Attacking free-kick routines

Setup

1. Ball 22–25 m out, just off centre. A wall of four players or mannequins at 9.15 m, a keeper in goal.
2. Two takers over the ball, one left- and one right-footed. An attacker on the end of the wall, a shooter wide of the ball, two follow-in runners on the box line.

How it runs

1. Routine 1: direct strike over or round the wall. Routine 2: dummy, square roll, first-time shot through the gap the wall attacker leaves.
2. Routine 3: dummy, then a chip over the wall for a runner timing the run to stay onside.
3. Each routine has a code word. 5 reps of each, then 3 rounds of the coach calling one at random with live defenders. 20–30 s between reps.

Coaching points

• Sell the dummy: both takers set up to strike and the dummy runner goes over the ball at full speed.
• The square roll is 2–3 m, firm and onto the shooter's stronger foot; it changes the angle before the wall can shift.
• The attacker on the end of the wall peels off on the strike signal, not early, or the keeper reads it.
• Follow-in runners go on the strike and attack the keeper's spill zones either side of the six-yard box.

Common mistakes

• The roll is slow or too long and the wall charges it down.
• Takers give the routine away with their body language.
• Nobody follows in, so the spill goes back to the defence.