Why there have been just SEVEN free kick goals in the Premier League this season, and what needs to be done to save this dying art from disappearing completely - THE SHARPE END
2 months ago

Why there have been just SEVEN free kick goals in the Premier League this season, and what needs to be done to save this dying art from disappearing completely - THE SHARPE END

Daily Mail  

Reece James set the ball off on its arc, low beyond the far post, and then watched it bend back towards goal and sneak inside the bottom corner. A beautiful finish, a rescued for point for Chelsea against Bournemouth but, above all, a collector’s item, something rarely seen in the Premier League these days: a goal scored direct from a free-kick. Arsenal do not tend to shoot from free-kicks, and their last direct goal in the league from one was scored by Martin Odegaard in 2021 Compare this to the Arsenal side in Arsene Wenger’s final season that won 93 free-kicks in the final third and went for goal from 30 of them. Ward-Prowse, on loan at Nottingham Forest from West Ham, is one away from equalling Beckham’s record of 18 Premier League free-kick goals. James Ward-Prowse is just one free-kick goal behind David Beckham's record James Maddison is the only player since 2018-19 to score multiple free-kicks in multiple seasons Since the start of 2018-19, only Maddison has scored multiple free-kicks in multiple seasons but even he had to wait four campaigns to do it a second time.

Premier League Chelsea Score Season Premier James Free Scored Player Beckham Kick League Goals Maddison Last Season Odegaard  scored  goal  seven  premier  needs  wardprowse  player  save  league  goals  freekick  score  kick  season  freekicks  free  sharpe

History of this topic

WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo scores from free-kick after nearly seven months, closes in on Messi tally
1 year, 5 months ago

WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo scores from free-kick after nearly seven months, closes in on Messi tally

The Hindu  

Cristiano Ronaldo scored from a free-kick after seven months when he struck for Al Nassr against Damac FC in the Saudi Pro League match at the KSU Stadium in Riyadh on Saturday. With the goal, he also closed in on Lionel Messi’s free-kick goal-tally, both in terms of career goals as well as the ones in club football. In that …

How many free-kick goals has Messi scored after winner vs Bolivia?
1 year, 6 months ago

How many free-kick goals has Messi scored after winner vs Bolivia?

The Hindu  

Lionel Messi has scored some legendary free-kicks throughout his career. Todos los ángulos 🎥🐐 pic.twitter.com/Kx5bd9BUso — AFA Play September 8, 2023 How many goals has Messi scored from free-kicks? Messi has scored 65 goals from the free-kick now, which is the fifth-highest number of free-kick goals in football history. Following is the list of players with most free-kick goals: 77 …

James Ward-Prowse’s brilliant free-kick technique: The biomechanics analysed
2 years ago

James Ward-Prowse’s brilliant free-kick technique: The biomechanics analysed

New York Times  

Not many players get within touching distance of Lionel Messi or David Beckham in their career. But James Ward-Prowse is just one goal away from Beckham’s Premier League direct free-kick record, following last month’s match-winner away to Chelsea. The most memorable of these was away to Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2022, Ward-Prowse’s only free-kick goal from over 30 yards in …

Premier League: Ward-Prowse freekick goal gifts Southampton vital 1-0 win at goal-shy Chelsea
2 years, 1 month ago

Premier League: Ward-Prowse freekick goal gifts Southampton vital 1-0 win at goal-shy Chelsea

The Hindu  

A trademark James Ward-Prowse free-kick earned basement club Southampton a precious three points at Chelsea in a scrappy 1-0 Premier League win on Saturday and piled more pressure on home coach Graham Potter. Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta brought down Stuart Armstrong just outside the area in the 45th minute and Ward-Prowse curled a free kick over the wall into the …

Analysing Europe’s free-kick takers: the good, the bad and the brilliance of James Ward-Prowse
3 years ago

Analysing Europe’s free-kick takers: the good, the bad and the brilliance of James Ward-Prowse

New York Times  

My favourite would probably have to be Roberto Carlos, against France in 1997. It feels as though fans’ expectations are often quite high when you see a player line up a direct free kick but, across Europe’s top five leagues, the average conversion rate of a direct free kick has been just six per cent since 2016-17. In fact, there …

Social media hails James Ward-Prowse as 'best free-kick taker in the WORLD' after Wolves screamer
3 years, 2 months ago

Social media hails James Ward-Prowse as 'best free-kick taker in the WORLD' after Wolves screamer

Daily Mail  

It's not often a footballer is hailed as the world's best after a 3-1 defeat, but the magic of James Ward-Prowse's latest set-piece stunner inspired such bold claims online. James Ward-Prowse hit a sensational free-kick but it wasn't enough to beat Wolves in a 3-1 loss The midfielder rocketed the strike into the top corner from 35 yards for a …

Southampton star James Ward-Prowse sets his sights on 2022 World Cup after Euro 2020 heartache
3 years, 3 months ago

