[QUOTE=casdave]
A corner kick is known as a ‘set piece’ play, and teams practice different drills and strategies, the options usually come down to,
Crossing the ball somewhere deep inside the 5 yard box.
Crossing the ball to the back of the 5 yard box.
Tapping the ball short, to a nearby player who will then use the differant angle to put it into the 5 yard box, or maybe draw an opposing player to him, and pass it to another in the hope of releasing that person so they can make more creative use of the ball.
It really depends on the abilities of your own players and those of the opposition as to what you do.
A real favourite is to put the ball somewhere in the air to one of your own players somewhere at the nearest side of the goal area to the corner taker, and the ‘recieving’ player will glance it off their head to another part of the 5 yard box who may gain space from the sudden switch and so have time to set up and score.
The goal keeper will try to ensure that any ball that zips across the goal mouth around a couple of yards away will end up in his hands, and the trick is to try get the goallie to move further away from the goal line than is wise, by making the ball curve slightly away from him. This may leave the goallie too committed to getting the ball, and if he misses, then the goal line could be very vulnerable.
They call this one, ‘creating a zone of uncertainty’ - if the goallie gets it, he’s a hero, but if he overcommits and misses, and the opposition scores, he’s a turnip.
Generally speaking, the ball will not be put high sky into the air as in American Football, it will be floated across with or without pace and maybe with some swerve left or right, as I say, the idea is not to allow the opposition much time to work out what is happening and give them less time to react.
A defending team will obviously be well drilled and aware of these strategies, and unlike American Football, there is no such thing as a specialist team, and so they will also have been in the same attacking position too and will understand all the possibilities.
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What is this “5 yard box” to which you refer? How come there’s room for it inside the 6 yard box?