Is Ross our best ever free kick taker?

[dannyboi-ffc]

Bullard only took a handful, yes he was very good at them but I can't remember anyone as consistant as Ross. I'd imagine the modern ball makes the comparison harder as it must make it easier to execute.

[Rhys Lightning 63]

For his very brief time, Jimmy Bullard was top draw

For sheer importance, Bullards free kicks against Villa and Blackburn earned us 3 points that kept us up so I would say he is up there, despite his time being brief.

I'm including Jimmy's assists from freekicks too. Let's not forget he was the one that put them ON A SIXPENCE for Brian McBride v Birmingham and Murphy v Pompey

[win-dup]

Tosh Chamberlain had the hardest of shots and was unstoppable when on target. Unfortunately, lovely, erratic, Fulhamish as he was, not many were.

[Neil D]

I think that Alan Mullery and Kevin Locke should be added to the list.

I don't remember the latter as a great free kick-taker (at least in terms of goals scored) but I do remember him as a great taker of penalties.

[BedsFFC]

Having Ross with his free kicks now hits home how bad we have been at them for a long time. So much time these days is taken for a free kick. When you aren't much cop at them, its just a waste of a couple of minutes...steps, whistle, wall, spray, wall, step away etc. I guess Ross is about 1 in 4 making something happen and that is enough to get excited about.

Mental block. In our Euro run times, who took free kicks? Was it Murphy?

[Carborundum]

Don't know about our best, but the most recent  time I can remember one of our players stepping up to take one and just knowing it was going in, was Clint Dempsey towards the end of his wonder season.  Might have been against Sunderland.  Not a scintilla of doubt.  Top corner.

Several opposition players have had the same effect on me.  That bloke from Bristol being the latest instance.

[Rhys Lightning 63]

Having Ross with his free kicks now hits home how bad we have been at them for a long time. So much time these days is taken for a free kick. When you aren't much cop at them, its just a waste of a couple of minutes...steps, whistle, wall, spray, wall, step away etc. I guess Ross is about 1 in 4 making something happen and that is enough to get excited about.

Mental block. In our Euro run times, who took free kicks? Was it Murphy?

When going for goal it was Bobby Zamora. He scored a last minute winner v Birmingham and nearly scored a great one v Juventus

In terms of whipping the ball in, I think it may have been Simon Davies, but I might be wrong

[HillFace]

Pierre Wome. Whallop. Just that once.

[ealex40]

Remember the two goals that Baird scored for us at Stoke, in a mid- week game, a few years ago? I know one was a free kick.....not sure of the other one.

I don't think the goalkeeper wanted to get in the way of either of these rockets.

[ron]

Going back a bit further, that bronze fellow in the street could drop a long free kick on to a sixpence (in the pre-decimal days of course!)

[Bronaldinho]

Ross is magician.

Luckily his game doesn't rely on speed, so he's in his peak years now. Very clever player.

Still don't know how I feel with him taking all the free kicks though - sometimes I wish he'd let a midfielder whip it in and for him to try and get on the end of it. But if they are direct he always makes the keeper work.

[F(f)CUK]

I go back to 1973 and I can barely remember us scoring from a free kick.  Tony Gale scored one but I am really struggling to remember that many.

[cmg]

Ross is magician.

Luckily his game doesn't rely on speed, so he's in his peak years now. Very clever player.

Still don't know how I feel with him taking all the free kicks though - sometimes I wish he'd let a midfielder whip it in and for him to try and get on the end of it. But if they are direct he always makes the keeper work.

Agree all the way through. Same applies to corners.
That's the only snag with someone as versatile as Ross - we could really do with two of him.

[twang]

Definitely Bullard.

[ffc73]

Bullard for significance

Paul Watson for a sweet left foot in getting is out of the fourth division

Kevin Lock in the second & third divisions & my youth

Ross for the hear & now