Southampton star James Ward-Prowse sets his sights on 2022 World Cup after Euro 2020 heartache

Daily Mail  

James Ward-Prowse will head into 2022 with his sights set firmly on both the World Cup finals and David Beckham's Premier League free-kick record. James Ward-Prowse is targeting a place in the England squad for the 2022 World Cup The Southampton star is more determined to go to Qatar after missing out on Euro 2020 Ward-Prowse told the PA news …

Beckham bend or Ronaldo knuckleball? The evolution of Premier League free kicks
4 years, 11 months ago

Beckham bend or Ronaldo knuckleball? The evolution of Premier League free kicks

New York Times  

Does your team have a free-kick specialist? So let’s say three — if you’ve scored three free kicks in a season, you’re a free-kick master. Perhaps the most intriguing thing about this list is that, from the Premier League’s first six campaigns, 1992-93 to 1997-98, only one player scored three or more free kicks in a single campaign. That message …

David Beckham became youngest to 50 Premier League assists
4 years, 11 months ago

David Beckham became youngest to 50 Premier League assists

The Hindu  

David Beckham scooped a Premier League record when Manchester United made April fools of West Ham 20 years ago this week - but he was still overshadowed by 'Class of 92' colleague Paul Scholes. Beckham set up two goals in a 7-1 savaging to become the youngest player to achieve 50 Premier League assists, and he scored a stunning free-kick …

United have gone a year without scoring a free-kick in the league. The Watford loss sparked a yearning for past glories
5 years, 3 months ago

United have gone a year without scoring a free-kick in the league. The Watford loss sparked a yearning for past glories

New York Times  

Manchester United’s agonising record from direct free-kicks was not why they lost at Vicarage Road but anybody thinking that a goal might follow when Juan Mata stepped up to take aim in the dying stages of Sunday’s loss to Watford has either not been paying attention or is one of life’s optimists. On December 22, 2018, Marcus Rashford got Ole …

How Diego Maradona helped crown Lionel Messi the free-kick king
5 years, 10 months ago

How Diego Maradona helped crown Lionel Messi the free-kick king

Daily Mail  

Lionel Messi's mastery of the art of the free-kick comes not just from his genius, but from hours of practice after training and the influence of Diego Maradona. Fernando Signorini was the fitness coach for Argentina at the 2010 World Cup and in his biography, Call to Rebellion, he sheds light on Maradona's part in Messi's development as the ultimate …

Juan Mata is a PL free-kick master but he's 10 behind David Beckham
6 years, 5 months ago

Juan Mata is a PL free-kick master but he's 10 behind David Beckham

Daily Mail  

Juan Mata sparked Manchester United's comeback in their dramatic 3-2 win over Newcastle on Saturday when he curled home a free-kick at Old Trafford. Juan Mata scored direct from a free-kick in Manchester United's 3-2 victory over Newcastle Mata has scored eight free-kick goals in the Premier League since making his debut in 2011 PL GOALS FROM FREE-KICKS SINCE AUG …

Lionel Messi statistically Spanish football's free-kick king... not Cristiano Ronaldo
8 years, 2 months ago

Lionel Messi statistically Spanish football's free-kick king... not Cristiano Ronaldo

Daily Mail  

The old Brian Moore commentary came to mind on Wednesday night as Lionel Messi lined up his free-kick. You need one for the record.’ Lionel Messi scored a free-kick against Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday Messi received words of congratulations from former Barcelona player Ronald Koeman It wasn’t that the Everton manager had done his sums …

Chelsea free-kick master Willian reveals watching David Beckham and Ronaldinho inspired his dead-ball skills
9 years, 1 month ago

Chelsea free-kick master Willian reveals watching David Beckham and Ronaldinho inspired his dead-ball skills

Daily Mail  

Chelsea fans may have Ronaldinho and David Beckham to thank as they celebrate midfielder Willian slotting home free-kicks. Willian celebrates scoring a free-kick against Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League in November The Brazilian has scored six free-kicks this season including a spell where he netted four in four games Willian has been one of the few bright lights in …

Manchester United have signed a set-piece king in Memphis Depay... he is Europe's free-kick master with seven goals
9 years, 10 months ago

Manchester United have signed a set-piece king in Memphis Depay... he is Europe's free-kick master with seven goals

Daily Mail  

600 goals from free-kicks have been scored in history of Premier League Manchester United have signed a set-piece king in the form of Memphis Depay as the PSV star has scored the most free-kicks in Europe's top six leagues. The Red Devils new boy has scored two more goals than the second highest goalscorer - Bayer Leverkusen's Hakan Calhanoglu - …

Man Utd have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to free kick takers
10 years, 6 months ago

Man Utd have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to free kick takers

Daily Mail  

It will become a familiar sight as the season wears on. Louis van Gaal has plenty of players capable of striking a set-piece at Manchester United Angel di Maria got his Manchester United career off to a flying start by scoring direct from a free-kick in the 4-0 win over Queens Park Rangers last Sunday - though he may not …

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