101 Great Goals - John Metgod

You probably thought it was done, but there's still life in the old 101 Great Goals series.

Three wonderful things about John Metgod's legendary free kick for Nottingham Forest immediately spring to mind;

The 100 metres run-up (which gave the hint something special was about to be unleashed;

The Exocet trajectory of the shot;

John Metgod's celebration.

As our focus is the goal nets, I'd like to add a fourth wonderful thing - the simple physics of a traditionally hung and supported goal net killing the shot and retaining the ball.



The West Ham goalkeeper Phil Parkes is beaten - humiliated - and when he finally gets up, he still has the walk of shame to retrieve the ball from the net.

Compare John Metgod's cannonball with the recent Serge Gnabry rocket, a great goal, completely ruined by the ball bouncing straight back out to him.

If the ball had bounced back after John Metgod's free kick, it'd probably still be traveling today.

Off the stanchions at Wembley - Paul Gascoigne

We're back - with a bang!

We're back with Paul Gascoigne's rocket in the 1991 FA Cup semi against Arsenal.

Cue Barry Davies - "Is Gascoigne going to have a crack? He is you know..."

Why is it important for the goalnet to retain the ball when a goal is scored? #5

Two great free-kicks are your last example.





The le Tissier goal is probably superior, but would it be even better if the ball didn't rebound round the goals like a pinball?