The Defensive Wall.

[leefer]

For many years now i have thought that a Defensive wall outside the box is a complete waste of time and makes defending any shot harder for keeper and defenders?
The goal the lad scored for Yeovil yesterday on half time a case in point........no way he would have scored that goal from that position that far out..............its hard enough to beat a keeper from the penalty spot let alone yards outside the box.
I feel the wall helped people like Beckham and co.........gave them an angle to decieve the keeper because he is blocked by the wall.
Of course for free kicks in the area or close to goal the wall may help.
It takes a shot of great power and accuracy to score a goal outside of the area....what do people think?...maybe you think that a wall blocks many goal bound shots and so it is warranted.....but surely a decent keeper would gobble those shots up anyway.

[Batch]

The wall is crucial in helping the keeper out. And so I reckon more goals would be scored without them as you are basically then giving a free shot on goal.

Of course it relies on the wall remaining intact and in position. Which didn't happen yesterday.

[THE FLASH]

The wall fell apart yesterday.  Went in all directions!

[leefer]

The wall is crucial in helping the keeper out. And so I reckon more goals would be scored without them as you are basically then giving a free shot on goal.

Of course it relies on the wall remaining intact and in position. Which didn't happen yesterday.

You get dozens of shots from free play during a match that are free shots on goal outside of the box.........not many go in.

[glos_robin]

In my opinion without a wall you'd see 4 or 5 times the amount of goals a season scored from direct freekicks. Players such as Christiano Ronaldo would have a field day as they wold just smash the ball as hard as they can and no matter how good the keeper is when the ball is hit at a certain speed you just can't react in time, and even if the keeper does get to it with the new technique of getting the ball to bounce just in front of the keeper there would be so many goals scored from rebounds as it's so hard to catch shots like that cleanly first time.
With a wall the player can put the ball roughly 2 places...... over the wall or around the wall where the keeper more often than not should have it covered. Without the wall much it would become a bit like penalties and the keeper would just have to start guessing.

[jb]

You get dozens of shots from free play during a match that are free shots on goal outside of the box.........not many go in.

It's quite a bit different when the game is flowing, allowing tackles. A free kick gives the attacker alot more time to pick the spot..

Nice idea though

[leefer]

In my opinion without a wall you'd see 4 or 5 times the amount of goals a season scored from direct freekicks. Players such as Christiano Ronaldo would have a field day as they wold just smash the ball as hard as they can and no matter how good the keeper is when the ball is hit at a certain speed you just can't react in time, and even if the keeper does get to it with the new technique of getting the ball to bounce just in front of the keeper there would be so many goals scored from rebounds as it's so hard to catch shots like that cleanly first time.
With a wall the player can put the ball roughly 2 places...... over the ball or around the wall where the keeper more often than not should have it covered. Without the wall much like with penalties and it would become a bit like penalties and the keeper would just have to start guessing.

Good points Robin....i dont agree though,i feel the keeper would save most of them.........Ronaldo and co get most of there goals because the wall helps them.........it blocks out the keeper.

[glos_robin]

Good points Robin....i dont agree though,i feel the keeper would save most of them.........Ronaldo and co get most of there goals because the wall helps them.........it blocks out the keeper.

Ronaldo is an interesting one as watching the Real Madrid game last night they mentioned that about 95% or something along those lines go straight into the wall, so in that case it would suggest the wall does a pretty good job as those that get smashed into the wall would be on target so make the keeper work.

[leefer]

Remember i am not talking shots inside the area of course......a wall is a must then...i am talking outsde,remember Robin most players are not Ronaldo!
The stat about the wall is abit misleading as 95% may go straight at the keeper,wide or over........not all will fly in the net.
Not being argumentative......just a feeling i get especially at lower levels...many walls are naff and dont help but hinder.

[jb]

Alot of free kicks in general do hit the wall. However you (one) only remembers when goals are scored as of course they are more memorable..

[glos_robin]

Remember i am not talking shots inside the area of course......a wall is a must then...i am talking outsde,remember Robin most players are not Ronaldo!
The stat about the wall is abit misleading as 95% may go straight at the keeper,wide or over........not all will fly in the net.
Not being argumentative......just a feeling i get especially at lower levels...many walls are naff and dont help but hinder.

I play in goal so am probably a bit biased but I definitely rely on my wall quite a lot as it does help......tbh as soon as fit again I'm likely to go back to playing on Saturdays again as I'm not enjoying this season watching Town in the slightest but that a side issue to this convo.

[leefer]

I play in goal so am probably a bit biased but I definitely rely on my wall quite a lot as it does help......tbh as soon as fit again I'm likely to go back to playing on Saturdays again as I'm not enjoying this season watching Town in the slightest but that a side issue to this convo.

Well my feeling is it will get a lot better for Town and you will start enjoying it again.......i pick and choose my away matches now.....money talks.

[DV]

I'm no goal keeper, perhaps a few extra seconds of being able to see the flight of the ball might be a help to some, but generally I think its an absurd suggestion. You are just giving the attack more of the goal to aim at. Which is completely not the point of defending.

[leefer]

I'm no goal keeper, perhaps a few extra seconds of being able to see the flight of the ball might be a help to some, but generally I think its an absurd suggestion. You are just giving the attack more of the goal to aim at. Which is completely not the point of defending.

But with a wall the keeper cannot see the ball or the flight,,,he is completly guessing.
As i said most shots from outside the area during free play are gobbled up easily by most decent keepers...look at the stats from any match and there are plenty of shots at goal that dont result in goals...so not as absurd as you may think Dave.

[Arriba]

if the wall wasn't needed it wouldn't be used.there is no written law that states walls should be created when defending free kicks,they are used because they work.