FIFA World Cup group stages

[SaintPowelly]

That was nasty, later and deliberate on Koschielny, PLEASE go back and send him off.

[SaintPowelly]

Do you have a recording of it SaintPowelly? Once you've watched it a few times you will see it was very stoppable. or a starter they could have moved the goal.

It was only stoppable if he moved BEFORE Messi kicked it, but he would of looked stupid if Messi put it the other side.

[dan08]

France's shooting was horrible today.

[The Waugh Twins]

Do you have a recording of it SaintPowelly? Once you've watched it a few times you will see it was very stoppable. or a starter they could have moved the goal.

It was only stoppable if he moved BEFORE Messi kicked it, but he would of looked stupid if Messi put it the other side.

Well he looked pretty stupid to me as he did a little twist and a tango to have the best view in the house watching it sail into the back of the net.

Look it was a great free kick but you will never convince me it was unstoppable. Just watched it again and the goalie is wrong footed. By time he realizes it's going the other way he's just too slow to react. You could say Messi wrong footed him, but on a better day he may have saved it.

[shankycricket]

Very poor match... France were very disappointing.

[dan08]

Very poor match... France were very disappointing.

Only played about 5 of their usual XI though.

[The Waugh Twins]

ESPN has new footage of the biting incident. This should be interesting.

[shankycricket]

Very poor match... France were very disappointing.

Only played about 5 of their usual XI though.

Yep, should've still comfortably beaten this Ecuador side though. Missed some easy chances.

[sussexpob]

Very poor match... France were very disappointing.

Only played about 5 of their usual XI though.

Yep, should've still comfortably beaten this Ecuador side though. Missed some easy chances.

Thought France played pretty well, just didn't put the ball in the net.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Do you have a recording of it SaintPowelly? Once you've watched it a few times you will see it was very stoppable. or a starter they could have moved the goal.

It was only stoppable if he moved BEFORE Messi kicked it, but he would of looked stupid if Messi put it the other side.

Well he looked pretty stupid to me as he did a little twist and a tango to have the best view in the house watching it sail into the back of the net.

Look it was a great free kick but you will never convince me it was unstoppable. Just watched it again and the goalie is wrong footed. By time he realizes it's going the other way he's just too slow to react. You could say Messi wrong footed him, but on a better day he may have saved it.

I posted at the time that I thought the keeper gave up on it too easily, and I stand by it. The ball wasn't hit with massive pace as it had to get up and over the wall and it wasn't even in the top corner. I reckon the keeper thought, oh its Messi, he's a genius, its bound to be in the top corner, I'll just watch and admire, oh hang on I could save this, oh shite too late.

[sussexpob]

Keeper stands, as required, to the side of his wall expecting the wall to do its job. When the ball is in the air 8 yards out the keeper is not in diving range to save the ball even though he identifies pretty quickly that the ball is heading over the wall. He needs to make 1-2 yards to his left and dive in time to beat the ball, which is probably travelling approximately 10 times quicker.....

Short answer.... the keeper is not getting there. He closes down the distance to make it look like he gets closer, but this is because he is running and not diving. The split second switch in weight to his legs to create the power to thrust himself towards the ball to dive at it would have meant he took too much time, and he wouldn't have closed down the space as much.

Its a fantastic free kick, and one that most goalkeepers who positioned themselves correctly in relation to the wall, wouldn't have got near.

[budgetmeansbudget]

It's all a matter of opinion and having watched it a few times, i still think he gave up on it too early and could have got to it if he had kept going and dived. My gut instinct when I watched it live matched what I felt when I saw the replays.

[Gingerfinch]

I'm with you budget, the keeper is definitely getting there, if he dives. As I've said, he may not have saved it, as it may have been a weak hand. Gotta try though. Every keeper in the world would same the same as well, I would think.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Part of it has to be down to the genius of Messi and keepers being half beaten mentally before the free kick is even taken.

[Gingerfinch]

Part of it has to be down to the genius of Messi and keepers being half beaten mentally before the free kick is even taken.

I reckon he was after his shirt, when the game finished. Their keeper was playing like it was a kick about. He might be one of the best keepers in the world, but I'd want more commitment.