The Footie Thread

[Piece]

I knew I'd forget some. That was a beauty.


You've said some ridiculous things in your time but this is right up there. Yes I'm sure Rooney adjusted midflight and deliberately pinged it in with the middle of his shinpad having jumped too high for the cross. Dear me. He was good but not a Jedi. You're probably playing Devil's advocate, but it's obvious he just miscued it, then was thankful it hit the middle of the shin rather than an inch either side. A good goal but not one of the best ever in my opinion. (I Googled various lists of best Prem goals when constructing my list, and the majority disagree with me on this, which is fine.)

Agreed! He shinned it accidentally. That's a fact.

 

[Orikoru]

He miscued it into the top corner?

If I go for an overhead kick, just to get into that position would be a major miracle. I wouldn't be focused on making perfect contact with the laces of my foot. I'd just be focused on getting any part of my leg on it and making a strong contact. Make sure I don't look like an idiot, which I almost certainly would as at my skill level my leg would get nowhere near it. I'd have thought a top striker would simply be aiming to get the lower part of their leg on the ball as best as possible, get good leverage on their shot. I don't think Rooney was feeling after the ball went in "that was lucky" or "I duffed that, it was a good bad one". I bet he felt "perfection" as it flew into the top corner.

Yes. Haven't you ever thinned a chip that went in? Framed a smash in tennis but still hit the line and won the point? Happy accidents happen all the time in sport.

 

[Bazz]

The first one is definitely a penalty. Don’t see how you can question that one.

For the second one, there’s enough contact from the defender for a penalty and putting your hands up to appear innocent as you make contact doesn’t change that. My issue with that penalty should be it was innocuous enough in appearance that it’s not clear and obvious. If VAR are going to look at every penalty, they need to just say that and drop the clear and obvious claim.

I thought you could clearly see he won the ball on the first, but I guess that's why these decisions are subjective and on this occasion (and many others) the ref came down on their side of it.

 

[Swango1980]

Yes. Haven't you ever thinned a chip that went in? Framed a smash in tennis but still hit the line and won the point? Happy accidents happen all the time in sport.

I have. But in all those occasions, the ball flight was entirely different to what I intended. I certainly didn't get solid contact, but the ball finished in a good spot. Had Rooney made poor contact, and the ball somehow bobbled its way into the goal then I'd agree with your points. But if the ball rifled into the net with pure solid contact, which I assume was the intention, then fair play to Rooney.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Maybe he j

On one hand it is nice to see such things, especially if it involves a player from the team I support.

On the other hand, I can't help but feel it is a huge coincidence that Garnacho happens to stop for this kid on his birthday, has a boxed up pair of signed football boots on his passenger seat and there is a camera filming the entire thing. If I was the suspicious type, I'd say there was a possibility this was entirely staged and that Garnacho was encouraged to do it by his / the clubs social media people.

maybe he just had the signed boots because he knew he would be stopped.

 

[TimShady]

I thought you could clearly see he won the ball on the first, but I guess that's why these decisions are subjective and on this occasion (and many others) the ref came down on their side of it.

The defender touches the ball for the first one but wasn’t it because the attacker pushed it onto the defender’s foot and then the defender takes the man too.

 

[Orikoru]

I have. But in all those occasions, the ball flight was entirely different to what I intended. I certainly didn't get solid contact, but the ball finished in a good spot. Had Rooney made poor contact, and the ball somehow bobbled its way into the goal then I'd agree with your points. But if the ball rifled into the net with pure solid contact, which I assume was the intention, then fair play to Rooney.

Just stop it. He wanted to strike it with his boot and it hit his shin. Luckily it still went where he wanted it to. Those are the facts of the situation. Can we please move on.

 

[RichA]

The fact it went where he aimed was pure luck that it hit the middle of his shinpad instead of one side or the other. Obviously he was trying to guide it that way with his boot but missed his connection point by a good 8 inches if not more. If we're talking best goals of all time I think it should be technically perfect in execution.

Right, here's my top ten, in which I've probably forgotten loads but whatever. They're not in order because choosing an actual number 1 is too difficult.

