Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Big Ones

A friend of ours on Facebook messaged us to say he liked big nets. (He also likes these peculiarities at Ipswich Town circa 1995, but that's for another post.) In goalnets, since the height and width of the goal is fixed, the X-factor in big-ness is the depth of the nets; how far they're extended behind the goal-line. We thought we'd compile a by-no-means-exhaustive top-5 of big nets.

#5 - Mexico '86

If you were to consider that the impact of ball on net, and the aftershock on ball and net, is what makes for a truly memorable goal, you easily reach the conclusion that the recent World Cup was so drab because the goalnets were made of trampoline and the theatre of ball hitting net was akin to kicking a ball against a brick wall. Not so, Mexico '86...



#4 - New Wembley

Where the old goalnets were classic and sublime, these are ridiculous and crass and seem to scream, "Look where the billion pounds went."



#3 - FC Porto

You got a big stadium? Get yourself some big nets.



#2 - Old Hampden

The Godzilla of goalnets.



#1 - Barcelona, late 80's

Long before tiki-taka, Barcelona's claim to fame was having the world's biggest goalnets.



Which are your favourite Big Ones?