When taking a penalty, it is commonly thought that if you get it near the post, it is practically unsaveable. That's easier to do with a penalty as the keeper stands centrally, and there is no wall. You have a bit of leeway, the ball doesn't have to graze the post, it can be a little bit inside, because the keeper has to be in position to go either way. This is negated a little with the keepers now being allowed to move on the line and they can sometimes try mind games by standing to one side or the other trying to encourage you to go one way, then moving to close the gap. But essentially you have both sides open to you, with a foot or two from the post to play with, from the ground to the cross bar.
With free kicks, in theory, you don't have as much leeway.
A wall covers one side of the goal, and the keeper can commit more to the other side. He can stand close enough that he covers right up to the post, from ground to cross bar. But he can still cover a good chunk of the rest of the goal, aided by a wall causing an obstruction that limits how much of the goal they can shoot at on that side.
The accuracy needed is the reason most direct shot free kicks go wide or over or hit the wall. There is such a small area of the goal to aim for and such execution needed that you play the odds.
That is why keepers are expected to set up as they do; the wall covers one side, the keeper the other. It's very basic goalkeeping.
It's also why anyone trying to suggest Stockdale did nothing wrong with that free kick yesterday are wrong.
That's not to say it was such a major error that we should be discussing buying a new number one keeper next season, or suggesting Hughton is going to be struggling to decide whether to pick him on Tuesday.
It is the "he'll be disappointed with that" sort of error that you see all the time not a "there are no excuses for that" type error such as that v Cardiff/Forest.
With free kicks, in theory, you don't have as much leeway.
A wall covers one side of the goal, and the keeper can commit more to the other side. He can stand close enough that he covers right up to the post, from ground to cross bar. But he can still cover a good chunk of the rest of the goal, aided by a wall causing an obstruction that limits how much of the goal they can shoot at on that side.
The accuracy needed is the reason most direct shot free kicks go wide or over or hit the wall. There is such a small area of the goal to aim for and such execution needed that you play the odds.
That is why keepers are expected to set up as they do; the wall covers one side, the keeper the other. It's very basic goalkeeping.
It's also why anyone trying to suggest Stockdale did nothing wrong with that free kick yesterday are wrong.
That's not to say it was such a major error that we should be discussing buying a new number one keeper next season, or suggesting Hughton is going to be struggling to decide whether to pick him on Tuesday.
It is the "he'll be disappointed with that" sort of error that you see all the time not a "there are no excuses for that" type error such as that v Cardiff/Forest.
