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Can't stop watching Tommy Watson (ROCKETMAN)

Sporty said:
I've taken these quotes out of the Petrovic thread to continue this in here. I've just been looking at the different players for the goal in the video below.

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As Watson comes in from his 1st touch, Choudhury looks to his left (as Watson comes at him) and sees there is a covering player central to cover his left (Vini Souza). Choudhury's now thinking about covering Watson coming at him or possibly going to his right. He pushes his weight onto his right foot with his left foot to go to the right if Watson knocks it that way but this is milliseconds after Watson knocks it left so Choudhury is not able to react quick enough to go to his left instead and Vini Souza is also in the way. Not much he could have done to stop it.

Vini Souza is about 13 yards away from Watson's 1st touch and 10 yards from the 2nd. He trots across centrally and ends up dropping 3 yards deeper also to cover the centre. Bear in mind he's also got Roberts coming towards him. It's clear he's knackered so he's doing the basics and playing it safe. He wouldn't have got near that shot unless he risked staying further out when faced with Watson with the ball and Roberts. However there's no way he knew where the ball would be after Watson's 2nd touch knocked the ball forward another 6 yards. It's easy to look back with hindsight to what he could have done but this happens but real time at speed, impossible to predict.

Tom Davies #22 who slides in to block Watson, had just come on in the 90th minute. His error was he didn't react quick enough. He got the ball off Roberts but then ball watches even after Moore gave the ball away. You can see Roberts is still running and reacts quicker to the Moore's error. Davies finally reacts and comes flying in but it's too late. If he'd tracked Roberts sooner then he would have probably blocked Watson's attempt so has to accept some blame.

The last line of defence, the keeper which is mainly what the discussion was about, is leaning to his right to see past Vini Souza so leaving his left side open. He's also bouncing and jumps just before Watson shoots so he's in the air when the ball is hit and it's travelled at least 6 yards by the time he lands, past Vini Souza. His body weight is all wrong also to push off to the left so he doesn't get across as quick on his dive.

He didn't need that last bounce at all and you can see this clearly at 1:55 in the video . I've slowed the gif down and it pauses when the keeper is on the deck just as Watson is starting his swing shot, when the keeper jumps, when he's off the deck yet the shot has travelled yards, when he lands and then finally dives. I agree with @nowtgoodeverhappens and @AC Mack as better footwork may well have meant a fingertip save given the ball was. That's why many have commented at the time not believing it was going in and seemed slow but it's down to the precision of the shot and the delay in the keeper's reaction and weak dive that makes it look that way. Had he not jumped prior to the shot, he would have dived earlier and possibly farther across and would have saved it.

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Anyway that's the Sheff Utd players out of the way. For Watson and his 2nd touch, watch the angle from 6 mins but change the speed to 0.25 times so you can see it better. At his 1st touch you see Watson briefly look up directly at Vini Souza and he still has him in his view as he goes forward. He looks down at the ball for his 2nd touch and watch how his eyes only follow the ball never looking anywhere else. He takes another 5 strides after that 2nd touch and then a 6th stride with his right foot shot so he's shooting completely blind at this point. That's because he knew exactly what he was doing before that 2nd touch, which is to knock it inside and curl it in bottom right around Vini Souza using his a block of the keeper's view.

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You also see Choudury looking to his left and his weight shift at 6:58, along with the keeper clearly off the deck. I've gif'd it and again paused when the keeper is on the deck, then in the air after bouncing. I should pay @10 Trenches Deep to put my words into video sometimes as the close up angles are class for better analysis of what went on.

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Thorough!
 

Northumberland Rocks said:
A lot of analysis there mate - well done 👍
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nowtgoodeverhappens said:
Thorough!
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Aye it is a bit! 🤣 It's a shame I can't just do it on video like TTD as it's a few mins watch but easier to explain. It's long on the computer so a phone must be huge!

It's clear to me now just how Watson knew what he wanted to do before the 2nd touch and placing it perfectly, Choudury doing what he should, Vini Souza doing the basics, Davies being lazy and Roberts movement being a distraction and finally the keeper's faults that led to that wonderful memorable goal.

That's the beauty of football, very fine margins in a sequence of events that go your way sometimes 😎
 
Sporty said:
Vini Souza is about 13 yards away from Watson's 1st touch and 10 yards from the 2nd. He trots across centrally and ends up dropping 3 yards deeper also to cover the centre. Bear in mind he's also got Roberts coming towards him. It's clear he's knackered so he's doing the basics and playing it safe. He wouldn't have got near that shot unless he risked staying further out when faced with Watson with the ball and Roberts. However there's no way he knew where the ball would be after Watson's 2nd touch knocked the ball forward another 6 yards. It's easy to look back with hindsight to what he could have done but this happens but real time at speed, impossible to predict.
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Yes agree with this. I mean that it was fine margins basically. Souza was also covering CB, when he’s a DMC. Had he still been DMC the whole situation would have been different. It all turns on the weight of foot, as you say, and I could see Souza getting closer on a different day.

Great analysis as ever
 
woodlebert said:
Yes agree with this. I mean that it was fine margins basically. Souza was also covering CB, when he’s a DMC. Had he still been DMC the whole situation would have been different. It all turns on the weight of foot, as you say, and I could see Souza getting closer on a different day.

Great analysis as ever
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I forgot to mention Cirkin's run may well have distracted Choudury as the Sheff Utd player near Cirkin was never following his run as he just ends up pointing. If Choudury commits earlier and goes to Watson then he leaves Cirkin is acres of space. He's looked to his left and seen Vini Souza so no point in committing like he normally would.

