BBC Sport. The slow death of the screamer
The slow death of the screamer
It was only by goal number 10 that the pace slackened.
Robin van Persie's strike against Watford – a cut inside, followed by an Henry-esque curled finish into the bottom corner – was neat, but it lacked the punch of the previous nine.
Because December 2006's goal of the month contest was powerful stuff, a 100%-proof cocktail of hollering commentators and screaming shots as semtex insteps hit the ball with gleeful abandon.
Paul Scholes casually punts a dropping ball in off the Aston Villa crossbar. Didier Drogba swats a swerving hack of a volley past Tim Howard. Michael Essien rifles one down the barrel, only the net saving the faces of the Stamford Bridge front row.
The goals came thick, fast and from outrageous distance. Even if you don't remember the selection, you have probably seen it. It regularly resurfaces, to acclaim, on social media.
Of all the shortlist, Matt Taylor's goal was longest. The Portsmouth midfielder was just beyond the centre circle when the ball drifted to him out of a tackle. His 55-yard volley sailed over Howard – who was having a bad December – and in.
"It just popped up lovely," he says, nearly 18 years on. "And I thought, 'go on, why not hit it?'"
But for modern players there seem to be plenty of reasons why not.
The screamer is a species in stark decline.
Comments
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Game’s gone… Stats nerds are ruining our game…4
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That’s only about 42.7% correct.Callumcafc said:Game’s gone… Stats nerds are ruining our game…22 -
The commentators don't know if the goal stands until VAR has checked.0
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A team mate of mine in my school team (we were possibly the worst team going) used to have a shot from literally anywhere on the pitch. They were almost all bloody awful. He used to say he thought the goalie was off his line. Our PE teacher said "well of course he was you were shooting from half way Inside your own half. Plus it wasn't even close to the goal."
Met him only a couple of years later and I had to laugh as he was wearing thick prescription glasses.
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/extra/7ruba7shs4/the-slow-death-of-the-screamer
Interesting. It does seem that football stats and the "experts" are going against what the fans want, considering the cries of "shooooot" when the ball is vaguely within shooting distance!
One thing I wonder is how many long shots indirectly lead to a goal, via a deflection to another player or a corner? Low xG perhaps, but higher than passing sideways or intricate passing movements into the box.1 -
I wonder if this could also be said for long range cross field passing? Also for taking a man on rather than choosing the safer option of passing it back or sideways.
Scotland's Andy Robertson had a chance to run down the wing v Portugal as he only had one player in front of him and a fair amount of space to run into. He passed it back instead. Within a minute they were a goal down and I look back at that moment and believe if he was more adventurous Scotland probably wouldn't of conceded that goal.1 -
As they say.........your opponents can't score if you have the ball in their half of the pitch. Or even if they have it in their half of the pitch (barring a miracle 50 yarder).Karim_myBagheri said:I wonder if this could also be said for long range cross field passing? Also for taking a man on rather than choosing the safer option of passing it back or sideways.
Scotland's Andy Robertson had a chance to run down the wing v Portugal as he only had one player in front of him and a fair amount of space to run into. He passed it back instead. Within a minute they were a goal down and I look back at that moment and believe if he was more adventurous Scotland probably wouldn't of conceded that goal.0 -
Wait... did you write that?kafka said:Obviously The Valley not included in this study.The slow death of the screamer
It was only by goal number 10 that the pace slackened.
Robin van Persie's strike against Watford – a cut inside, followed by an Henry-esque curled finish into the bottom corner – was neat, but it lacked the punch of the previous nine.
Because December 2006's goal of the month contest was powerful stuff, a 100%-proof cocktail of hollering commentators and screaming shots as semtex insteps hit the ball with gleeful abandon.
Paul Scholes casually punts a dropping ball in off the Aston Villa crossbar. Didier Drogba swats a swerving hack of a volley past Tim Howard. Michael Essien rifles one down the barrel, only the net saving the faces of the Stamford Bridge front row.
The goals came thick, fast and from outrageous distance. Even if you don't remember the selection, you have probably seen it. It regularly resurfaces, to acclaim, on social media.
Of all the shortlist, Matt Taylor's goal was longest. The Portsmouth midfielder was just beyond the centre circle when the ball drifted to him out of a tackle. His 55-yard volley sailed over Howard – who was having a bad December – and in.
"It just popped up lovely," he says, nearly 18 years on. "And I thought, 'go on, why not hit it?'"
But for modern players there seem to be plenty of reasons why not.
The screamer is a species in stark decline.
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Shots from outside the box, another thing weve lost to the woke mob these days.5
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Can someone tell Birmingham and Rotherham that they should stop shooting from distance please... I'm finding it very offensive.5
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Why is it players that regularly seem to be able to hit a 40+ yard pass from one side of the pitch to a player on the other side of the pitch isn’t able to make a similarly accurate pass into the back of the net ?1
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Probably a thing called a goalkeeper mate...letthegoodtimesroll said:Why is it players that regularly seem to be able to hit a 40+ yard pass from one side of the pitch to a player on the other side of the pitch isn’t able to make a similarly accurate pass into the back of the net ?10 -
From distance, there’s probably a better chance of the goal being more exposed and the goalkeeper caught outValleyGary said:
Probably a thing called a goalkeeper mate...letthegoodtimesroll said:Why is it players that regularly seem to be able to hit a 40+ yard pass from one side of the pitch to a player on the other side of the pitch isn’t able to make a similarly accurate pass into the back of the net ?1 -
Well the ball also has to travel further, so unless they've got a foot like a traction engine, its rarely gonna happen.letthegoodtimesroll said:
From distance, there’s probably a better chance of the goal being more exposed and the goalkeeper caught outValleyGary said:
Probably a thing called a goalkeeper mate...letthegoodtimesroll said:Why is it players that regularly seem to be able to hit a 40+ yard pass from one side of the pitch to a player on the other side of the pitch isn’t able to make a similarly accurate pass into the back of the net ?
40+ yard cross field passes are not struck like shots on goal.2 -
used to think this of Albie Morgan. He could pull off some fabulous accurate mid to long range passes but was next to hopeless shooting at goal.letthegoodtimesroll said:Why is it players that regularly seem to be able to hit a 40+ yard pass from one side of the pitch to a player on the other side of the pitch isn’t able to make a similarly accurate pass into the back of the net ?1 -
Leave it @Dazzler21 .........Karim_myBagheri said:
used to think this of Albie Morgan. He could pull off some fabulous accurate mid to long range passes but was next to hopeless shooting at goal.letthegoodtimesroll said:Why is it players that regularly seem to be able to hit a 40+ yard pass from one side of the pitch to a player on the other side of the pitch isn’t able to make a similarly accurate pass into the back of the net ?0 -
The 'screamer' is dead?
Villa's Jhon Duran has just asked someone to hold his beer for a moment ...4
