Direct Free-Kick Tactics Like Arsenal’s Declan Rice – Set-Piece Analysis

We have all observed how Declan Rice scored two goals from direct free kicks to facilitate Arsenals victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

It is widely recognised that direct free kicks can be decisive in football, particularly when a team possesses skilled takers.

Who could forget the legendary contributions of David Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Juninho Pernambucano, and Andrea Pirlo, followed by more recent masters such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, among many others?

With the advancement of goalkeeper training and the availability of video footage, data analysis and set-piece analysis, goalkeepers can now access extensive information on free-kick takers—including their preferred angles and shooting techniques.

As a result, it has become increasingly difficult for takers to surprise their opponents.

In fact, there is also considerable debate about the current scarcity of skilled free-kick specialists in modern football.

Consequently, free-kick takers are constantly seeking innovative techniques and strategies.

Analysts—and subsequently coaches—attempt to assist takers as analytical methods advance by providing targeted insights and recommendations.

In this analysis, we examined several tactical approaches designed to disrupt the goalkeepers’ focus and delay their visual tracking of the ball.

The most notable tactic was the offensive wall, as exemplified by Arsenal’s deployment to impede Thibaut Courtois’s sightline during the second goal.

This tactical analysis will examine recent innovations and tactical developments in direct free-kick strategies.

It should be noted that while many of these approaches are not entirely novel, they are being reintroduced and executed in more surprising and systematic ways.

Disclaimer: We do not claim that all the strategies we present are systematically designed or intentionally planned.

Some emerge from players spontaneous creativity or even improvised moments.

However, analysts, coaches, and even players actively seek these approaches because they prove tactically beneficial, enabling the selection of the most suitable technique for each players capabilities.

This proves particularly valuable when a team lacks a specialist player who can, for instance, lift the ball over the defensive wall.

Playing It Beside The Wall

The first idea we will discuss is simple but sometimes surprising: Trying to play the ball beside the wall and swerving it into the goal.

As shown below, Rice used this idea to score the first goal against Madrid, exploiting the fact that the defending wall didnt protect the near post well.

The result was an important goal.

This idea is usually effective against goalkeepers who try to close the goalmouth as much as possible.