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You could see Choudury's frustration after the goal as he quickly turned and looked towards Moore! 🤣 Everything just went for us and it's good to see that in that late stage in the game both Roberts and Cirkin digging deep pushing forward giving everything once Moore made that error and helped lead towards the goal.

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Sporty said:
I forgot to mention Cirkin's run may well have distracted Choudury as the Sheff Utd player near Cirkin was never following his run as he just ends up pointing. If Choudury commits earlier and goes to Watson then he leaves Cirkin is acres of space. He's looked to his left and seen Vini Souza so no point in committing like he normally would.

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You could see Choudury's frustration after the goal as he quickly turned and looked towards Moore! 🤣 Everything just went for us and it's good to see that in that late stage in the game both Roberts and Cirkin digging deep pushing forward giving everything once Moore made that error.

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I think Roberts is pointing at Cirkin just before the shot goes. Ah I could watch it all day
 
woodlebert said:
I think Roberts is pointing at Cirkin just before the shot goes. Ah I could watch it all day
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Aye he is pointing as never noticed til you said. A clever reverse pass is what could have happened so again Choudury can't cover every scenario. If you go back to the last page and the close up of Watson before the shot, you see Cirkin running behind clearly shouting so again this is all on Choudury's mind.

If Roberts doesn't run then Vini Souza may commit more towards Watson, if Cirkin doesn't run then Choudury's only focus is on Watson. Davies just ignored Roberts and reacted far too late.
 
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Sporty said:
Aye he is pointing as never noticed til you said. A clever reverse pass is what could have happened so again Choudury can't cover every scenario.

If Roberts doesn't run then Vini Souza may commit more towards Watson, if Cirkin doesn't run then Choudury's only focus is on Watson.
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What I find fascinating is that all these little decisions are happening constantly all over the pitch. So many sliding doors moments
 
The keeper is expecting Tommy to go for the front post initially between the two defenders, that's why he's not set to dive to his left.

People have been saying Tommy's first touch was heavy etc but when you see him practising this move in the training video it's the same knock out of his feet then five strides before placing the ball in the corner.

It's the perfect strike befitting of the perfect result at the perfect time.

Thanks for the thousandth time Tommy. You're welcome back any time Lad.
 
woodlebert said:
What I find fascinating is that all these little decisions are happening constantly all over the pitch. So many sliding doors moments
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Yeah it's fine margin and micro decisions that can result in a goal or a defensive tackle. I can often analysis goals and pick faults with the defence that allowed the sequence of events as sometimes just 1 thing can mean something different happens.

Though my pet peeve is when you hear the term "Fell asleep" or "Switched off" as I think that no footballer at top level being paid £10,000s a week should ever switch off. It's a load of shite as some players are switched on throughout the game and are ready when it's a corner or a quick throw or free kick can happen. There's often more than ample time for players to get sorted yet you see it.

Same goes for being proactive rather than reactive as in Roberts and Davies case. Roberts actually gets tripped by Davies yet Roberts gets up and keeps running while Davies ball watches while walking then trots then eventually decides to do something but it's far too late.

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There's also players who spend time moaning about a decision or walk away without being aware of what's going on happens more than it should and and the opposition can take advantage of also

Does Lewis Hamilton switch off during the 90 mins he's flying around a track at 200mph? Does a boxer in round 8 suddenly start wondering if he's put the lottery on this week? Does a brain surgeon 8 hours into an op wonder if he's got any milk left for breakfast or if he needs to pick some up on the way home after the op?
 
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woodlebert said:
What I find fascinating is that all these little decisions are happening constantly all over the pitch. So many sliding doors moments
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I've thought this too.

You notice in slow motion how Watson's second touch he overhits it slightly. I wonder if he doesn't do this, whether he would have been able to find the angle.

So many tiny details which lead upto it. This happens at every moment in every game, but in this particular moment the stakes were so high it means you analyse every detail.
 
Sporty said:
Same goes for being proactive rather than reactive as in Roberts and Davies case. Roberts actually gets tripped by Davies yet Roberts gets up and keeps running while Davies ball watches while walking then trots then eventually decides to do something but it's far too late.
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Good spot. Roberts both tracks back quicker than Davies and then runs forward quicker than him too. Good effort from the lad. Both were subs iirc
 
Sporty said:
Yeah it's fine margin and micro decisions that can result in a goal or a defensive tackle. I can often analysis goals and pick faults with the defence that allowed the sequence of events as sometimes just 1 thing can mean something different happens.

Though my pet peeve is when you hear the term "Fell asleep" or "Switched off" as I think that no footballer at top level being paid £10,000s a week should ever switch off. It's a load of shite as some players are switched on throughout the game and are ready when it's a corner or a quick throw or free kick can happen. There's often more than ample time for players to get sorted yet you see it.

Same goes for being proactive rather than reactive as in Roberts and Davies case. Roberts actually gets tripped by Davies yet Roberts gets up and keeps running while Davies ball watches while walking then trots then eventually decides to do something but it's far too late.

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There's also players who spend time moaning about a decision or walk away without being aware of what's going on happens more than it should and and the opposition can take advantage of also

Does Lewis Hamilton switch off during the 90 mins he's flying around a track at 200mph? Does a boxer in round 8 suddenly start wondering if he's put the lottery on this week? Does a brain surgeon 8 hours into an op wonder if he's got any milk left for breakfast or if he needs to pick some up on the way home after the op?
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Do you ever post less than a thousand words?
 
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