2013/2014: The Year of the Free-Kick?

Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, David Beckham, Roberto Carlos. All of these men have been considered 'dead-ball specialists'. We have seen many spectacular goals from each of these from free-kicks, and it has become an essential to have such a player in your team. Very much like in rugby or American football, kicking has become an ever-more important aspect to football. Over the past few years, goals from free kicks has been fairly stable in the Premier League, with several players renowned for their ability, but few outside those beginning to chip in. However, this season, free kicks have taken a much more important role, and we have seen many players who you would not consider 'dead ball specialists' score them.

Looking at statistics, we can see that during the 2011/2012 season, 29 direct free kicks were scored, with Sunderland scoring the most (5). After just 15 games of the 2013/14 season, the total of free kicks scored has reached a staggering 20. If free kicks continue to be scored at this rate, we will see over 40 goals from free kicks this season, setting an all-time Premier League record.

So who has been scoring all of these free kicks? Though they may be top of the table and have marksmen like Podolski and Ozil to take them, Arsenal are yet to contribute to the free kick goal tally. Aston Villa have two, and both have been scored by the same man. Leandro Bacuna, the relatively unknown midfielder before this season, with spectacular efforts against Manchester City and Cardiff City, made himself well known to the Villa fans, and Premier League viewers around the world. Cardiff and Crystal Palace, like Arsenal are yet to score from one, but a familiar name in Frank Lampard has registered for Chelsea. Everton also contribute two from a single player, and Leighton Baines scored them both in the same match! Turning the game on its head, his two brilliant set pieces ensured Everton would leave West Ham with all three points.

Fulham have struggled to score goals all season, so that they do not appear on the list is unsurprising. Hull also do not feature, but Liverpool certainly do. In Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard they have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to free kicks, and the pair have not failed to deliver, with Gerrard scoring one against Hull, and Suarez contributing two, against Everton and in a four goal display against Norwich. Free-scoring Manchester City have been most prolific from dead balls, but not from the usual sources. Aleksandar Kolorov and David Silva are the club's recognised free kick takers, but Alvaro Negredo's goal against Swansea, and Yaya Toure's incredible haul of three, against Newcastle, Hull and Norwich, mean that Manuel Pellegrini may want to review his set piece takers! Manchester United have contributed with three, with Wayne Rooney scoring all, against Crystal Palace, Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion.

Newcastle, despite having an excellent taker in Yohan Cabaye, have failed to register a free kick yet this season, whilst Robert Snodgrass has added one for Norwich City. Southampton's resident specialist, Rickie Lambert has added another one for his collection, whilst Stoke have had efforts from Marko Arnautovic and Jermaine Pennant. Sunderland, despite their previous supremacy in this area, have also failed to score from a free kick this term. Swansea, West Brom and West Ham all have also failed to register, whilst Kyle Walker's recent effort against Manchester United is the only free kick from Spurs. Nevertheless, this is already nearly as many as the whole of 2011/2012, despite neither Gareth Bale nor Cristiano Ronaldo being in the league.

What could be causing this? If we were seeing players like Robin van Persie or Luis Suarez scoring more free-kicks, we could simply put it down to increasing player ability or speciality, but it is not. We are seeing a plethora of players scoring from free-kicks, many of whom have either never or infrequently scored from them before. Could it be to do with the ball? There have been complaints from goalkeepers in recent years that the balls move in the air far too much, making it impossible to track the path of the ball. However, has the ball changed so drastically over the past two years that it could account for the rapid increase in goals from direct free kicks? I think not. If we compare free kicks stats from now to those from the 1970's and 80's, then we could explain it that way, but two years is too little time.

However, another explanation may go some way to explaining it. Over the last decade, football has become less and less physical, with challenges often resulting in free kicks. Clubs have therefore cottoned on to the fact that dead balls are going to be of greater importance than ever before. As a result, further training has been done to improve the free kicks of a wide range of players. Whereas 10 years ago, perhaps only one or two specialist free kick takers would be used for dead balls, now any one of six or seven may be used. The correct accuracy and power will take time to perfect, so two years can make a massive difference in this time frame. This may not be the whole explanation, but I believe it goes some way to explaining the recent trend of free kick goals in the Premier League.

 This season has been truly record-breaking in terms of free kicks, and to do it without some of the greatest free kick takers in the world is astonishing. However, such is the importance of free kicks in football, I feel this will slowly become the norm. It will be extremely interesting to see if this trend continues over the next few seasons, as this will determine whether it was a flash in the pan, or if we are seeing the hard work on the training ground come to fruition in the Premier League. This may be the Year of the Free-Kick, but it may also be the beginning of a free-kick dynasty.

