Players take less long shots in general so less long shot goals too and long shots are practice for free kicks. All the pep tiki taka walk ball into net consequences you know.
Why are there so few elite set piece takers nowadays?
- Thread starter Hound Dog
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Dybala, Luis Alberto, Bardhi or Pjanic are still good at it
This, football was a game of specialist, where there were more “lazy” virtuosos, or defenders who were masters at tackling but could only hoof the ball. I preferred it that way btw
Another vote for the knuckleball technique of the 2000-2010s - Juninho, Cristiano, Drogba - prompting a wave of impressionable teenage copycats who are now in their mid-20s and hitting randoms in the crowd with their aimless strikes.
Whereas the kids of the 90s would have modelled their technique on Baggio, Beckham, Zola, Rivaldo and Del Piero, in the same way these guys probably took their lead from Zico and Platini in the 80s.
Whereas the kids of the 90s would have modelled their technique on Baggio, Beckham, Zola, Rivaldo and Del Piero, in the same way these guys probably took their lead from Zico and Platini in the 80s.
Whilst this probably true to an extent I reckon the changes to the actual football is the most likely cause, it swerves all over the place these days
It's a mix of things. Don't think that players being less good is the answer. The ball is different. There are fewer free kicks in dangerous positions conceded. Tactically the average "bad" team is much stronger. Especially defending the middle part of the pitch. If you have to resort to a knuckle ball to score then the free kick chance probably isn't very good.
That's a very interesting info. I would have expected to the goal/free kick ratio to increase as the shot distance decreases.
It's probably because at this stage the data analysis guys can be pretty exact with their conclusions.
If you know your best free kick takers and you have data on positions they score or create from and at what frequency, then that tells you a lot about what you ought to do as a team. Maybe shooting is not the best option in many situations. Maybe going long with the free kick isn't the best option is many situations. In some positions and with some takers it probably still is, but maybe those situations have diminished compared to punting at a low percentage chance as they may have in the past with insufficient data.
So if football then becomes about playing to percentages then you create certain types of players. At the end of the day you practice the stuff that is practical more than the stuff that isn't. That is driving a lot of attributes in players now. I think it's also responsible for less individual flair and maverick type players.
If you know your best free kick takers and you have data on positions they score or create from and at what frequency, then that tells you a lot about what you ought to do as a team. Maybe shooting is not the best option in many situations. Maybe going long with the free kick isn't the best option is many situations. In some positions and with some takers it probably still is, but maybe those situations have diminished compared to punting at a low percentage chance as they may have in the past with insufficient data.
So if football then becomes about playing to percentages then you create certain types of players. At the end of the day you practice the stuff that is practical more than the stuff that isn't. That is driving a lot of attributes in players now. I think it's also responsible for less individual flair and maverick type players.
Maybe it’s partly to do with the way the balls themselves have changed, which seems to have encouraged a lot more players to go for that knuckle ball technique.
I’m not sure that they really are much worse now though. As someone else said, people are less likely to remember missed free kicks. Although maybe they’re something to it, I’m not sure really.
I’m not sure that they really are much worse now though. As someone else said, people are less likely to remember missed free kicks. Although maybe they’re something to it, I’m not sure really.
Your post explains a lot. The wall will be formed according to who is going to take the free kick. The GK positioning too.
The best free kicks nowadays are actually the ones with closed angle (right foot taking a FK on the right side, or vice-versa) because they have to commit more players in the wall to defend outside and inside, and statistically an outside FK is something with very low percentage. And teams don't want to commit too much players in a wall to cover the closed angle and be even more outnumbered in the box.
Someone joked with the guy lying in the floor, but that actually helps a lot too, despite looking ridiculous.
And also GK training is a lot more developed nowadays, even though it doesn't look like it in our way. But you just need to see highlights from 20 years ago to realize how poorly was the goalkeepers position overal, not only in defending the free kicks.
This thread, by omission in many posts- does players like Pjanic and Zico dirty.
Keepers are better. Bending it into the top corner isn't really an option, because the keeper will get it.
You either need deception, or you need to smash it past them.
Edit: before the old is gold brigade gets offended, I mean keepers are better at dealing with those type of freekicks. Not overall, though that might be a discussion for another thread.
You either need deception, or you need to smash it past them.
Edit: before the old is gold brigade gets offended, I mean keepers are better at dealing with those type of freekicks. Not overall, though that might be a discussion for another thread.
found the post that wasn't just boomer grousing about the good old days.
good post.