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Set Plays – Defending a Free Kick

A free kick is given against your team 25 yards from goal and on an imaginary line parallel with the right side of your Goal Area. [Let's assume that we are dealing with a U-14 boys team] What needs to happen defensively? Since the opponent has the capability to score directly from that distance we have to organize the wall quickly. Immediately get some bodies in front of the free kick spot. Getting bodies there fast is important so that your opponent will not be able to take a quick free kick while you are still getting organized. Remember that a free kick can be taken immediately unless the Referee has told the free kick taker(s) to wait for the whistle or the kicking team has asked for a measured 10 yards.

We have several people in the wall, the goalkeeper has called how many he wants in the wall [4 or 5 from this position] and other players are dropping back to help out in the defense. We still need to align the wall properly. Who should do that? You see goalkeepers align the wall all the time. But I can also tell you that I have seen many goals scored while the goalkeeper is standing on his near post aligning the wall and the opponent has taken a quick free kick as mentioned above. To prevent such a goal you might want to have one of the midfielders align the wall. The alignment of the wall should be on the near post with the player on the right hand side being one full person to the right of the post. Did you get that? OK, let's try another way. Draw an imaginary line from the free kick spot to the near post. The player on the far right of our wall needs to be on the right side of that line. This will make it more difficult to curl a ball around the wall. We still have work to do. You probably have seen teams line up three people over the ball so that you do not know who is going to take the free kick. They may also make dummy runs over the ball and run around and behind your wall. For that eventuality we have some chasers ready. They position themselves on either side of the wall, with a gap, so that the goalkeeper can see. The right hand "chaser" looks to cover any free kick taker that tries to go around that side and the inside "chaser" charges down the shooter.

Since we have so many people in the wall and we have to cover other attack possibilities as well, we have to make some adjustments. We may decide to keep on forward up because he or she will keep two defenders occupied and may also give us an opportunity for an immediate counter attack. Near the free kick area we will concede the wide wing areas because we can't cover everything.

Ok. We are almost ready. The wall is set. We have changed some people in the wall as we set up and tried to get better personnel matches. Our tall defenders are covering their best headers. Loose players that are in dangerous areas are matched up and others that are further out are left alone. The free kick is about to take place. The goalkeeper has been ready at all times waiting for the free kick. Now things get interesting for the goalkeeper. He or she has to be ready for several variations. The keeper looks for several variations. The ball over or around the wall in a direct shot or over the wall to an onrushing attacker. The goalkeeper is responsible for the space behind wall. He or she must be mobile and recognize the developing play. OK!! Our keeper has got the ball
and is starting the counter attack. We have successfully defended another free kick.

Let's review some points:

• Organize quickly
• Midfielders align the wall
• Set chasers
• Keeper is ready at all times
• Keeper calls numbers in wall
• Keeper covers space behind the wall
• Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse

Willi Lindner
Safe Hands Goalkeeping