h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... anybody actually score from an indirect free kick inside the box?

'cos I haven't. The area is so packed by defenders that it seems nigh on impossible to actually score from one.

Of course it's not an entirely comfortable situation for the defence of course, I think the backpass rule rocks!

that must get the prize for the most typos in one subject line

if i remember correctly, a few years ago shearer scored an inderect free kick for england inside the penalty box. he smashed it right into the top of the goal.

spook

Yep, that's right. Also saw Ian Wright get one for us (West Ham) a couple of years ago and also Robbie Fowler get one against us last season. So yes, they do happen.

The thing to do with an indirect free kick in close is to wellie it in through the wall because, of course, if it takes a deflection then it has been played again and the goal would count. The defence should all get out the way and doff their caps as it enters the goal untouched and then take a goal kick. However it goes against any defenders natural instincts to do this.
This reminds me of the goalkeeper who plunged at an opponents throw-in (which you also can't score direct from) and deflected it into the net for a goal.
Once you play or even touch the ball to a teammate then the closest three defenders (who were probably standing about 4 yards away when the ball was kicked) will make up the ground and deflect the attempt somewhere in the vicinity of the halfway line.
And - how many do you actually see given?

Exactly, that's what normally happens as far as I can tell and there are just too many bodies in the way.

Anyway, so many people have posted in here with goals from such situations that I am fully satisfied that it has occurred on several occasions

Orcus

You don't see many given now but I remember many when the rule was first brought in since nobody was used to it.

I think now, everyone is so used to it that referees forget about it and don't apply the rule when they might.

That I believe . There was other rules like that , first the for step and then the so-many-seconds, I don't even know if they apply now

There are no step rules for the goalie now. He must release the ball within six seconds, that is the current rule.

I have to say that I only discovered this when I commented about the number of steps they were taking sometime during this season. I don't know when the rule was changed.

I still say you'd have to be well bitter to deny Brazil The Trophy.
I know I am.

The passback rule was wrongly interperated in the recent Aberdeen v Celtic game, as the ball was deliberatly passed back to the keeper by an Aberdeen player, and the fact that it touched a Celtic player and was hardly deflected meant that the free kick for the keeper handling the ball, should have stood, as should the goal resulting from the quick free kick by Celtic.The laws clearly state that the intention has to be to pass to the keeper.