Bow Down...

[Mosiah]

Who made the final pass?

[Peter R]

Toure... from his side of the half line... killer pass!

[Mosiah]

Skippy! The best balla in di werl!

[Bricktop]

On the best side in the werl...

[Paul Marin]

I differ!
It seemed an easy saunter across.

Negreto came from behind the center-halves and *got there!
If he could see where that ball was coming down...so could the center-halves. That ability to judge flight and speed of ball is a big part of what they are being paid for.

It appears to me that either of the center-halves if they moved immediately to the place where the ball would come down...and that they should...would have been there before even that 'flying' Negreto.

Look! In such a situation where a ball is floated into your penalty-area it is the duty of the center-half to go meet that ball. The position of any opponent is unimportant! Only the ball does damage to a TEAM!!!

Sure the ball moves as propelled...but stopping or taking control of the ball must always be first option. ...if one cannot reach the ball then other options come into play..e.g. interposing self between attacker and ball. ...fairly charging attacker or whatever other is allowed within the ambit of the 'Laws of the Game' or at times 'plays' not allowed by the 'Laws of the Game'.

The central defenders were 'miles' nearer to where the ball descended. Their 'computers'/thought process should have told them "get to where ball comes down"...perhaps at height somewhat above their height but within reach of head on putting in a jump!

They each made dumb plays. They ignored a simple relatively easy play for 'God knows what'? ...and it led to a goal against!

*Negreto met the ball on the penalty-spot or below the penalty-spot nearer to goal.

The center-halves should have met the ball above the penalty-spot...certainly further in-field that the penalty-spot i.e. further away from West Ham's goal and before the position where Negreto eventually caught up with it.

Sorry Karl - you are off on this one. They had zero chance as I said unless they anticipated Toure passing the ball which would have been near impossible as he made the pass only a split second after Negredo showed him the path - the forward got the separation necessary to beat the defenders and Toure delivered. It was simply UNSTOPPABLE. Sorry, but it's true. You are slipping back into the delusion from a few years back when you claimed Torres ran over Friedel.

[Jangle]

Simply a beautiful goal.

[Karl]

Karl, look at this replay and the decide if you are going to stick with your assessment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xYN2qzxIIk Check the view from minute 0:52 to 0:56 to see exactly how the pass beat both defenders.

At the time of the pass, i.e. the second it left Toure's boot, the right back had his back to his own goal (Showing he has not yet reacted/He is still sleeping on the job!), Negredo had already begun his sprint forward (Showing the desired reaction time was spot on), so the right back was out of the play unless his name was Bolt ( My point exactly - He took himself out of play. Failed to immediately react to Toure's play and flight of ball. Failed to do his job.) and even then... the left back was half turned (Did not do his job! Asleep on the job!)and Negredo was also off to the races before him (Did his job!!! Shows he was awake and alert on the job ) .

And, Negredo did not "catch up to the ball", the ball caught up to Negredo.... he and the ball arrived at the same spot at the same time... It was one of those pinpoint passes where everything fell into place like a jigsaw puzzle between the passer and the striker... *IMO the two defenders had a snowball's chance in hell to defend that given their starting position when the pass was made and that the striker had begun his sprint forward and essentially had them beat from the moment the pass was made. Check it!

*Given their refusal to react immediately to Toure's pass! Yup!...that was a refusal to act appropriately!!! Dereliction of duty! Sleeping on the job!

--------------

I think you misunderstand.
I find no fault with Toure's pass or Negreto's movement and finishing.
My problem is with the movement and plays of the defenders.

At the time of the pass, i.e. the second it left Toure's boot, the right center-back had his back to his own goal, Negredo had already begun his sprint forward,

You point out the right center back was facing forward (towards Toure) that suggests to me that he saw the pass.

If the defender did see the flight of the ball, why did he not, as did Negreto go to meet it? Isn't that what he is there for?

OK! You claim the defenders were not swift (of mind) and speed across ground to get to the ball.

OK! ...that is as a result of what you considered/judged as you watched the game. ...and you arrived at that conclusion because of your depth perception, considered 'good' reaction time and judgment of pace needed by the defenders to 'get there first'. What you considered as reasonable on speed of thought and speed across ground.

OK! ...cannot argue against your 'turning of the wheels' as your past experiences and your 'eyes' allow.

My considered judgment is; could have been intercepted and should have been intercepted.

In this instance that ball was floated...it travelled too far and took (too long) more than enough time than either of those defenders needed to get to it before Negreto. A mussi sleep, dem di-a sleep!

Negredo and Toure were at the heart of everything for City and they combined beautifully for the first goal in the 12th minute. Toure floated a long pass through the middle of West Ham’s open defense, the ball dropping over the shoulder of Negredo who buried a first-time volley into the corner.