Le Tissier v Newcastle - where he juggled it over two people's heads before tucking it away on the volley, just daft.
Beckham v Wimbledon - halfway line, perfect execution.
Scholes v Villa - unbelievable technique to lace the volley when it was dropping from 50 feet in the air, in off the bar as well which always looks spectacular.
Thierry v Man Utd - the one where he flicked it up with his back to goal, turns and hits a dipping volley over Barthez. Unreal confidence.
Dele v Palace - similar to the Henry one but lower magnitude of game of course - unbelievable technique to control it, flick it over his own head and volley it in. Makes me sad when we think how good we thought he'd turn out to be at that time, and what's happened since.
Matty Phillips v Palace - not widely talked about, but if you've ever seen a better-struck ball from that sort of range, let me know. It was Seedorf-esque.
Mario Stanic v West Ham(?) - the one where he did like three kick-ups then volleyed it in from 35 yards. On his debut. Just silly.
Figueroa v Stoke - scored a free kick, from the halfway line. The speed of thought to hit that catching everyone on the pitch unawares - risking abuse of his teammates if it didn't go in.
Yeboah v Liverpool - side on, volley while running, in off the bar. Everyone remembers it for a reason.
Crouch v Man City - ball never touched the ground from the keeper, Crouchy flicks it on, gets it back, tees it up in the air and arches the volley over the keeper. Lovely.

Honourable mentions:
Erik Edman v Liverpool - unbelievable strike from miles away, not sure if I only remember this because I'm a Spurs fan though. Otherwise it would have gone in.
Le Tissier v Blackburn - turns the defender inside out and beats Flowers from 35 yards. Already had a Le Tiss one in though.
Matty Taylor v Sunderland - another amazing hit but I had a few similar ones.
Shearer v Everton - surprised the ball didn't break. Had some other better volleys though, e.g. Scholes.

Some that everyone else seems to like and I don't:
Rooney overhead - as discussed, miscued it off his shin and got lucky.
Di Canio scissor volley - nice goal but it just kind of looked more flashy because of the jumping scissor thing - I think there were loads of better volleys over the years.
Bergkamp - that one where he flicked it round Dabizas - I know I sound like a party-pooper but for my money he fouls Dabizas by shoving him in the chest.
Wilshere - that Arsenal team goal everyone loves. Giroud's assist was nice, but out of five touches between them at least three were complete fluke, just throw a leg at it and it luckily went to a teammate. People always say I don't like these two because they're Arsenal and I'm a Spurs fan, maybe a small element of that but I'm still trying to be honest, and I have included Henry in my top ten so I'm not that biased (the 'some of my best friends..' defence.. ).

Le Tiss beating 2 Man U defenders then chipping Schmechel from 20 yards.

Cantona v Sunderland.

Both goals I love the way they just stood and watched it in. They knew.

 

[GB72]

On one hand it is nice to see such things, especially if it involves a player from the team I support.

On the other hand, I can't help but feel it is a huge coincidence that Garnacho happens to stop for this kid on his birthday, has a boxed up pair of signed football boots on his passenger seat and there is a camera filming the entire thing. If I was the suspicious type, I'd say there was a possibility this was entirely staged and that Garnacho was encouraged to do it by his / the clubs social media people.

I would have thought that this is how 90% of these events happen. The Player's or the Club's social media team pick up on something that would make good PR, maybe they simply talk to the people waiting at training, set everything up, the player signs an autograph, hands over the boots and the footage is all over social media. I have become an old cynic but just do not believe that the modern player has that level of contact with fans or the foresight to have a signed pair of brand new boots in the car ready for such an event.

Wish to could believe that this just happened but I suspect it did not. That said, the reasoning is irrelevant, it made the kid's day and that is all that really matters.

 

[Bazz]

The defender touches the ball for the first one but wasn’t it because the attacker pushed it onto the defender’s foot and then the defender takes the man too.

Semedo blocks the ball and Cairney goes over after that. The referee has told Gary O'Neil that he doesn't know why he wasn't sent to the screen, as he didn't think it was a penalty after watching it.

 

[Bazz]

First one was fair enough. Small bit of debate but I think right.

The second. I can see why it should be given. Some would give it some won't. Definitely not in the "cheated" category.

