shammy feen Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Just interested. Anyone else sick of Lamps hitting the wall every time he takes a free kick? Suggestions please? Or maybe your content with the odd deflected goal from Lamps? Shammy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maksimov Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 It depends on the distance and angle who should take them. If the position is good enough to try a direct goal, then I'd rotate it between Drogba, Ballack and Geremi. If we go for a cross into the box, then it might be best to have Robben and Lamps taking them. It's good to have variety in our deadball situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shammy feen Posted April 11, 2007 Author Share Posted April 11, 2007 Sorry I should have clarified..I was talking about direct shots on goal from head on rather than free kicks in to the box from the wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YLWRocketMan Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 From the left side around the box i would say Drogba, but from the middle area i think Ballack has proven himself more than worthy for taking the free kick chances on goal. At this point i'd like to see anyone other than Lampard. But the few times Ballack has gotten the opportunity he has delivered a quality shot if not a goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Stick with Lamps i say. His delivery has been piss poor of late, however Ballack poses too much of an arial threat to leave him out of the box, and likewise, as a manager, i would want Sheva waiting for any tap ins or knock downs. To clarify though, if we are talking about an opportunity to shoot from 25 yards for example, let Andriy have it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SydneyChelsea Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 For direct shots, Geremi or Ballack first choice, Drogba or Shevchenko second, Robben or Lampard last resort. For indirect free kicks Robben or let Joe Cole have a crack. Let Lampard lurk at the edge of the area, Riise's shots are nothing compared to Lampard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heckel Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 why isn't essien on the list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBeard Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Got to go with Ballack - he takes a mean free-kick, power and accuracy. Why Lampard is still allowed to take our free-kicks I'll never know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Street Ken Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 I think Makalele should be in the list and move ahead of Lamps in the pecking order! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shammy feen Posted April 11, 2007 Author Share Posted April 11, 2007 why isn't essien on the list? Because I f*cked up the list thats why....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moos Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 I would like to see Mikel take a few. Don't think I've seen him take any freekicks so far. When it comes to freekicks that needs to be curled then I'd go with Ballack or Drogba. When it comes to the ones that needs some force behind them I would still consider Lampard but Ballack would be a good option too. Not sure about Geremi. Can't remember if he's good at it or not. But since he almost never plays then I wouldn't trust him with the freekicks. I think that Lampards freekicks last night wasn't that bad. A few were actually really good. Ballack almost scored on one too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loz Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Geremi is the best free kick taker in the squad however as he never plays (or rarely plays) it isn't really worth voting for him. my take on it is: 1. For free kicks very close to the penalty box (i.e. within 20 yards) Drogba should take them - he has shown he is very capable at getting the ball up and back down over a short distance 2. For free kicks further back that require a little craft (whether it be shooting or playing it into the box then I would go with Ballack 3. On those occasions when we revert to a blasting it and hoping then go with Lamps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sofa Manager Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Ditto, Loz. It's a gap we have. A really true free-kick taker specialist. Most top teams have at least one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SydneyChelsea Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Ditto, Loz.It's a gap we have. A really true free-kick taker specialist. Most top teams have at least one. Not really...Manchester United don't although Carrick is decent, but no better than anyone we have. The difference is our true free-kick specialist, Geremi, rarely plays, Robben is injured, and the others are all needed in the box! I'd say Ballack is probably the best in the top 4 and in fact in the league, very few strike me as being better- perhaps Pedersen or Solano. Maybe a little more weight to the pro-Tevez camp- he certainly can take them, and isn't much use in the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuliastar Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 My big problem with Ballack or Drogs taking freekicks, is that they are generally the people I would want on the end of the freekick. They have amazing aerial threat, and quite likely to score a header. I think Joey should be given a chance as well... But that's just me I guess... That being said, Geremi would be my top choice, I agree with Loz wholeheartedly, he is our best freekick taker by far. But since he never plays, that's not saying much. We can't stick with Lamps because let's face it, 90% of his freekicks are rubbish. So as not to lose aerial threat though, we should rotate the freekick taking duty between Ballack, Drogs, Joey (I really do think he would be good!), Geremi, etc., depending on where the freekick is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g3.7 Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 that's the problem. we know lamps is capable of putting in decent indirect free kicks, and we simply cannot afford to have drogba or ballack taking those- really, we need to see if a player like maybe joe cole or bridge or someone is better than lamps without needing to be in the box... for direct free kicks... oh god! I'm happy for lamps to take some, but share them out. why drogba and ballack even go near the ball amazes me, the just end up letting him smash the ball into the wall. and both have shown they are able, and sheva too- he is capable of scoring them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sofa Manager Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Ditto, Loz.It's a gap we have. A really true free-kick taker specialist. Most top teams have at least one. Not really...Manchester United don't although Carrick is decent, but no better than anyone we have. The difference is our true free-kick specialist, Geremi, rarely plays, Robben is injured, and the others are all needed in the box! ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBosnian Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 The poll results are as clear as my answer - Ballack! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 None of the above - has to be Gianfranco Zola. Let's bring hockey rules into football so he can come off the bench just to take the free kicks then go and sit down again after he's scored Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomP Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I think we should rotate our freekick takers a lot more than we do. It will keep the opposition guessing, and might catch their keeper off guard. At the moment, a thunderbolt from Lampard is very predicatable. About 1 in 10 at the moment makes it through to the keeper, who has had a lot of time to prepare himself for it. All of the players mentioned above (including Lampard) are more than capable of scoring from a free kick in the right situation. Why not mix it up a bit - get the keeper setting himself very straight for a Lampard thunderbolt, only for Geremi or Ballack to expertly curl it into the top corner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogic Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I've always thought Joe Cole should take close range free kicks. He has great technique and if he practices im sure he will become a super free kick taker. Im frustrated with Lampards free kicks off late, its more of hit and pray with him. But Im guessing Jose feels Drogba, Sheva and Ballack are more useful in the Box, during free kicks, than lampard, and so Lamps takes most of them - of course he's always been taking them even before Ballack and Sheva came. I would really love to see Joe Cole take a free kick and bend it in. Also - would be nice to see a free kick routine, instead of Lampard either smashing it, or trying to send it to the far post. Maybe someone making a run from behind, a short pass, then a long pass and in the net - dont see those variations anymore! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauren Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 this sort of loss of form happened to Wisey too. God I used to cringe at his corners many times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brian M Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I think Makalele should be in the list and move ahead of Lamps in the pecking order! Hard to take free kicks from the bench, mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makelele Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I used to think Laurent Robert was quite useful for direct free kicks, scared the hell out of me when he was behind the ball against us anyways...but yeah i like Loz's ideas there, Ballack always seems to go close from way out...and ive been saying Drogba should be on it when its close in for a while now...If geremi played more i would like him in there too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts