The thought provoking post

The thought provoking post


Free-kick-routine

I forgot to add a sixth to my last article, the fact we need a special plays coach who can focus on improving our throw-ins.

It should be basic but we are very lazy when it comes to throw-ins.

Remember the Kaisen approach, you make little changes that mount up to a big change in performance.

Our very first throw-in (Emerson) went to a player free in space, but it went to his chest so the control time was too great and we immediately lost the ball.

Had the ball been thrown to his feet, then we may have been able to keep possession with that extra time.

Equally we need a series of rune to create an opening and knowledge, let's call it blindfolded knowledge, of where everyone is then running.

The play doesn't end with the throw-in, but the development of play so that we retain the ball.

You watch our throw-ins and see how many bounce in front of the player.

Why aren't they thrown straight to a players feet?

It is simple, it is basic, but it makes a big difference.

It's lazy, it means the players aren't attaching much importance to it, neither the guy taking the throw-in or the guy receiving it, who should be demanding it to his feet.

Our free-kicks are pretty poor too, far too many go backwards.

Throw-ins, free-kicks, corners, there is plenty for a specialist plays coach to get stuck into.

You have them in American sports.

OK, I accept they are more of a stop start game (American football) but corners, throw-ins, free-kicks and goal kicks are all times when play has stopped and needs re-starting.

We aren't very good at playing out from goal-kicks either, are we.

All areas that could be improved with specialist coaching devoted to these areas.

Let me ask you...

What would happen if we had nobody in the box for a corner, but all ready to run in, what would the defenders do, how would they react mentally with nobody to mark?

It would throw confusion into the mix and they would have to make instant decisions they have not prepared for, which is when mistakes can arise.

Also our players would have greater forward momentum than theirs.

Advantage to us...

Which also means our players would be able to jump higher than theirs...

Or reach a ball for a shot first.

A few false running and the defenders would have to go with them to present someone else with a chance.

I'd love to see how a team would cope, why stick to the traditional.

A free-kick and defenders hold a line...

OK, so all our players don't mingle with them but drop back even further.

What happens now, do the defenders move forward and leave too big a gap behind them?

Do they stay where they are?

Our players running forward at all angles adds confusion.

Does the opposition defender watch the man he is supposed to be marking...

Or watch the ball?

Our running players would have more forward momentum than their players...

Giving us the advantage.

Again, you are giving them a scenario they are simply not prepared for...

Mentally you are giving them a new challenge...

Raising their anxiety levels...

Anxiety brings mistakes.

The picture above shows a Japanese high school game with the attacking players in a circle.

Look at the amount of space to create a shooting opportunity.

I would have the players break left so the defenders have to turn away from the ball...

And one player dart into that space for a shot.

What would you do as an attacker in this situation?

They scored a header from it by the way.

You can watch the video of it on Twitter (video).

As soon as a free-kick is given, why not instruct two three of our players to immediately form a wall 10 yards from the ball.

What happens now?

The ref marks out 10 yards but you are already there.

There is nothing in the rules that says the attacking side have to wait for the defensive side to form a wall before then forming their own wall a metre or yard away?

Theoretically, the defenders would have to create their wall a metre/yard away from our players.

Pre-warn the referee so he knows it is going to happen and be on the lookout for it perhaps.

Or just do it and argue your case on-field.

We were here first, what rule says we have to get out of the way?

The opposition will get involved in the argument.

Again, you are mentally upsetting the opposition, even if the ref gets you to move...

You are throwing something different for them to cope with...

Raising their anxiety levels ahead of the free-kick...

Maximising the possibility of an error.

Throw in the 1st team sports psychologist I have kept insisting we need, improved mindsets and vision training...

There are plenty of areas we can improve that have an affect on our overall performance, both on and off the pitch.

Innovative thinking of a winning mindset, instead of sticking with the same old same old that everyone knows.

Throw in the business side of things generating the money to invest in the team and the potential I know is there, which I shall be writing to Daniel Levy about and it would all spell an exciting future.

Well, there you go, a short one for you today, but a post to get you thinking.

What are the best free-kick routines you have seen.

Has anyone made a compilation of them and trained our players to execute them...

Or corner routines...

Or throw-in routines?

Some of these things might not work...

But unless you try, you'll never know.

That's the difference a winning mindset has...

It looks for improvement everywhere...

Even the unusual.

My day will of course be brilliant, hope yours is too.

COYS

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