Set Pieces!

 Set Pieces! 

 Some will tagged me a fanatic when it come to sport especially football/soccer, but I must confess though I have been watching the game internationally since the mid 90s, I am just expanding my knowledge about it technicalities. And it surprises me to derive truth and principles of living established in the game, and which could make the person who observe them to not only enjoy the game, but bettered there lives. Am I preaching to you? No that is not what I set out to do here.

Set pieces, I first learn what they actually are through the sport analyst guru, The Grandmaster, FABIO LANIPEKUN through his weekly write-up in the Sunday Tribune of the Nigerian Tribune as found on page 62 of issue number 1906 dated September 15th 2013. He said, “set pieces originate from dead ball situation and give ample advantages to the team bestowed. Goal kick is a set piece, thrown-in, free-kick direct or indirect, corner kick, penalty kick are all set pieces. Good teams convert their corner kicks to goals just as free kicks, from a good distance, is as good as a goal, by bending the ball or curving the shot.” 

Beckams scoring from Corner Kick

I didn’t quite see what he actually meant until I set out to observe. The following Tuesday after the publication are Champions league games and I watch that of Barcelona F.C. and Ajax, I discovered the first goal of the night was by a free kick taken by Lionel Messi, which actually frustrates the opponent who was enjoying a great deal of ball possession but were finding it difficult to score. The match ended 4-0 in favour of Barcelona despite Ajax playing a fantastic football more than their opponent, especially during the first half.

 But I clearly learn the lesson from the match played seven days after the write-up, between Arsenal and Stoke City football clubs in England, it ended 3-1 in favour of Arsenal. The most surprising thing is that all the three goals by Arsenal are scored through set pieces, two free kicks and a corner kick. Mesut Ozil the club’s record summer signing and the King of assists set up these goals through excellent kicks.

Otolorin's throw-in after center circle are regarded as direct free kick

What do we learn? 

Like myself, most people don’t know more than penalty kick as the best shot to free scoring, and yet many still miss the chances. In life, many still resort to looking for ‘penalties’ for them to have a go at the goal, even to the extent of ‘diving’ into the penalty box just to deceive the referee to give them a chance at scoring through the penalty kick by different means and methods of manipulation, intimidation and even blackmail, while other set pieces are being presented to careful observant to score cheap good goals.

Penalties are direct kick at goals of life, which are very very rare and seeking one deliberately may lead to being penalized like lobbying, bribery, fraud or forgery just to make it. Corner kicks are a goal diverted out which one has the opportunity to retake from another angle, missed opportunity that returns from another different point/place, e.g. second course choice for student means if u miss this course by cut off marks, you can go for this and still be able to do what you want to do in life. Throw-ins are goals diverted but not at the goal scoring areas, these are opportunities that get out of ones way though it’s still far of and could not be taken serious as potential opportunity. Free kicks are goal bound move that was unfairly halted, like lack of fund for ones project or carrying out one idea, lack of reliable man power, people that are service oriented, good policies from the government, either economic, social, etc.

Arsenal score all their three goals through set pieces

It a pity many youth still wait for clear break to set at goals, they pass the ball of life around waiting for opportunity at goal when they could have create one for themselves and even wasting other set pieces that present itself. It’s a common saying that success does not come as a success, most times appearing in what look like work or and failure. Yet, someone who understands the principle of set pieces will work hard to master the art of scoring goals from them. What I’m saying in football terminology is that, every day we have opportunity or chances of achieving our aim, no matter how small our chances are. Look at your life and identify those set pieces opportunity and not only the PENALTY.

Penalty opportunities are like winning lotto or lottery, free money for start-up, connections with highly placed personalities, etc. as not all people can have such opportunities, but all can not but have set pieces opportunities, but the issue is do you convert them to achievable goals? Michael Owen, David Beckams, and Stephen Gerrard are all England players that are famous for their set pieces, especially corner kick and free kicks. Otolorin is a Nigerian player that played for Shooting Stars football club of Ibadan, now known as 3SC, in the 80s, I was told was very great with throw-ins scoring or setting up goals through them. There are many people that have become a celebrated success now, that they did that through converting their set pieces to goals. Such people are the likes of Bill Gates, Brain Tracy, Chinua Achebe, Nelson Mandela, among many others. Their story could be your story if you start learning the art of seeing other set pieces as all the opportunities you need to be all you ever dreamt of being and not wait for PENALTIES alone which you even have 50% of losing!

Why wait for only this?

Your views are most welcome...