Just watched the Chelsea free kick against Southampton.
I know I do not have, never had and never will have the skill, but I am curious.
What do they actually do to cause the ball to swerve?
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Spin.
Strike the ball with the side of the boot, the sliding motion of the boot across the ball imparts spin, spin creates pressure differentials and changes in the boundary layer, moving the ball through the air.
You can make it swerve left, right, dip, or swerve and dip
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>> What do they actually do to cause the ball to swerve?
Vague recollection of school games teacher's lecture on 'banana shots' led me here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curl_(football)
I struggled to kick the ball at all never mind impart some spin on it.
EDIT: Wot Z said.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sun 4 Oct 15 at 20:53
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Thank you. specially Bromp's link.
So why has it become so prevalent, and so pronounced, these days as opposed to 20 years ago? Just because of the weight of the ball as the wiki article suggests?
Quite an amazing level of skill.
>>I struggled to kick the ball at all never mind impart some spin on it.
I was content, and vaguely surprised, to be adequate.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Sun 4 Oct 15 at 21:03
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>> >> So why has it become so prevalent, and so pronounced, these days as opposed to
>> 20 years ago? Just because of the weight of the ball as the wiki article
>> suggests?
>>
>> Quite an amazing level of skill.
>>
>>
Mostly down to the lighter (And smaller) balls they use today. They don't absorb water like the od leather balls either, they could almost double in weight by the end of a game on a muddy pitch.
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I opted for Cross Country rather than footy or cricket....it meant you could disappear for a couple of hours on sports afternoon.
The last time I played soccer was not serious. I was on a refresher course at RAF Dishforth or Leeming and a dozen of us got hold of a ball and found an overgrown pitch with goalposts. I didn't get a fair share of the ball and stood around like a nuppet until it came near me. Sod running about !
I took a wild slog at it and saw it curling towards the goal through the long grass from about 50 yards out. The goalie must have been daydreaming or picking his nose or summat and my shot scored ! I spent the next 10 minutes lying on my back in the long grass hysterically laughing.
My only lifetime goal.....there was no crowd to cheer and throw toilet rolls !
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"...... I was on a refresher course at RAF Dishforth ........"
Just sent a shiver down my spine there Ted. Did my Initial and Continuation there when it was a District Training Centre.
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>> So why has it become so prevalent, and so pronounced, these days as opposed to
>> 20 years ago? Just because of the weight of the ball as the wiki article
>> suggests
You need to go back further than 20 years. Swerve was being imparted even then, but back in the day football's were made from much thicker heavy leather, when wet and thick with mud they were like bricks or lead cannon balls, it was a feat to propell them forward let alone impart spin
Of course there was the infamous world cup where balls were made too light, and they swerved with no input, and hence lack of control, from the kicker
You also have to consider that keepers and defenders are so used to reading swerve ( by the stance of the kicker foot) that sometimes the straight rifle bolt will fool them all
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No FM
are you old enough to remember 'Frido Footballs'? Very lightweight plastic footballs, certainly around in the early 60s. I would challenge you to kick it hard WITHOUT imparting spin resulting in curve. Almost impossible!
I did not see the Soton goal, but the 2 identical goals by Spurs from dead ball free kicks are worth looking at. Swansea keeper must feel at little upset when watching replays.
Spurs score 3 and still only get 1 point.
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Same principles in tennis. It's only topspin on the ball caused by the racket moving up on contact that makes the ball dip and stay in the court on most shots. 'Slices' with backspin do the opposite and make the ball 'float', so have to be a lot gentler.
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How to make a football swerve -
Ask an England international to kick it straight.
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Same principle in snooker - hit the ball on the "edges" to make it curve.
When you watch players like Ronaldo, they also seem to position the ball based on where the valve is on it - not sure what difference that would make.
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Nope. Been trying for a couple of hours with the expert tuition of two Chilean boys.
I can't do it. Not even a little bit. I might sulk.
The boys have taken on the same attitude and patronising behaviour that I have when I am trying to help a degenerate idiot sort out their computer.
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It all due to the Magnus effect. Those Chilean lads will explain it to you.
news.mit.edu/2014/explained-how-does-soccer-ball-swerve-0617
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Swerving free kicks - Zero
