Setting a Defensive Wall in a Free Kick

by Jose Silva Caparros:

It is difficult for a lot of coaches to know if the goalkeeper is doing a good job when he is setting up a defensive wall in a free kick. Firstly, because a lot of coaches have never played in that position, and secondly, because some coaches do not have the luck to have a goalkeeper coach in their teams.

This article helps to improve the knowledge about setting up a defensive wall through a brief list with the characteristic of the wall, and a soccer field picture divided for zones with the different number of players that the goalkeeper must to set in the defensive wall.

Number of Players in the Defensive Wall

Estructura de las BarrerasCharacteristics of the wall:

  1. The goalkeeper has to set in the defensive wall the same number of players than possible kickers(Players close to the ball).
  2. If the distance between the ball and the goal increase, the goalkeeper has to decrease the number of player in the wall.
  3. In free kick in zone of high danger (Yellow lines):
  • The first player guides the wall(according to
    instructions from the goalkeeper) , and the goalkeeper has to set him outside from the first post.
  • The second and third player have to be stout and tall.
  • The fourth player must to be faster, and aggressive to run if the another team plays short.

Time to Rethink Early Player Development in the US? by John O’Sullivan

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it,” exclaimed New York Yankees great Yogi Berra to any travelers trying to find their way to his house. Berra meant that whatever way you went, it was the same distance to get there, so go ahead and take your pick.  Read more;

http://www.soccerwire.com/blog-posts/the-fourth-path-rethinking-early-player-development-in-the-united-states/

Repetition is THE key to developing automatic movements

Dr Fraser Harban •Repetition is THE key to developing automatic movements. This exactly how the brain develops complex motor plans and programmes within the basal ganglia and supplementary motor areas of the brain.
Once these complex plans have been written they can be executed without conscious involvement and are therefore ‘spinal’ in nature and rapid. The only way to write these plans is by drilling the components in training environment.
Disease in the brain has shown us how the brain learns activities and this is eminently relevant in sports training. We can train aspects of the game and yes, whilst sport is random in nature, rehearsed drills can be used either in components or whole to achieve rapid, automated actions.