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| ATTACKING
SET PIECES: At the highest levels, games are often decided by the ability of teams to successfully convert their attacking set plays. A quick analysis of the 2003 World Cup bears out this fact. It is a mistake to devise lengthy, complicated plays in order to score on restarts. Instead, simplicity should be the overriding principle. The less complicated the greater chance for success. Players should have an understanding of basic principles and should stick to them. Whenever possible, a direct shot on goal should be encouraged and taken. A. Kicks Around the Top of the Box 1. Take a direct shot on goal whenever possible. Players should be alert to the possibility of a knock down or deflection. 2. Nominate a player who can hit the ball powerfully, accurately, and with a bend to be able to bend the shot around or over the wall. 3. Look to "complete" the wall with spare attackers when possible. This screens the keeper and they can duck if the shot is hit right at them. 4. Play the ball behind the wall when a direct shot is not possible. For this reason it is sometimes better to not ask for 10 yards if the wall is set up too close. This gives a greater space to play in between the wall and the goal. 5. Take advantage of the players in the wall. The more players that are in the wall, the less a defensive team has to defend with. B. Flank Kicks When no direct kick is available, the kick demands service into the box. Since most free kicks are awarded in this area of the field, these kicks should be practiced even more than those around the top of the box. Plus, these restarts tend to be more productive than others are. 1. Play the ball into space behind the defenders. This forces the defender to play the ball while moving toward her own goal. 2. Swerve the ball in toward the goal. (Left-footed kick on right side of field; right-footed on left side) This causes many clearances to be knocked down instead of up and away and are easier for attackers to knock on to goal. 3. Mark every defender with an attacker. This sounds wrong, but allows the attack to: • Be first to the ball • Keep the ball in view • Keep the defender in view 4. Leave space in the front half of the goal free. • Play the ball into this space when possible • Be the first to the ball • This is the most dangerous area to attack from on restarts
Here, '0' is goalside and ballside of 'X' In this diagram '0' is goalside but not and thus has a clear advantage to win the ballside. So 'X2' has everything to gain. ball. 'X2' in a sense is marking '0', a good offensive position to be in for this restart.
C. Free Kicks from Midfield 1. Take a quick kick if advantage maintained. 2. Follow principle of marking the defenders. Mark in front, not to the side, so that attacker will be first to the ball. Flick to space behind the defenders. 3. Important to win the "second header". 4. Try to play the ball behind the defense. D. Free Kicks from Defensive Third 1. Taken as quickly as possible to try to take advantage of breakdowns. Played forward when possible to get as many opponents out of the game as possible. E. Corner Kicks In general, it is a good idea, especially with youth teams, to position attackers throughout the box so that even though a kick is poorly taken, the attacking team will still be able to salvage an attempt on goal. It is a mistake to ask for pinpoint accuracy from a younger player, or to solely rely on such a kick in order to assure a legitimate attack on goal. However, teams should have in mind optimal circumstances and have an idea of what they want to accomplish collectively as a group. This does not, however, take away from the responsibility for good, accurate service. It should be the goal of every player to achieve greater than 80% accuracy on corner kick service. One further point: it is more difficult to defend against players that are running into the box or making runs into positions than it is to mark players that are already in position once the ball is struck. With these few principles in mind it is convenient to classify corners into two categories: short corners and long corners.
1. SHORT CORNERS Short corners are advantageous because they seek to create a 2 v. 1 or 3 v. 2 situation in the area of the corner, thus providing the opportunity to move into a more dangerous position, nearer the goal and at a better angle. While the short corner is being taken it is important for the supporting players to make their runs into the box to receive the cross if it is taken, being especially alert to play balls that are driven low and hard. 2. LONG CORNERS Long corners are generally played as in-swingers, that is, bending "in" toward the goal. These are easier for the attacking team to direct toward the goal and more difficult for the defending team to clear. Also, the in-swinger has the added threat of being a direct shot on goal, which must be defended against. Generally these corners are placed to the front half of the goal, or the back half. Both of these kicks eliminate the effectiveness of the keeper. Kicks aimed at the front half of the goal should be struck firmly and aimed at the front half of the goal just underneath the crossbar. It is essential that the attacking team have a person running into the near post space in order to "flick on" any ball kicked just short of the goal. Plus, attackers should be positioned at the far post in order to win the ball that is flicked on. Players should also be positioned in other vital areas, which include: • In front of, but not obstructing, the keeper; • In the middle of the goal between the 6 and the 12; • At the edge of the penalty area for balls that are • Knocked down or not fully cleared Again, these players will be more difficult to defend if they are running into these spaces instead of waiting there to play the ball if it comes to them. Balls played to the far post are not as dangerous as balls played to the near post for the simple reason that the ball is in the air for a longer time, giving the defense a longer time to effect a challenge. However, a case can be made for trying to isolate a superior header at the far post to go up and head the ball down into goal. Above all, the attacking team should not hesitate at sending eight players forward to attack on corers. Positive situations call for positive action and the corner kick is a play that generates many scoring opport