Interestingly on the last pen, Talk radio were discussing this morning about the decision with shock-jock ref Keith Hackett. All were virtually nodding in agreement about the second Wolves pen being harsh and the VAR role. Two mins later, same debate with Jamie O'Hara () slagging off VAR, only for all three pundits to agree that they thought its was a pen!! No consistency on the airwaves, let alone with VAR

Jamie O'Hara has always been a moron and I'm not in the least bit bitter we were still paying him 40k pw in the Championship.

Their whole set up is rubbish views to get people to call in. Which is why they employ Agbonlahor.

 

[Swango1980]

Just stop it. He wanted to strike it with his boot and it hit his shin. Luckily it still went where he wanted it to. Those are the facts of the situation. Can we please move on.

Of course we can move on. I just simply disagree with you. The ball was smashed into the top corner, that is the fact. The ball flight never lies, even the golf professionals tell us this

 

[Orikoru]

I would have thought that this is how 90% of these events happen. The Player's or the Club's social media team pick up on something that would make good PR, maybe they simply talk to the people waiting at training, set everything up, the player signs an autograph, hands over the boots and the footage is all over social media. I have become an old cynic but just do not believe that the modern player has that level of contact with fans or the foresight to have a signed pair of brand new boots in the car ready for such an event.

Wish to could believe that this just happened but I suspect it did not. That said, the reasoning is irrelevant, it made the kid's day and that is all that really matters.

Of the correct size as well? There's no chance it happened spontaneously, but best case scenario, maybe they contacted the player through his social media channels and he agreed to it that way. But more likely arranged by the club I'd expect, yes.

 

[Swango1980]

Maybe he j

maybe he just had the signed boots because he knew he would be stopped.

Maybe. Just a coincidence that there was a camera filming the whole thing, the parent added a bit at the end to give it more context and turn it into a little story, post it on social media and then spreads like wildfire so that it gets about half a million views less than a couple of days later.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Maybe he j

maybe he just had the signed boots because he knew he would be stopped.

A set up , noooooooo. Okay, yes

My hope for this year. Everyone at a sporting event holding up a sign asking for something is ignored. Everyone at a concert with a sign asking to sing, play an instrument etc is ignored. I get irrationally annoyed by this stuff. It's all for social media, one side or the other.

 

[Orikoru]

Of course we can move on. I just simply disagree with you. The ball was smashed into the top corner, that is the fact. The ball flight never lies, even the golf professionals tell us this

It wasn't in the top corner either, I've just watched it again. At least a yard inside the post, Hart was wrong-footed is all.

 

[Swango1980]

It wasn't in the top corner either, I've just watched it again. At least a yard inside the post, Hart was wrong-footed is all.

Now you are being ridiculous. Fair enough, if you know want to define the top corner as a ball sized area from the crossbar and post, where essentially the ball has to graze both to be defined at "top corner", then you are correct. However, if you allow a slightly wider margin, then it was in the top right corner. Rooney's volley against Newcastle would be described, by most, to be in the top left hand corner. But then you could then say it wasn't, as it wasn't as it was about a yard inside the post.

The goalkeeper was wrongfooted due to the quality of the strike. It was past him and flying in the net before he could even react.

 

[Beezerk]

It wasn't in the top corner either, I've just watched it again. At least a yard inside the post, Hart was wrong-footed is all.

Hart flat footed there’s a surprise
I’ve just watched both again, I forgot how close Rooney was to the goal, looks to be in between the 6 yard line and penalty spot, the ball is definitely a good yard inside the far post.
Garnacho, much further out and has to adjust his body much more because of how the ball swings out. Fires it right into the proper top corner while the keeper is waving at it much better goal imo.
Now can we stop talking about it

 

[Pin-seeker]

A set up , noooooooo. Okay, yes

My hope for this year. Everyone at a sporting event holding up a sign asking for something is ignored. Everyone at a concert with a sign asking to sing, play an instrument etc is ignored. I get irrationally annoyed by this stuff. It's all for social media, one side or the other.

And breath

 

[Swango1980]

Hart flat footed there’s a surprise
I’ve just watched both again, I forgot how close Rooney was to the goal, looks to be in between the 6 yard line and penalty spot, the ball is definitely a good yard inside the far post.
Garnacho, much further out and has to adjust his body much more because of how the ball swings out. Fires it right into the proper top corner while the keeper is waving at it much better goal imo.
Now can we stop talking about it

To be fair. People arguing what the best goal ever is is like asking people to argue what the best colour is