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
Characteristics of the wall:
- The goalkeeper has to set in the defensive wall the same number of players than possible kickers(Players close to the ball).
- If the distance between the ball and the goal increase, the goalkeeper has to decrease the number of player in the wall.
- 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.