Before FC Dallas scored off set pieces in two of their final four regular season games, they only had a pair of goals from set plays the entire 2006 campaign. That is clearly something that FCD head coach Colin Clarke and his staff plan on working on this week as the Hoops face the first leg of the MLS Western Conference Semifinals against Colorado on Saturday in Denver.
"It's something we're going to be working on in the next few weeks is our set plays and getting them a little sharper," Clarke said. "We have some good people who can deliver good service and we need to make the most of it. I don't think we've done that so far this year. That's something we need to work on."
Both of FCD's recent set piece goals have been scored by Carlos Ruiz. The Guatemalan international scored off a free kick from Greg Vanney in the playoff-clinching 2-1 win against Real Salt Lake on Sept. 24 and another off a Richard Mulrooney free kick on Oct. 7 against the Los Angeles Galaxy, a 2-1 win that clinched home field advantage for the Hoops throughout the playoffs.
Vanney knows a thing or two about set pieces. On April 15 in the Mile High City, he scored the first goal of the year for FCD off a set piece when he converted off a free kick in the fifth minute of a 2-2 tie with the Rapids on their home field.
The MLS veteran center back knows how the importance of set pieces is magnified come playoff time.
"In this league, where parity is big, every little play is crucial to winning a championship," Vanney said. "Set pieces are a big part of that. In close games that are 0-0 and neither team is giving up anything, the difference sometimes is a set play. Those are opportunities on goal that you have to make the most of. If you don't, you're giving away opportunities to win games and a championship."
When asked why FCD converted so few set pieces into goals this year, Vanney offered a basic response.
"I think a little bit of it is service and also commitment to the run," he said. "Guys have to commit to runs in the box, get in a good spot and know where the ball is going to come. There are a couple of spots for us to aim for and guys have to make sure they get into those spots. If you know those two things, then that is half the battle."
Several of his teammates also have their own take as to what makes for a successful set piece.
"I think it's a matter of being in the right place at the right time," said right back Bobby Rhine, who had two goals and two assists for FCD this season.
"We always have a location where we're trying to put the ball. The service on the last couple has been real good and we've also found a guy at the right place and he's been able to lose his man. That has been the key," he added. "That's something that's to our advantage, is to be able to get goals off set pieces. Heading into the playoffs, you need to be able to find goals other than in the normal run of play."
Left-sided midfielder Ramon Nunez, who is often responsible for service on such set plays, has his own formula for success.
"My approach is to get in a position where guys can attack the ball," he said. "I know that if I can do that, we have several guys who can get in there and get to the ball and head it real well."
One thing every member of the Hoops roster agrees on is that getting better on set pieces can only come through one thing - repetition.
"The goal through repetition is for everyone to get on the same page as far as where guys are going on runs and things like that," Rhine said. "You just work on it over and over in training until you feel like you're getting it."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