Tis’ the Season to Retire: David Beckham Retires from Football

             The news yesterday that David Beckham has retired from professional football will seem to many as a long time in coming. Ever since his ‘mid-football-life crisis’ move to LA Galaxy in 2007, it appeared that Beckham had been put out to pasture. Despite this, he returned to top level football with firstly AC Milan, and then more recently Paris Saint Germain, proving that he does have what it takes to perform at the highest level. Beckham’s CV covers almost every honour it is possible to receive, as he was at the heart of Fergie’s Manchester United ‘golden years’. The only thing missing is international success with England.

 

                My first memory of David Beckham is also part of my first World Cup memory. As a 7 year old, I remember my family all gathering round, eagerly watching the England vs Argentina round of 16 game in the 1998 World Cup. Any England fan will undoubtedly remember the story. The pre-match hype about the Maradona ‘Hand of God’ goal, and the fact that this was the first time England had met the Argentineans in the World Cup since then. Cue Michael Owen’s wonder-goal, and then the Beckham’s moment of madness, albeit provoked by Diego Simeone. England’s inevitable defeat on penalties soon followed. A nice introduction to English World Cup football, as I learnt from an early age not to expect too much. This appears to be Beckham’s solitary negative point, in a career of so many highs. I suppose it is good he got it out of the way early!

 

                I have nothing but bad memories of David Beckham as a Manchester United player, perhaps because he was always so instrumental in their success whilst I was growing up a Blue! My dislike of his club did nothing to stop me willing him on whenever he put the white jersey of England, however. My favourite, and most lasting memory of David Beckham will always be the injury time, 30 yard free kick against Greece at Old Trafford to send England to the 2002 World Cup. From absolute despair to elation in the kick of a football. I never thought I would experience such emotion again, but Sergio Aguero put paid to that last May. A dead ball and long ball specialist, Beckham’s abilities have been sorely missed from the England team since his move to the US, as the phrase ‘Beckham range’ has not since been adequately transferred to another- ‘Gerrard range’ or ‘Lampard range’ just sound weird, and ‘Oxlade-Chamberlain range’ sounds like a mathematical hypothesis!

 

                Whilst Beckham has also been all over the papers as a ‘style guru’, whatever that means, we must not forget he has also had some spectacular failures. His early ‘skinhead’ look, where we could have been forgiven for thinking he had just come from auditions for ‘This is England’. His bleached blonde shaggy look, during which he looked like the lighter version of an emo. My personal favourite has to be the quite ridiculous Mohawk, however. I have never seen so many 12 year olds look so similar, and so stupid at the same time. Not quite as disastrous as the Ronaldo clump from the same period, but pretty close. Since leaving United, he seems to have mellowed on the style front, and with Wayne Rooney’s recent hair transplant, it bears asking the question, why does Sir Alex Ferguson like ridiculous hair styles on his star English players? Nevertheless, his adverts for underwear, which oddly appear in women’s magazines more than men’s (and women claim men’s magazines are shallow?!), have given many women a poster for their bedrooms over the years, and will undoubtedly be sorely missed.

 

                As for the title of this post, it seems as though it has recently become fashionable to retire. Firstly, Sir Alex Ferguson calls time on his career, then Scholes, and now Beckham. Perhaps Beckham was always looking over his shoulder after the ‘boot to the face’ incident with Ferguson in 2003, and seeing as Ferguson has finally retired, he now feels safe...? An alternative hypothesis, and one that I quite like the sound of, is that Manchester United officials and players appear to be on a trend of retiring, and they appear to be getting younger and younger. Sir Alex, at a grand old age of 71, Scholes, a fellow member of the ‘golden years’ at United, recently retired at the age of 38 (albeit for the second time), and now ‘Golden Balls’ himself, a slightly younger 38. As a City fan, long may this trend continue! What we need to see now is the likes of Nemanja Vidic and Robin van Persie prematurely retire as part of this fashion...

 

                Alas, I fear that this is all the retirements we will see from United this season. Ryan Giggs soldiers on, apparently indestructible. The game has lost three iconic figures over recent weeks. Ferguson’s managerial presence will always leave a void, Scholes will also be missed (but mostly because I found it easiest to pick him out when watching a game!), but the loss of Beckham represents the end of a significant chapter in English football. ‘Captain Fantastic’ led England’s ‘Golden Generation’ to little success, but he will remain one of the most popular players to play for the Three Lions.