One for the guys
Right, all this quick free kick nonsense emanating from the Lille v Manchester United Champions League match - I for one think the goal should not have counted.
In 2004, during a Chelsea v Arsenal match, the Gunners scored with a quick free kick. The referee for that match, Graham '3 bookings and you're off' Poll, said afterwards that the attacking team have the option of taking a quick free kick or having the referee organise the wall. That makes sense to be honest, and I thought it was the rule which officials worked by.
Last year Arsenal played Juventus in the Champions League and Henry took a quick free kick. He missed with it, but I was incensed at the time because Buffon was standing at one end of the goal organising his wall when the shot was taken toward the other corner. It smacked of wanting your cake and eating it. Not only did they want to take the free kick when they wanted, ie before the defending team was ready, but they wanted the nearest defender at least ten yards away. It's a bit unfair I think. The Manchester United match on Tuesday was the same in that the keeper was organising his wall when Rooney planted the ball and Giggs hit it in.
I think if the defensive wall retreats to ten yards then the free kick taker should only take the kick on the sound of the whistle.
Otherwise, it's a bit like someone serving at tennis when his or her opponent is wiping their face with a towel at the bottom of the court.
In the grand scheme of things, Manchester United will almost certainly go through and had the match finished 0-0 or even 1-0 to Lille (yes it looked a good goal to me, but with the ref's positioning, and how it may have looked from another angle, I can see why he disallowed it), I dont think they'd have any less of a chance of going through as I fully expect them to score 3 or 4 at Old Trafford.
However, it doesnt detract from the fact that it's a cheap, dubious and frankly embarrassing way to score a goal.
In 2004, during a Chelsea v Arsenal match, the Gunners scored with a quick free kick. The referee for that match, Graham '3 bookings and you're off' Poll, said afterwards that the attacking team have the option of taking a quick free kick or having the referee organise the wall. That makes sense to be honest, and I thought it was the rule which officials worked by.
Last year Arsenal played Juventus in the Champions League and Henry took a quick free kick. He missed with it, but I was incensed at the time because Buffon was standing at one end of the goal organising his wall when the shot was taken toward the other corner. It smacked of wanting your cake and eating it. Not only did they want to take the free kick when they wanted, ie before the defending team was ready, but they wanted the nearest defender at least ten yards away. It's a bit unfair I think. The Manchester United match on Tuesday was the same in that the keeper was organising his wall when Rooney planted the ball and Giggs hit it in.
I think if the defensive wall retreats to ten yards then the free kick taker should only take the kick on the sound of the whistle.
Otherwise, it's a bit like someone serving at tennis when his or her opponent is wiping their face with a towel at the bottom of the court.
In the grand scheme of things, Manchester United will almost certainly go through and had the match finished 0-0 or even 1-0 to Lille (yes it looked a good goal to me, but with the ref's positioning, and how it may have looked from another angle, I can see why he disallowed it), I dont think they'd have any less of a chance of going through as I fully expect them to score 3 or 4 at Old Trafford.
However, it doesnt detract from the fact that it's a cheap, dubious and frankly embarrassing way to score a goal.