free-kicks & corners

We have three key principles to guide our approach to these crucial goalscoring situations. Firstly…

Get the ball and players into poacher positons

We deliver the ball into the key areas where goals are scored…

…noting that many times, the poacher can arrive at the back post unmarked to score!

Even on direct free-kicks, we want to have players moving to become a poacher if the goalkeeper spills the shot…

…and especially on indirect free-kicks, where you should think…

Attack the ball and space

…as you can see Firmino do so here…

…and in this goal, too…but what you might also notice is every free-kick has a fake taker to disguise the direction of the delivery!

Sometimes, you can just use this fake taker to keep the ball moving and work the ball into an goalscoring position.

No matter the delivery, though, if you are in the box, attack the ball & space, with pace! You’ll be much more likely to score, like Konate here.

Dominate the second ball

The moment we want to dominate is the second ball from set pieces. You’ll see here, for example, how Liverpool ‘ring the box’ with three players (highlighted in white), so they can win any rebounds…

…which Keita does to score this beautiful goal.

Same ‘ringing of the box’ again here…

…from which Henderson scores a screamer!

If we do this every time…

…then we can constantly win the second ball…

…and create goals!

throw ins

Throw-ins are an excellent opportunity from which we can create attacks and score goals!

To make this happen, you need to make quick movements to get free where you can receive the throw-in to feet to either pass back to the thrower, or turn & face forward.

Sometimes, you may need to ‘block’ a defender to get someone else free, as you can see below.

Alternatively, you may rotate with a teammate to get free.

This needs to be timed well so you can receive the throw as you move into the new position.

If you receive the throw under pressure, try to pass it back to the taker who can then switch quickly.

If the opponent crowds out the options ‘down the line’, consider a fake throw to create space inside…

…or throw it down the line to a player who can receive under pressure and find the third man.

Always be ready to dominate the second ball, though. Look how narrow and compact Liverpool are to win the second ball, so they can play the first pass forward.

In Block A, though, where space is more limited, you may need to make a forward run towards the touchline to get free.

Alternatively, if you see their centre-back ‘jumping’ onto our dropping striker, then try to throw into and attack the space behind them as quickly as possible…

…this can help us get closer to goal quicker.