As
with the other tactics, the free kick and penalty need methodical and constant
training, perhaps even more than the rest if we take into consideration the fact
that a penalty kick is often the crucial shot which decides a game. A free kick,
whether direct or indirect, is taken in front of the penalty area as often as it
is taken from the left or right side, with or without the defensive wall. As you
are kicking a stationary ball, the amount of improvisation is lessened.
With
a penalty kick it is just you against the goal？keeper and you stand every
chance of success. You are not marked and no-one is allowed to tackle you, so
all your attention can be concentrated on the shot. More than ever before, I
felt that climax of expectation when I was hoping to score my thousandth goal
from a penalty when we were playing at Maracana. Even with all my experience, I
must admit that I didn't find it easy. To have confidence in yourself is
absolutely essential. This self-confidence can only be acquired by training and,
as a result, knowing exactly what you are going to do. So a successful free kick
near the
opponents'
goal, whether it is direct or indirect, depends on training and more training.
I'd like to tell you something that I have learned.
Taking
a free kick needs a certain cunning. If, for example, the free kick is taken on
the left-hand side of the box, it is better to take it with your right foot, and
vice versa. Just before kicking the ball, have a careful look at the position of
the goalkeeper and the wall. Check if there are any 'holes' in the wall, or
whether perhaps one of the players in the wall is shorter than the others, thus
enabling you to send the ball over his head, etc. If there is a wind, check in
which direction it is blowing. To ascertain the direction of the wind, just look
to see which way any flags or banners are blowing. You should also know if the
referee is going to blow his whistle before you take your free kick, or whether,
as in Europe, he merely waves you on with his arm. If the latter is the case,
you can take the kick quickly, before the goalkeeper has really had time to
position himself properly.
Take
into account the distance and position of the wall, the height of the players in
the wall and the height of the net (2-44 meters). Also watch for how difficult
the angle will be if you decide to take a free kick straight over the top of the
wall and make sure it doesn't go over the crossbar as well. There is not much
space for the ball to travel over the wall, through the defenders, past the
goalkeeper and into the net. A curving shot is preferable because even though it
hasn't so much force, it has more of a chance of getting round the defense. You
have already learned how to do a curving shot in the chapter on kicking. You
should practice curving shots so you can be calm and almost sure of a successful
free kick. You need to train even
more for an indirect free kick because it involves at least one other player.
You should rehearse various types of indirect free kicks with your team-mates,
so you all know exactly what part you have to play in the action. Depending on
what you have rehearsed and, of course, on the position of the defending
players, you can use two, three, or more team-mates for an indirect free kick.
Your team's success with indirect free kicks depends on how much time you devote
to practicing various tactics together.
Now
I'd like to tell you something about taking a penalty kick. The player who takes
the penalty has all the advantages. The goalkeeper is not allowed to move his
feet until the ball has been kicked; there are only eleven meters between the
penalty spot and the goal; the shot is a direct one and the opponents must be
9.15 meters away from the ball. All these advantages put the goalkeeper in the
position of a victim with scarcely any defense. This does not mean that you will
definitely score. To increase your chances of scoring, you should observe the
following basic rules:
1.
Make sure the ball is placed right on the penalty spot. Any
hole or little obstacle, sometimes made by the goalkeeper, can
cause the ball to go off course.
2. Leave the ball on the spot and concentrate on what you are
going to do. Don't listen to any of the defenders' talk, or pay
any attention to their movements, which could distract you.
Forget everyone and everything except the penalty kick.
3. Run purposefully at the ball. By now you should have
already decided which corner of the net you are going to aim
at.
4. Your shot should be a
decisive, 'clean' one. Don't change
your mind about the direction of the ball at this stage. Take no
notice of the movements of the goalkeeper's arms or body and
ignore any shout from a
defender. These are their ways of
trying to distract you.
5. You must know your target, which is the area directly inside
each post. The goalkeeper will be in the middle, ready to cover
about 4 meters. That leaves about 1.5 meters on either side.
The goalkeeper cannot defend these spaces. You only have to
place the ball correctly in this zone and the goal is yours.
This
isn't really as easy as it seems. It all depends on the confidence you have
gained from training. Don't forget that a miss (if it goes outside the net, or
is saved) is the penalty taker's fault! When you practice your free kicks from
various angles in front of the area and your penalty kicks you are increasing
your team's chances of victory.
