To pick or not to pick? That is the question.
The "pick" – a common maneuver in basketball that involves blocking the path of an opposing player – has seen increasing popularity in MLS. It popped into the headlines again on Sunday, when Seattle Sounders interim head coach Brian Schmetzer saw pick plays on two of the Portland Timbers' goals in their 4-2 rout of their Cascadia rivals.
“Give credit where credit is due,” Schmetzer said. “Portland scored a timely goal on a set piece and that set us reeling backward a little bit. They had some pick plays on set pieces that they obviously worked on in training and we weren’t ready for. That won’t happen again.”
Earlier this year, three goals in one week came on set pieces where a pick cleared a path for the goalscorer.
David Villa’s smashed volley that pushed NYCFC past the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 30, Philadelphia midfielder Chris Pontius’ header in a tie with the San Jose on the same day and Lloyd Sam’s goal in the New York Red Bulls' rout of FC Dallas on April 29 all included picks in the immediate buildup. Of goalkeeper Jake Gleeson’s spectacular saves to keep Portland even with Toronto on May 1, two of them involved picks on set pieces.
Afterwards, MLSsoccer.com asked several players around the league about the tactic. Here's what they told us.
A.J. DeLaGarza, LA Galaxy defender:
"I think that’s maybe why we switched to a zone, was because, you know a lot of guys like myself, Ashley [Cole], who can get picked and bodied off pretty easily against these bigger guys. But around the league, yeah, you see it all the time, and David Villa’s goal – [it wasn't called a] foul, but the guy was holding two players back, so David got free.
I think that’s something everyone tries to do and they rehearse during set pieces before the game. It’s a pick to get someone free, we would try to do that with Omar [Gonzalez], so it’s just a part of it. You just gotta man up and fight through a pick or, like Bruce says, we gotta tuck early and switch on those plays."
Matt Besler, Sporting Kansas City defender:
"I think it's a gray area. I think you should not be allowed to set a blatant pick on somebody, but I understand that it's a difficult call to make as a referee."
Jason Hernandez, New York City FC defender:
"Every team has set pieces they like to go through. I face them on the defensive end and we try to implement them on the offensive end. Everybody is trying to gain an advantage and get a chance."
Zach Scott, Seattle Sounders defender:
"I think there’s definitely a line that’s crossed if the guy’s not even looking at the ball and just looking at the man and trying to slow him down. I know I got caught personally a couple times against Salt Lake this year getting picked. I mean, the guy was literally not even facing the corner. He’s just looking right at me trying to slow me down.
You try to point it out to the ref but in the same sense you’ve got to let the physicality go a little bit. I think all is fair with pick plays as long as you’re keeping an eye on the ball at the same time."
Raul Rodriguez, Houston Dynamo defender:
"In Spain, it's a foul. If a player blocks another player and prevents him from going through, then that's a foul. The league needs to put into the action the rules, that's what they're there for. If I pick or block a player, that's more in line with American football not fútbol."
David Horst, Houston Dynamo defender:
"You know picks, every team does them. You should know it's coming as a defender and you should be able to fight your way through it. Guys should work on that during the week. A ref isn't going to catch every single one (pick) or see every single thing on a corner kick.
It's a battle royale in the box basically and as a defender you have to be tougher than the guy across from you and fight through that stuff. Our refs and the league have bigger things to worry about than picks in the box, but they are happening and sometimes they're called and sometimes they're not."
Walker Zimmerman, FC Dallas defender:
"There's always a lot going on in the box. I think every team recognizes a set piece as a chance to score, so they're kind of scrapping and trying to get any kind of body position that they can get. It's definitely something that's probably increased this season as well, just notici9ng the movements that other teams make. It's getting a lot more physical, and refs are kind of letting a lot of things go in the box. So it's definitely something we need to focus on.
You don't want to get into that situation where you're calling a lot of PKs on set pieces. That'd be frustrating for everyone. But at the same time, there are certain situations where if it is a blatant foul, sometimes we're not getting the call. It's just a fine line, and that's where you just kind of leave it up to the referees and the way they dictate the game."
Compiled by MLSSoccer.com contributors Jake Schwartz, Steve Brisendine, Dylan Butler, Ari Liljenwall, Jesus Acevedo Jr. and Scott Sidway. This post was originally published on May 6, 2016 and updated on Aug. 29, 2016.
