample size. Not sure if Beckham's conversion rate would go up or down but there'd certainly be more goals!
I think Neymar, Pjanic, [Irrelevant point] are clearly better now. Maybe Dybala too? I remember him scoring quite a few. By not that great, I meant that he wasn't on their level, not that he was bad. Messi's good and one of the best but I think there are quite a few players who are as good or better than him at free kicks.I guess that both "great" and "a lot" are quite subjective terms. I think he can easily be the best free kick taker in the world right now. Is there anyone who is clearly better than him, that it would make it wrong to call him the best free kick taker right now?
And about scoring a lot, I believe that to become the free kick top scorer in La Liga's history you have to score at least some free kicks. If you're talking about conversion rate, you may have a point, last year wasn't his best, but still... I reckon he is a great free kick taker.
Dybala has the second best conversion rate in Europe since 2013. He absolutely deserves to be mentioned.I think Neymar, Pjanic, [Irrelevant point] are clearly better now. Maybe Dybala too? I remember him scoring quite a few. By not that great, I meant that he wasn't on their level, not that he was bad. Messi's good and one of the best but I think there are quite a few players who are as good or better than him at free kicks.
Agreed. Just perplexed at how many people are saying Messi when he's below plenty of players in those lists.Dybala has the second best conversion rate in Europe since 2013. He absolutely deserves to be mentioned.
Valencia would be proud.
Because conversion rate is the thing that matters the most, not who’s showing the most of his crotch while waiting for their attempt.Original OP asks for 'best free kick takers' and now its turned into a conversion rate conversation.
Is best...
1. most outrageous
2. difficulty/angle
3. distance
4. consistency of hitting target
5. goal ratio
6. style/entertainment factor
7. speed/power
Without a clear definition most of the players discussed could be included in some capacity.
Scoring the most goals from different kind of places with the least shots taken. Style is irrelevant, hitting the target doesn't matter if the keeper just catches it or saves it easily.Original OP asks for 'best free kick takers' and now its turned into a conversion rate conversation.
Is best...
1. most outrageous
2. difficulty/angle
3. distance
4. consistency of hitting target
5. goal ratio
6. style/entertainment factor
7. speed/power
Without a clear definition most of the players discussed could be included in some capacity.
CL free kicks may have been more, I always remember feeling he could score with any free kick in those games.Just checked, those stats are from the 2001/02 season until January 2015.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...l-news/mata-named-most-deadly-premier-8482163
Not the best sample size. Not sure if Beckham's conversion rate would go up or down but there'd certainly be more goals!
That is a solid list, I'd add sinisa mihajlovic and must mention that Juninho was the best and most consistent free taker I've seen in my lifetime. It seemed that he could score a free kick from anywhereA few from the past who were awesome
Marcus Ascunsao
Juan Roman Riquelme
Alvaro Recoba
Roberto Baggio
Alex Del Piero
Probably cause of the stat that's crept up in recent days that he's got the most in La liga history, the guy takes so so many of them. Pretty much the same with Ronaldo but he takes even more cause he hits them from ridiculous distances. Neither are all that in that department really.How can you guys say Messi? His conversion rate is terrible. He isn't even in the top 20 current players.
https://www.google.com/amp/www.dail...i-doesnt-make-20-free-kick-takers-Europe.html
No. He is atrocious and has been for quite a few years.Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t bad at free kicks is he?