free kicks and penalties
the other day, i was taking a shot from roughly 11 metres out. basically a penalty kick.
what do you think about when you take a penalty? do you think about the keeper? do you think about the 11 meters? do you think about the people watching?
i realise that much as i have always considered shootouts as lottery, considering that holland has not won a shootout for 12 years prior to the 2004 quarterfinal win over sweden, despite playing better most of the time( read: euro 2000 semifinal loss to italy on penalties), penalties are actually the purest form...of what, i can't quite come up with the word.
but when i take a penalty, i don't think about anything else other than where i want the ball to be. i realise that if you are able to put it where you want it, for example in the top left corner, there is nothing the keeper can do to save it. seriously. that's why it is only about you, the ball, the position.
that is why it is the purest. the situation has been reduced to such a simple equation. the keeper can even be treated as non-existent. you jsut need to put the ball in.
penalties are like a form of meditation in that sense.
and to a lesser extent, free kicks too. after all, the wall can also be treated as non-existent if you can place it where you want it.
i wonder, why do people hit a penalty with such power, when you can curl it beautifully to the post, beyond the keeper's reach? or just chip it into the top corner?
so effortlessly beautiful.
what do you think about when you take a penalty? do you think about the keeper? do you think about the 11 meters? do you think about the people watching?
i realise that much as i have always considered shootouts as lottery, considering that holland has not won a shootout for 12 years prior to the 2004 quarterfinal win over sweden, despite playing better most of the time( read: euro 2000 semifinal loss to italy on penalties), penalties are actually the purest form...of what, i can't quite come up with the word.
but when i take a penalty, i don't think about anything else other than where i want the ball to be. i realise that if you are able to put it where you want it, for example in the top left corner, there is nothing the keeper can do to save it. seriously. that's why it is only about you, the ball, the position.
that is why it is the purest. the situation has been reduced to such a simple equation. the keeper can even be treated as non-existent. you jsut need to put the ball in.
penalties are like a form of meditation in that sense.
and to a lesser extent, free kicks too. after all, the wall can also be treated as non-existent if you can place it where you want it.
i wonder, why do people hit a penalty with such power, when you can curl it beautifully to the post, beyond the keeper's reach? or just chip it into the top corner?
so effortlessly beautiful.
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