The Wall. Is It Outdated?

[oldgit]

It's not because of the superb Bale or N'Zogbia free kicks,over the weekend,that I'm posing this question. I've thought about this,for quite some time, now that there are so many exponents (some quite ordinary players overall) of flighting the ball over the wall and then getting it to dip under the crossbar.

You see it every time there is a free kick within sight of the goal. Opposition players forming a wall as close to the ball as the referee will allow i.e 10 yards. The goalkeeper,leaping and dancing around behind it,directing operations but half blinded by the wall itself. Then,what was quite a rare phenomenon but nowadays more common,the net bulging with the goalkeeper rooted to the spot. Yet still coaches go with the good ol' 10 yard wall.

If your going to have a wall,why not move it back another 5 yards? It would have to be some dip to beat the keeper. Or why not line up a yard from the line with the keeper in the wall? He could have a good sight of what is happening. Why have a wall at all? Suggestions please,judges.

[alfieconn]

The conversation rate over the last 4 years is just under 8% so with such a low rate i can't see mangers changing anything !

If your going to have a wall,why not move it back another 5 yards? It would have to be some dip to beat the keeper. Or why not line up a yard from the line with the keeper in the wall

If the wall is too far back then the taker wouldn't even have to dip the ball as it would be a straight projectory.

Edited February 12, 2013 by alfieconn

[oldgit]

The conversation rate over the last 4 years is just under 8% so with such a low rate i can't see mangers changing anything !

If your going to have a wall,why not move it back another 5 yards? It would have to be some dip to beat the keeper. Or why not line up a yard from the line with the keeper in the wall

If the wall is too far back then the taker wouldn't even have to dip the ball as it would be a straight projectory.

What's the conversion rate over the last two years,alf? At least with a straight trajectory,the keeper can SEE the bloody thing coming!

[Chicog]

I'm with Alfie. As long as it works teams will use it. You've obviously underestimated how effective it is at cutting off the angles.

[alfieconn]

The conversation rate over the last 4 years is just under 8% so with such a low rate i can't see mangers changing anything !

If your going to have a wall,why not move it back another 5 yards? It would have to be some dip to beat the keeper. Or why not line up a yard from the line with the keeper in the wall

If the wall is too far back then the taker wouldn't even have to dip the ball as it would be a straight projectory.

What's the conversion rate over the last two years,alf? At least with a straight trajectory,the keeper can SEE the bloody thing coming!

I'm not saying your wrong OG but to be fair if what your saying was right then i'm sure teams would have changed by now.

The website i looked http://thepowerofgoals.blogspot.com/2012/08/direct-free-kicks-always-take-your-best.html at only does the last four years but i doubt it has changed much in the last 2 years.

[smokie36]

I can see through the pain....

Unforgettable.

[carmine]

I still think the wall is very effective as long as the keeper lines them up correctly.

This is also down to the keeper doing his homework on the oppositions regulars spot kickers.

Usually when i see the wall being inneffective its down to the keeper not taking enough time organising them correctly

[StevieH]

hmm. would have to say i still prefer animals, dark side, wish you were here and atom heart mother really. have i misunderstood the question?

[ggold]

hmm. would have to say i still prefer animals, dark side, wish you were here and atom heart mother really. have i misunderstood the question?

Your reply deserves a Meddle! Lol

[uptheos]

The conversation rate over the last 4 years is just under 8% so with such a low rate i can't see mangers changing anything !

Maybe they should talk to each other more.

[mrbojangles]

I agree with OG to a certain extent. Teams taking the free kick have used all sorts of imagination and practise different methods in training but the wall seems to have stayed as it is for decades. You probably don't have change much for the majority of players taking free kicks but when the likes of Ronaldo and Messi take one, it calls for something special to outwit their ability to place it in the top corner.

I just think the defensive coaches should be able to come up with something more imaginative considering how much taking a free kick has changed. What some of these guys can do with a ball now i.e. hitting with the laces to cause it to swerve, is pretty amazing and it calls for something just as good to stop them.

i have my ideas but i need to patent them first so every team on the planet don't get them for free

[smokie36]

I agree with OG to a certain extent. Teams taking the free kick have used all sorts of imagination and practise different methods in training but the wall seems to have stayed as it is for decades. You probably don't have change much for the majority of players taking free kicks but when the likes of Ronaldo and Messi take one, it calls for something special to outwit their ability to place it in the top corner.

I just think the defensive coaches should be able to come up with something more imaginative considering how much taking a free kick has changed. What some of these guys can do with a ball now i.e. hitting with the laces to cause it to swerve, is pretty amazing and it calls for something just as good to stop them.

i have my ideas but i need to patent them first so every team on the planet don't get them for free

[uptheos]

You probably don't have change much for the majority of players taking free kicks but when the likes of Ronaldo and Messi take one, it calls for something special to outwit their ability to place it in the top corner..

Completely agree Mr. B

[mrbojangles]

Mmmm. Cheers for the reminder Ups but that wasn't exactly what I had in mind

[uptheos]

Mmmm. Cheers for the reminder Ups but that wasn't exactly what I had in mind

Sorry Mr. B couldn't resist and as it involved my favourite city player too.

Shame really, that alone knocked 10 Million off Nasri's already decreasing value.

Anyone pinpoint when the wall was seriously started, was there a particular game that started it all?

