[Albion] Surely we must have some decent free kick takers in this squad?

[Brian Fantana]

All of the disappointments will be totally worth it when he clatters one into the top corner. Preferably against Palace.

 

[Justice]

Welbeck took a stunning free kick against Man City last season and never took one since. I find it all very bizarre.

 

[BevBHA]

I was behind the goal and it was going in. It also didn’t go straight into the wall, the wall jumped and it skimmed off a defender’s head which changed trajectory over for a corner.

‘skimmed off a defenders head’ would not change the direction of the ball that much, it went totally the opposite way. You could argue any free kick which hits the wall is technically going in. It’s like saying it was going in when a keeper saves a penalty

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

Wel it raised a smile in our house tonight when me and my boys all let out a loud “noooooooo!” at exactly the same time when we saw Dunky lining up that kick!

It’s like with our corners for the last few years - Gross and March putting exactly the same ball in time and again with no end result and no one else getting a chance to take them causing great frustration here! At least lately they seem to be mixing the corners up, time to do the same with direct free kicks now - sorry Lewis!

This. I have become accustomed to the usual disappointment with corners.You just can't beat a ferocious in swinger causing chaos under the bar. If someone has the stats for the number of corners this season against goals scored from corners please post. Regarding free kicks there is not many CD's know for their technical ability to bend the ball around the wall - usually the job of a number 10 maestro, the raw power approach usually ends up hitting the wall or row z.

 

[AstroSloth]

I get your point. I was thinking of the free kick he scored against Portsmouth which was probably the perfect knuckleball

Yeah and because of that one free kick people think he was a great taker. In reality he wasn't but took so many he scored a few memorable ones.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Let Steele take them.

After all, he hasn't taken a single long goalkick all season - let him use that pent up frustration to smash one into the top corner.

 

[macbeth]

can’t help but feel enciso might be quite useful free kick taker when he’s back

 

[schmunk]

I think many people have an unreasonable expectation of how effective free kicks are for scoring goals.

For example, though widely credited as the best in the PL, last season James Ward-Prowse only scored 3 direct free kicks from 17 attemps, under 18% conversion rate. In the whole PL there were only 17 scored, from 301 attempts - less than 6%.

Given that Albion only attempted 12 direct free kicks, achieving 0 goals (compared to an expected 0.68) is definitely within the margin of error. We created 3 goals from indirect dead balls (2 Gross, 1 March - as the provider, not the scorer) but were these all corners? (the stats I found combined all types of dead ball)

 

[Seagull58]

I get your point. I was thinking of the free kick he scored against Portsmouth which was probably the perfect knuckleball

CR7's conversion rate is 6.2% (global average is 6%), Messi is 9.1%, Beckham was 9.2% and Ward-Prowse in the last 5 years is an otherworldly 21.7%.

 

[albionalex]

Bit of a wildcard but Pervis has scored a free kick for Ecuador before.

 

[peterward]

Bit of a wildcard but Pervis has scored a free kick for Ecuador before.

Dunk just running up and leathering isn't the answer.

Someone must be capable of a bit more finesse? Joao Pedro? Billy G?

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

Dunk just running up and leathering isn't the answer.

Someone must be capable of a bit more finesse? Joao Pedro? Billy G?

Can't believe Fati, as seen at one point as Messi's replacement, did not spend hours and hours practicing these.

 

[Nixonator]

‘skimmed off a defenders head’ would not change the direction of the ball that much, it went totally the opposite way. You could argue any free kick which hits the wall is technically going in. It’s like saying it was going in when a keeper saves a penalty

I’m not suggesting it was a great strike, only that it was on target and not directly into the wall as previously stated. It almost cleared the wall and won us a corner.

 

[Swimboy64]

What did they say about the definition of insanity!

Is it keep repeating and expect it to change for the better like magic?

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I’m not suggesting it was a great strike, only that it was on target and not directly into the wall as previously stated. It almost cleared the wall and won us a corner.

From my angle in the North Shelf it looked like it was at the right height to dip in under the bar had it not hit the wall.

He’s had his chances now I think someone should be given a go, to a least work the keeper

 

[dazzer6666]

Small margins….the one on Thurs was probably 2 inches away from at least making the keeper work. Pretty sure he’s taking them because he’s the best we’ve got based on what happens in training…….this stuff is analysed to death with sophisticated tech……so anyone else taking them is likely to be even less successful. As @schmunk essentially points out, if he sticks one in soon he’ll be statistically ‘normal’.

 

[macbeth]

nearly…

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Getting closer but how many has he had in a row now. 5,6?

Time for someone else to have a go

 

[tigertim68]

Doesn’t even look confident when taking one

 

[Dave the OAP]

All of the disappointments will be totally worth it when he clatters one into the top corner. Preferably against Palace.

So we are going to persist with this crap until he gets one?