- http://www.niticentral.com/2014/01/0...al-177465.html

Repeat! -
Video - http://www.mcfc.com/citytv/Match-hig...est-Ham-CCSEF1

See set up of that 1st goal -
i ) Toure makes the pass from the other half of the field;

ii) On the 1 st replay you shall see left-center-back and Negreto are arms length apart when Toure plays the ball...

....however...

iii) Negreto takes off 1st and runs towards where 'the ball shall come down'....while the defender starts running late (slow thought & late movement). As fact when Negreto starts his run towards the penalty-area that left-sided defender has not even turned around yet!

Aside: He must have been awaiting Negreto's call for a race?

iv) 2nd replay shows clearly defender almost catches up with Negreto as he strikes the ball. Shows defender had the pace to have gotten to the ball earlier.

In any case, the defender should not be going on the same path as Negreto but tracking to earlier interception point on ball. Leave Negreto and get to the ball!

v) Both defenders - (but more pronounced on right-sided central defender) - allowed the ball to float some considerable distance before making an effort.

One word for their defending - Slackness!!! ...both should have been 'baxed' by the 'keeper!!!

btw - Peter: Defending and Attacking?
Just two sides of the same coin!

[Karl]

Sorry Karl - you are off on this one. They had zero chance as I said unless they anticipated Toure passing the ball which would have been near impossible as he made the pass only a split second after Negredo showed him the path - the forward got the separation necessary to beat the defenders and Toure delivered. It was simply UNSTOPPABLE. Sorry, but it's true. You are slipping back into the delusion from a few years back when you claimed Torres ran over Friedel.

Do not try coaching/teaching football!

Just to point out that you are insisting that the defenders were correct in being later than/slower than Negreto to react to Toure's playing of the ball.

[Karl]

Simply a beautiful goal.

That it was!

[Karl]

Keeper was on the edge of the 6, the striker outside of the 18, the ball dropped almost on the penalty spot, wha yuh mean by impossible?

Hope yuh neva misunderstand me earlier comment on your post. Just saying that although the 'keeper could have come...I side with him not going to that ball. Sure it was within catching range given the distance the ball travelled and time it took to get there.

8 yards away - (4 steps or less as he would be moving swiftly - running forward) - from where the 'keeper was standing to where he could have caught it i.e. 2 yards beyond the penalty-spot towards edge of the penalty-area (in other words he could have caught it 2 yards further out than where Negreto caught up with the ball/linked with the ball )...but with 3 players bearing down on him, 2 being his own teammates...

[Paul Marin]

Do not try coaching/teaching football!

Just to point out that you are insisting that the defenders were correct in being later than/slower than Negreto to react to Toure's playing of the ball.

I am not "insisting" anything of the sort. The fact that you think Negredo "reacted" is the problem. He was the first to move, getting the jump on the defenders. It is Toure who reacted.

[Karl]

I am not "insisting" anything of the sort. The fact that you think Negredo "reacted" is the problem. He was the first to move, getting the jump on the defenders. It is Toure who reacted.

Of the three nearest the West Ham goal, he was the first to react to the ball! He observed what was happening with the ball. Decided on a course of action. Acted on...physically started to act on his decision...all before his opponents, the central defenders.

In a nut-shell he outplayed the central-defenders...because he assessed the situation, then decided on appropriate action...put into action his plan all before the central-defenders.

You have agreed that the defenders were 'slow'!
They each needed a 'bax' for falling down on the job!!!

...and yes, any way you cut it, you are insisting the defenders have no responsibility for their actions and that they could not have acted differently to affect the (actual) outcome.

[Gamma]

in a situation like that defenders have to "react" otherwise is den dem a look fool! speed (of though and "across the ground" was the deciding factor.

which defender could have anticipated so audacious a pass? and if they guess and get it wrong ......

[Peter R]

Karl, it appears to me that rather than Negredo reacting, he set up the play by making a run that Toure reacted to; essentially he Negredo had the defense beaten a second before the pass was made. I don't think the defenders had any chance here. The communication between Toure and Negredo was impeccable; as if they read each others minds.

[Jangle]

In a nut-shell he outplayed the central-defenders...because he assessed the situation, then decided on appropriate action...put into action his plan all before the central-defenders.

Karl you are wrong. The above statement describes the attributes that separates great players from good players. Every goal can be prevented and if broken down can be faulted to someone. What about the other players around Toure who allowed him to make such a beautiful pass? They are at fault too. The pass itself took out the two defenders AND the goal keeper. Just appreciate the beauty of the goal itself.