Set Pieces

[Yorkshire Blue]

Interesting piece from Tim Wigmore on how set piece training is undervalued.

It also included a link to this brilliant piece on Sheffield Utd's set pieces

With Turner our only real target from set pieces, I'd love us to try and work on some of these moves - both the short free-kicks - that Northampton free-kick against Luton is a thing of beauty - and the way to free Turner up with better blocking.

I think the last time we tried something as intricate as that was under Spud against Watford when two free-kick takers ran into each other.

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Our set pieces have definitely improved under CP! I swear PB banned the team from practicing them in training. I've never know a team be consistently awful with them as that was.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Our set pieces have definitely improved under CP! I swear PB banned the team from practicing them in training. I've never know a team be consistently awful with them as that was.

I presume you are referring to attacking set pieces. I expect a fair bit of time was devoted to defending set pieces.

 

[Supershrimper]

I've always looked on when we send up a goal kick. All our players and their players are in in either the left hand side of the pitch or the right. Surely once in a while it would work for the goalkeeper to send a ball up in the the opposite direction at the same time have a runner running into the vast amount of empty space thats on offer.

Next time we take a goal kick watch the movement of all of the players. They all congregate to one side of the or the other.

 

[RobM]

I've always looked on when we send up a goal kick. All our players and their players are in in either the left hand side of the pitch or the right. Surely once in a while it would work for the goalkeeper to send a ball up in the the opposite direction at the same time have a runner running into the vast amount of empty space thats on offer.

Next time we take a goal kick watch the movement of all of the players. They all congregate to one side of the or the other.

Why is that? What's suddenly wrong with "down the middle"?

 

[onceknownasrab]

Set pieces are invaluable contributors to the goal tally. If executed properly. Unfortunately it requires anticipation and few lower league sides have much of that. Too often we see players doing a good impression of a statue until after the set price is taken. You can see the ball watching and hear cogs whirring when it eventually becomes clear where the ball is going. Players need to take a chance and anticipate the ball tradjectory and direction and be there to meet it. Instead, most often, players are flat on their heels and become as much a spectator as the crowd.

 

[ec2shrimper]

I think the last time we tried something as intricate as that was under Spud against Watford when two free-kick takers ran into each other.[/QUOTE]

I recall this with a shudder as a particularly low point (although seem to recall it as WBA) Hard for Spud to follow on as manager of a team built by Fry.

 

[Suffolk Blue]

My pet peeve is with a lot of our throw-ins. We have possession of the ball and then launch it into a crowd of players where it invariably ends up with the opposition. This is particularly painful when we are in our own half.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Having seen a very thorough training session this morning, I can assure you that set pieces are very well worked on with a variety of players on the end of crossed balls!