Height the key to Eriksen free-kick

Height the key to Eriksen free-kick

Christian Eriksen's free-kick for the first goal looked simple, it looked at first glance as if the Swansea goalkeeper, Fabianski, should have saved it easily.

There was more to the free-kick than met the eye though. Using the Match of the Day video (MOTD Video) if you stop it at 3.28 you'll see the position of everyone as Eriksen is about to take the free-kick. You have a four man wall with a gap and then another player. There is a Spurs player behind the wall in the gao with a defender covering him. All this means Keeper Fabianski has no vision, he can't see the ball. This is crucial to the goal.

The replay to watch closely starts at 3.37 which is a ground level view from behind the goal and gives us the closest view to that of Fabianski. You can see the keeper take a step to the right in anticipation, but the ba;; doesn't come into view until it reaches the wall, which bu then gives the keeper little time to react, given the pace of the ball.

Had Eriksen played the ball any higher Fabianski would have been able to see it, react earlier and make a simple save, thus the height he struck the ball at was the key to the goal.

Below is a link to this morning's article explaining why Kyle Walker was not at fault with his positioning for the first Swansea City goal.


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