DEFENDING SET PIECES It is difficult to defend against free kicks because the attack generally is able to provide numerical superiority and because the service is not under a high degree of pressure since the defensive players always have to be 10 yards away from the ball. Also in general, the defensive organization is presented with two problems: marking players and marking spaces. The defensive organization is different depending on the third of the field; however, there are some general considerations to be looked at whatever the situation. 1. Defenders should be positioned goal side and ball side of their opponent so that they are able to see both the player they are marking and the ball at the same time. This position also gives them a better chance at being first to the ball if played to their attacker. 2. A player should always position herself 10 yards from the ball in a direct line to the goal immediately. This position achieves several things: • This player is goal side of the ball and can immediately challenge a short, quickly taken restart • It is then possible that the kicker will direct the kick away from the goal • If the kicker does direct the ball at the goal, it must be played over the defender's head, conceding a longer time of flight and is thus easier to defend. THE DEFENDING THIRD In the defending third, it will be necessary to erect a wall in front of the ball to discourage a direct shot on goal. It is vital that the wall be set 10 yards from the ball, not only because it is the law, but because there are risks involved in having a wall closer than 10 yards because it opens up valuable space behind the wall, closer to the goal. Also, having the wall moved necessitates resetting the wall so as to cover the near post. Setting the Wall A field player should set the wall. The goalkeeper's main responsibility should be to block shots and to concentrate on doing that. Also, for the keeper to set the wall they must come over to the post, leaving the goal vulnerable to a quick shot. The field player should set just one player in the wall; the rest of the players should line up next to the set player. Once the wall is set, the player that set the wall can then concentrate on marking a player or space. The player on the end of the wall covering the near post should be lined up so that their inside shoulder is in line with the post. In this way a bent shot around the wall is discouraged. Positioning the Keeper The position of the keeper should be to the side of the goal not covered by the wall. Hopefully a balance can be made between being able to see the ball at all times and covering the goal. Frequently trade-offs will occur. How many players should be in the wall? The answer to this question depends on the position of the ball. Trade-offs occur here as well. If too many players are occupied in the wall it allows the attacking team to have a tremendous numerical advantage. Also, if there are a lot of players in the wall, the keeper will not be able to see the ball at all. A rough guide is as follows: • In the "D", four or five • To the side of the "D", three or four • To the side of the box, two or three The only time when it is advisable to have more than five players in the wall is when an indirect kick is awarded inside the box. Then it is advisable to defend with one wall of 11 players, with the keeper nearest the ball. Shots outside of shooting range Restarts that are taken outside of shooting range, where the ball is served into the box require special consideration. Restraining Line: The line needs to be set high so as to avoid a "stampede" on top of the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper must be mobile and come out and collect balls that are served over the top. "Touch-tight": Defenders are to mark "touch tight". The maintain a "goalside – ballside" position to the player she is marking. Players call out the opposing players number so that there is no confusion as to who remains unmarked. If the ball is served over them, they must reposition in order to remain ballside. "Attack the ball": Do not allow the ball to bounce in the box, or allow the opposition the first or second touch. Provide cover for the player making a play on the ball. Forward’s Responsibility: A forward needs to front the ball to avoid a simple penetrating pass along the ground, or a low driven ball into the goal area. Making the attacker "loft" the ball affords the defense more time to organize. Defending Corner Kicks The best way to defend a corner is to not give them up in the first place. Having said this, it is inevitable that a team will have to defend a corner at some point. What follows is a few basic principle to adhere to when defending the corner: Beware of the short corner. Send two players out to defend this threat early. Play a combination of man-to-man and zone: I Mark dangerous players man-to-man with the team’s best headers. Goalkeepers get what they can. Use the language- "keeper" or "away". Put a player on the near post for sure, on the far post if possible. Beat them in transition. Get a goal off of their corner kick! TRAINING IDEAS: It is necessary when training restarts to attempt to replicate the competitive game environment. Towards this end, divide the team in half and have a "restart competition". Pre-select the location of the kicks to be taken, allowing each team the chance to "practice" their restarts. Then, conduct a full field scrimmage, allowing each team an equal amount of restarts from the pre-determined areas. During the run of play, the referee will call out fouls (even if they did not occur), so that the kicks can be taken. Keep score. This realistic environment allows the team to practice the restart in a dynamic environment. Another device that has proven to be effective with our National Teams is to keep track of all free kicks taken during games. By charting the results, it focuses it in the players’ minds and results in improved results. A "successful" free kick is noted when: There is a shot on goal. A corner kick results. A goal is scored.
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Attacking
Set Pieces