Edited February 12, 2013 by uptheos

[oldgit]

I still think the wall is very effective as long as the keeper lines them up correctly.

This is also down to the keeper doing his homework on the oppositions regulars spot kickers.

Usually when i see the wall being inneffective its down to the keeper not taking enough time organising them correctly

He's in a bit of a cleft stick when you've got two and sometimes three potential dead ball specialists lined up at all angles.

[oldgit]

I agree with OG to a certain extent. Teams taking the free kick have used all sorts of imagination and practise different methods in training but the wall seems to have stayed as it is for decades. You probably don't have change much for the majority of players taking free kicks but when the likes of Ronaldo and Messi take one, it calls for something special to outwit their ability to place it in the top corner.

I just think the defensive coaches should be able to come up with something more imaginative considering how much taking a free kick has changed. What some of these guys can do with a ball now i.e. hitting with the laces to cause it to swerve, is pretty amazing and it calls for something just as good to stop them.

i have my ideas but i need to patent them first so every team on the planet don't get them for free

And even mere mortals like Baines,Luiz and Larsson,BJ.

[oldgit]

The conversation rate over the last 4 years is just under 8% so with such a low rate i can't see mangers changing anything !

Maybe they should talk to each other more.

What has the feeding of animals got to do with it?

[carmine]

I still think the wall is very effective as long as the keeper lines them up correctly.

This is also down to the keeper doing his homework on the oppositions regulars spot kickers.

Usually when i see the wall being inneffective its down to the keeper not taking enough time organising them correctly

He's in a bit of a cleft stick when you've got two and sometimes three potential dead ball specialists lined up at all angles.

Very true but most teams don't have three dead ball specialists. More one specialist and a couple of hit and hopes.

Chelsea would pose a problem i agree

[tw25rw]

Doesn't seem entirely fair that a team that has used foul play to break up an attack then gets all the time it needs to position its defence as best it possibly can to block the free kick.

[redrus]

What about a staggered wall........? A 4 or 6 man wall, 2, or 3 forward, directed by the goalie and, 2 or 3 further back, again directed by the keeper...!!

Does that sound daft,? I've thought about it and, like you say, defensive teams could work on it for certain free kick takers, it could help break down angles...!

redrus

[rijit]

hmm. would have to say i still prefer animals, dark side, wish you were here and atom heart mother really. have i misunderstood the question?

Me, i'm still a fan of relic's

[oldgit]

Doesn't seem entirely fair that a team that has used foul play to break up an attack then gets all the time it needs to position its defence as best it possibly can to block the free kick.

It's very unlikely to happen but they could have a rule change to limit the number of people in the wall,hence the attacking team retaining some sort of advantage.

[oldgit]

What about a staggered wall........? A 4 or 6 man wall, 2, or 3 forward, directed by the goalie and, 2 or 3 further back, again directed by the keeper...!!

Does that sound daft,? I've thought about it and, like you say, defensive teams could work on it for certain free kick takers, it could help break down angles...!

Hmm,which would still leave you with,say 3 players marking the floaters in and around the penalty area and 1 up field. Would the keeper's view still be compromised though, red?

redrus

[Jockstar]

I can see through the pain....

Unforgettable.

Great goal. However Roughs position was wrong. He had the wall covering his right side. yet he never had the left covered.

[smokie36]

Bow to your knowledge on this one Jockstar.

He wasn't the greatest of keepers though was he?

Mind you...Brazil's keeper in '82 was errrm eccentric as well!

[Chicog]

If there was a better system than the wall, I would have thought they would have found it by now, after 150 years of Association Football.

[tw25rw]

Doesn't seem entirely fair that a team that has used foul play to break up an attack then gets all the time it needs to position its defence as best it possibly can to block the free kick.

It's very unlikely to happen but they could have a rule change to limit the number of people in the wall,hence the attacking team retaining some sort of advantage.

Or let them take it quickly, but I think the ref usually would make them wait until everone was ready.

[mrbojangles]

If the team taking the free kick want the 10 yards and want the ref to stride it out, they have to wait until the ref blows. and thus wait till the wall is ready

[redrus]

What about a staggered wall........? A 4 or 6 man wall, 2, or 3 forward, directed by the goalie and, 2 or 3 further back, again directed by the keeper...!!

Does that sound daft,? I've thought about it and, like you say, defensive teams could work on it for certain free kick takers, it could help break down angles...!

Hmm,which would still leave you with,say 3 players marking the floaters in and around the penalty area and 1 up field. Would the keeper's view still be compromised though, red?

redrus

To a certain extent the keepers view will always be restricted, or it'd just be long 'and or' at an angle penalty, the idea being that 1 team has fouled in the area, therefore is penalised with a free unimpeded shot at goal for the other side.

The free kick is for an (possibly lesser) offence definitely outside the area, the defending team has 2 choices in that defence, wall, or no wall. Do you (the keeper) see completely clearly and allow almost a penalty shot at goal or, lose some of that vision in exchange for a moveable wall. Most sides plum for the wall.

It could also be argued that, having the wall there aides the angle for the kicker, giving him a 'marker' to work with, that if it (the wall) wasn't there, would probably just shoot straight at goal....!

I think the idea of 2 walls, to cut down angles and reduce options for the kick taker is a thought worth looking at. Anyone in a team wanna give it a whirl..???

redrus