Crunch time is here.
Some teams are battling for their playoff lives; some are trying to get home-field advantage. The games get tighter at this time of the year and everyone works harder on defense.
Free kicks become more and more important. It's said the vast majority of goals come from set pieces, and at a time when every goal matters even more so, every dead ball situation gains more and more importance.
I want only to look at the attacking side of the free kick equation. Every team at this stage is trying to maximize their use of corner kicks, direct and indirect free kicks and even throw-ins deep in the opponents' half of the field.
Throw-ins can be a weapon if you have a player with a long throw-in. Every time I watch a women's soccer game there is always someone who can just whip it in a long distance. In all my years of coaching I have only had one player who could really throw it far. That player was Ty Miller at UCLA.
However, throw-ins are usually not that effective. First, not many teams spend a lot of time on this. They spend far more time on corners and free kicks. Second, the ball tends to float a little and as a result defenders and goalkeepers can deal with this easier than a ball that is kicked. There is no bend or swerve attached.
Quick long throws can be effective from anywhere in the attacking half. There is no offside on throw-ins and players can make runs behind the opponents' defense. Performing the throw-in quickly can surprise the opponent and gain an advantage.
Corner kicks are trained on at least once a week and sometimes more often by teams. The coaches work on players' runs and movements on corner kicks. The team also works on both general types of corner kicks, whether out-swinging or in-swinging. Yes, there are picks and screens and there is some banging of bodies inside the penalty area. It is probably one of the more physical parts of the game.
Some teams have very elaborate running schemes and plays and others keep it pretty simple. The key to me is the service. Without good service the best runs are worthless. So if you have a good server of the ball you are ahead of the game. Good service, I believe, is consistent and requires a player who can put the ball where he wants to consistently. If you have this kind of player, then he can signal the team and they have an idea whether the ball is coming near post or far post.
If the service is good then you need committed running in the box. A team will be more successful on corners if the players make their runs at speed and are courageous.
Flank free kicks are similar to corners except the angle is different. Some coaches prefer the ball to swing away from the goalkeeper and into the path of the runners. Other coaches prefer to swing the ball towards the goalkeeper. Teams try to do the same from both sides and this requires a left-footed and right-footed player, depending upon the side of the field that the free kick is on. I usually prefer in-swingers. But if I have a player who is better than the rest, then he will hit it and we will alternate the type of service depending on the side of the field we are on.
The motto is a good service takes priority over in-swinger or out-swinger.
Free kicks that can be shots on goal are huge opportunities as the importance of the games grows. Having a free kick specialist is a big plus. Being able to draw free kicks around the box is also a talent.
The most important rule is: Keep it simple. The best free kick is a great shot. Look at Universidad Catolica's free kick goal by Dario Conca against D.C. United in the Copa Sudamericana. Having a left- and right-footed option forces the goalkeeper to stay honest in his positioning and does not allow him to cheat on the free kick.
Deception is another option. But the more passes required and runs needed means more things can go wrong. It generally only takes one thing going wrong to result in an unsuccessful attempt. Sometimes it is good to throw in a new wrinkle or two at the end of the season. Teams scout each other and have an idea what each team will do. Throwing in something new might give you and edge at this time of the year.
Teams train on free kicks at least once a week. However, good free kick takers train on this skill 3-4 times a week. It is a skill ... and even an art form. Juninho from Lyon is a master.
The conclusion: Tight games at the end of the year and in the playoffs often come down to set piece execution. It can be the difference between success and failure. A good set piece will decide a game where the combatants are very equal. Everyone is working very hard on this detail as we enter October and the final push. An MLS Cup title can be won by one accurate swing of the leg.
Sigi Schmid is one of the winningest coaches in MLS history, having led the Los Angeles Galaxy to four honors in his five-plus years at the helm, including the 2002 MLS Cup championship. Send comments to Sigi at sigischmid@hotmail.com. Views and opinions expressed in this column views and opinions are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
