... van der Vaart's goal this weekend? It was the #6 play of the day on ESPN last night (sad, because it's probably "Goal of the Year" so far). Absolutely SICK! I'm not even sure my brain could come up with the idea to deflect the ball in that way, much less actually organize my various body parts to do it.... If you haven't seen it, FIND IT!!
Coach, was it the one from 2 weeks ago where he back flicked it in over his head? was a real nice goal! and for goal of the year.. i still think that laslandes left footed 40 yard volley for Leicester i think.... top drawer..
Coach, you're right. That goal was absolutely sick. Me and my friend agreed that it is an automatic contender for goal of the year. Like Henry's second against Inter Mail, when I saw it, I just got this big grin on my face, thinking "WTF just happened". Although Henry's said "Let me beat you for pace with a strained hamstring, then slow to a gazelle's pace, turn you inside out, autograph the ball, and then unleash an unstoppable shot beyond your hapless GK," Van der Vaarts was more improbable. Sheer class!
van der Vaart's (aka Rick's favorite non-Arse player right now) goal was beyond sick; beyond 'Play of the Year." It approached Roberto Carlos' free kick from the Tournoi and DB10's 98 WC goal. It was actually better than both of those because of the unreal degree of difficulty and the brilliance to even try it. I saw it twice and still couldn't even begin to describe it verbally or in the written form. Here's my best effort: "First he... and then he sort of... and he leaped... leg sideways... horizontal..." Yeah, just can't be described. It kills me that he is going to go to Barca in a couple of years (and I like Barca). I would give anything to have him at Arsenal. Him and Cesc in the midfield - good God.
Can't agree, sorry! Breathtaking and spectacular yes, but it was one of those instinctive reaction things that 99 times out of 100 don't come off. When it does come off it looks amazing, but I'll take an individual run, like TH14 scored against the scum last year, or an intricate fast passing move, like the one we scored against Bayer Leverkusen a couple of season ago, over a flashy bit of trikery any day!!!
I'm pretty sure Rafael qualifies as "favorite non-Gunner" for quite a few of us, Rick. And, yes, it was certainly in the class of DB10 and Carlos. While I completely understand what you are saying, Martymarts, about it being reaction, but you've got to be pretty special just to have the reaction! I was amazed he made contact with it, much less got it to go in. Speaking of long runs, I was watching "Total Goals" last night on GolTV and they have a promo with Maradonna's run from '86. I HATE Maradonna, but that first touch always amazes me...
Try www.espn.com I know that's not your normal spot for soccer highlights, but it made Berman's "Plays of the Day" or "Plays of the Week" on last night's Sportscenter. You know it's got to be especially tasty if it made it on to Sportscenter, and when you see it, I don't think you'll be disappointed in the slightest. Here's another link with instructions on what to do at the Ajax Dutch language site. If you haven't seen it, check it out. And phishy - it was 12/02 against Feyenoord. (It's his first of the game if you're going to www.ajax.nl)
OK, here goes: www.ajax.nl click on "Westrijden" click on "video" Finally, click on the second goal listed (van der Vaarts first from the game). The broadband video was a little choppy last night, but their site must have been swamped as I'm sure tons of people caught it on SportsCenter and went to the Ajax site to confirm that they DID see one of the all-time great goals, and it was not a hallucination.
Jesus. Absolute gold. That was a "God goal" like no other. I remain astonished. Wenger better be glad that he knows, because otherwise, I'd be clamoring at the top of my little lungs for vdV to be at Highbury sometime soon.
The clamoring line formsbehind Rick, me, and about 100 other people. We can probably clamor until the cows come home, but outside a surprise injection of some serious cash I think we'll just be standing outside the lobby watching 4 or 5 clubs making huge offers that we don't have a chance in hell of matching. Rick seems to think he's going to Barca, but they aren't much better off financially than Arsenal. I would bet it's going to be Chelski or manUre, possibly Real. Inter and Juve might also take a crack at it, but the Italian clubs are pretty strapped for cash as well.
I seen better. Slovenia vs Romania in 2002, Romania's striker over ran the cross, and used his backheel to chip the ball over the keeper, bit of luck with that goal. It was on www.allgoal.org, but I don't know what happen to that site.
That goal was stunning. Better than the goal I had previously thought was the best I have ever seen. It was last summer in a charity match. Ronaldo was in the box waiting for a pass from his right, the ball was crossed behind him with slight hop as it traveled about ankle high, he back heeled it, while facing the defender and the goalkeeper over the defender and fired it in! One of the most amazing goals I've ever seen. Some people will tell you the best goals don't occur in the game but on the training pitch. You have world class players in a relaxed setting and the goals you see in training are out of this world. I've had some people describe some goals Zola did in training on 5 a sides that if I didn't know the person and the veracity to which they speak the truth I would not have believed it.