Free Kicks / Corners

[Joshybizzle 109]

So I've seen a lot of people slating David Luiz for his pretty wasteful Free Kick taking last night, not that it mattered in the end thankfully!

I'd just like to see who you guys think should be stepping up, maybe you prefer someone different depending on if its the left or right side of goal? Maybe you like David Luiz's tomahawk free kicks, maybe you're a fan of Oscar after he scored that beauty against Stoke? Maybe you prefer the tried and tested Frank Lampard who really has scored some screamers, i'm talking about FA cup against Tottenham a couple of seasons ago

I'm talking about shots on goal here, not crosses from our wide

Also, i'm not a huge fan of Willians corners, i always liked seeing Oscar or Hazard step up to take one, so who'd you take on corner duty?

For me its either Luiz or Oscar, but Hazard can hit them, I've seen Eto'o take one but.. Just no

TLDR; Who should be stepping up to hit our free kicks & corners?

[Special Juan 28,087]

Depends on distance really, that first one last night was too close for Luiz to get up and down, hence why Willian should of taken it. It was close so it was easier to get up and down using the technique Willian does rather than that of Luiz. Luiz is suited to 30yards plus because the distance determines that you can get it up and down with a lot more ease.

Willian stood over the first using the 9 o'clock angle, sort of side on which for me is correct to generate swerve and also dip. Execution is paramount also, these guys have it in abundance but for me Willian/Oscar just outside the box and Luiz slightly further out.

[Joshybizzle 109]

Willian/Oscar just outside the box and Luiz slightly further out.

Think you hit the nail on the head there

[Svita 10 186]

I think Hazard should takes free kicks when Oscar isn´t playing. Eden scored some free kicks in Lille, right?

[Special Juan 28,087]

Also, when you are as close as Luiz was on the first you are more hoping that the wall splits and it goes through a gap. Funnily enough last Saturday my kids team trained on the astro turf and when training finished, and for a bit of fun I had the kids trying to hit free-kicks like Luiz does with his side foot and getting it up and down. Have you tried this? It's unbelievably difficult.

[DYC. 7,542]

I actually think Willian is good at taking corners/set-pieces. It's not a coincidence he's been taking them despite being the new guy. Hazard and Oscar are poor at taking them tbh.

As for free-kicks, nobody in the team is even close to being a specialist. Lampard from range if he's playing, Oscar from close range. Hazard hasn't been taking FKs at all since his arrival, must not fancy taking them himself.

[LondonPride1905 236]

I think David should be restricted from near - the - box kicks. His technique is absolutely useless from there. If he uses power, like against United, if I am not mistaken, it's okay, but his try-outs have given me enough killed enthusiasm. Wilian, Oscar, Eden, heck Matic, would be a good try (Matic for the power). Willian and Oscar have the swerve , the dip, Hazard also.

Freekicks above 28-29m should be taken by Luiz or Lamps though. That is where this technique can beat any other.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

I think Hazard should takes free kicks when Oscar isn´t playing. Eden scored some free kicks in Lille, right?

Yup scored a couple at Lille.

Only one i could find on YT was this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhfoHhO8X-Y

Don't get why he doesn't take them. Doesn't even seem to step up to them for some reason.

[Waterfall 893]

This and adorability are two areas where we miss Mata massively. I don't think anyone in particular's exceptional in this area, so whoever feels confident out of Lamps, Luiz, Willian and Oscar should take it.

[We Hate Scouse 10,326]

I wonder how Matic is at pinging a freekick? He has a pretty mean shot after all.

[Billy. 2,742]

I wonder how Matic is at pinging a freekick? He has a pretty mean shot after all.

he could be our new Alex

[Korea 734]

Moreso than fks, its the corners I worry about...

FKs, oscar, willian, schurrle are all somewhat decent.

Corners on the otherhand, Im not sure anyone is cept Lampard.

Whenever Luiz takes fks, I usually do the xavi impression (in the confed. cup champ game).

[The Mak 4,459]

We don't really have a specialist anymore and I hope we acquire one in the summer. It really would be a shame to have it as our weakness going forward - especially when you compare some of the teams around us who seem to have them in abundance: Yaya, Silva, Kolarov, RVP, Rooney, Mata, Suarez, Coutinho, Gerrard etc. can all take consistently great, sometimes, WC set-pieces. Then you look at Willian being unable to beat the first man for a corner for about the third time in one game, it's disheartening! It's something that we're really lacking right now.

For now I would say Hazard/Oscar. Luiz is waaaaaay too inconsistent. So many times he doesn't even hit the target.

[NishC300 1,865]

This and adorability are two areas where we miss Mata massively. I don't think anyone in particular's exceptional in this area, so whoever feels confident out of Lamps, Luiz, Willian and Oscar should take it.

Was an absolutely incredible set piece taker. Gave the two corners in Munich and Amsterdam!

he could be our new Alex

ah! The one he banged into the roof of the net against the Scousers at home!

Lovely!

Moreso than fks, its the corners I worry about...

FKs, oscar, willian, schurrle are all somewhat decent.

Corners on the otherhand, Im not sure anyone is cept Lampard.

Whenever Luiz takes fks, I usually do the xavi impression (in the confed. cup champ game).

It's a pity that we struggle at giving good Corner deliveries since we're so good in the air with Luiz, Matic, Terry, Cahill, Ivanovic all on the pitch together!

[Joshybizzle 109]

It's a pity that we struggle at giving good Corner deliveries since we're so good in the air with Luiz, Matic, Terry, Cahill, Ivanovic all on the pitch together!

That's a very good point, with the height and heading ability we've got in the side we really should be threatening more from set pieces

[didierforever 7,349]

willian should probably have a clause in his contract. everytime he clears the first man in taking corners, he get 5k, everytime his delivery is cleared by the first man, 5k get subtracted. that would probably be the only way to improve our corners.

in my opinion it is CRIMINAL to hit the bloody first man when u have players like JT, GC, iva and DL in the box.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Before Mata left we didn't really have a problem with set piece takers but hopefully in the summer we sign a CM (like Kroos or something) who does have the ability to deliver accurate set pieces.

[manpe 10,861]

Willian is frustrating. He seems to deliver the corners and indirect free-kicks either too low (most of the time), too high or just plain inaccurately. When Lampsy plays, he's a nailed on corner and indirect fk taker for me. I'm worried if Willian is the best we got to be honest, because we got so many good box scorers in our team it's not even funny anymore that we don't utilize this strength to the maximum. Given our lack of efficiency from open-play, making use of set-pieces can make the difference between 3 points and 1 point.

I would like to see Hazard taking a direct free-kick now and then. If he really wants to be a complete player, he should start doing so. Real leaders usually take the responsiblity. I don't believe he lacks the skill to do it, maybe he just doesn't want to or doesn't work on it, which would be a shame. Otherwise I have no idea who could take our free-kicks, all of them pretty much suck at it. Luiz can score the odd goal every once in a while and so can Oscar apparently, but the rest haven't given me any reason to think they would be any better either... except for maybe Lampard, who isn't a regular anymore and he still fancies hitting the wall more than the goal, so who knows.

Oh, and what about Ivanovic? I think he has hit some piledrivers for Serbia. Could be worth a shot (pun intended) from distance.