A brand new soccer pet peeve
by Steve Davis on Sep 27, 2010 3:11 PM EDT
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I saw something last night during the Premier League Review that sealed the deal: I officially have a new soccer pet peeve.
It was during the Aston Villa-Wolves contest. (Read about it here at our excellent Villa blog. All the cool kids are doing it.)
It was a Villa miss that had me all falling over sideways and summoning fancy words to blog about it. And it’s something I’m seeing all too often these days.
It happens when a striker misses a glistening opportunity. Just plain blows it. Screws the pooch. Wets the bed. You get it.
But instead of expressing proper, head-in-hands disbelief, rather than popping the top on a killer can of self-doubt, self-loathing and general questioning of what life is all about … said striker immediately begins screaming for a corner kick.
And then, in the worst instances, they express outrage over not being awarded one! “OH! The injustice!”
Hey, man: you missed it! It’s almost as if there is an immediate calculation at work here, an effort to deflect the blame and attention with this instant, red-faced expression of acrimony. As if the corner kick was target all along. "Look everyone! I won a corner for us! … But the referee screwed us out of it!"
By the way, this doesn’t mean I lose rights to claim other soccer pet peeves. I got room for a lot of ‘em. Soccer pet peeves are not a zero-sum proposal. Maybe I’ll rank ‘em one day. Of course, I’d need help. So … what are yours?
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My pet peeve is after a team scores and the ball comes back out of the net, someone from the scoring team feels the need to kick it back into the net as hard as he can. (Or in TH14’s case, kick the ball and keeper at the same time, causing injury.)
by Craig_de_Aragon on Sep 27, 2010 3:20 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Not exactly
Actually there are quite a few times when a player from the team that got scored on also kicks the ball back into his own net in disgust, or to the stands. If you take into consideration how many times this type of celebrations take place in all the games played throughout the leagues around the world, you will not find many incidents like the one that happened to the FCD keeper.
The only difference in that case is that the Dallas keeper wanted to negate Henry’s celebration and stuck his foot out (by his own admission). So he is not without blame – and not to sound callous – but if he hadn’t tried being a douche, he probably would not be hurt now.
Cheers
Don’t stick up for Dirty Henry. The play was way over, just run back and get back after it.
by Craig_de_Aragon on Sep 27, 2010 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Dirty Henry
That’s freakin’ brilliant. Especially since today, for no apparent reason, I was thinking of Dirty Harry. No joke. That’s the funny thing I’ve seen all day. Well played, sir.
Haha, thanks, I seriously just thought of it as I typed it. But I like it, I hope it catches on.
by Craig_de_Aragon on Sep 27, 2010 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Flopping or Diving
and then faking an injury afterward only to get up and run off.
The catcher for the Phillies fakes injuries?
"We don't want our people to be preoccupied with seminude, crazy men jumping up and down who are chasing an inflated object," said Sheik Mohamed Osman Arus, head of operations for the Hizbul Islam insurgent group.
I am very thankful that d-bag has been exiled from MLS so long that my comment went over people’s heads.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Ruiz_(Guatemalan_footballer)
He was the worst example of a lazy, flopping, dirty player, and he rode it to league MVP once. And he made me ashamed to be an FC Dallas fan for a couple years.
flopping
I’ve often thought if you’re hurt enough to be helped off with a stretcher, you need at least 5 min. to recover on the sidelines…
Definitely goalies barking like rabid dogs at their defenders
I mean, I know its their job to hold the back line accountable and get them in position, but you see these guys straight up admonishing players for honest mistakes. Tell the guy what he did wrong, move on. Its not your job to embarrass your teammates.
I’ll second that. I always wondered how why more defenders didn’t bite back.
by Craig_de_Aragon on Sep 27, 2010 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Argentinian players cursing at the refs and maybe sending regards to their moms
If you watch a game from Argentina, almost every time there is a call against a player, he goes in a tirade against the refs regardless if the call was right and he deserved it. They act as if a huge injustice has been committed, and it is amazing the verbal assault the refs have to endure.
The worst part is that it appears to be a systemic problem because it happens even in the lower divisions. Pretty sad.
Cheers
As if the corner kick was target all along
Great line. Love it.
My new pet peeve is when a corner kick taker raises his arm before taking the kick. The theory behind it is that players in the box will start their runs when the arm is raised. Sometimes that’s the case. Other times the dude just keeps his arm up for 5 seconds and then kicks it when he feels like it while players in the box keep bumping and shoving each other. What’s the point of that?
Managing Editor for BlackAndRedUnited.com. Weekend Writer for SBNation DC.
by Martin Shatzer on Sep 27, 2010 5:29 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
soccer pet peeves...great topic
over-elaborate corners that don’t result in as good a chance as would have happened with a a simple lob into the box in the first place. keepers who overemphasize the routine save. referees who preen and flex as if we are watching the match to see them. players who undercut jumping opponents when going for a headball. players who clap and “thumbs up” to everyone who makes any pass to them whether the attempt was worthy or not. ARs who try and get involved in the match especially when their itty bitty feelings get all hurted.
I've got a couple...
Though one is a bit nit-picky. Ok, maybe they both are…
1. A player who runs over to get the ball for a throw in, stands at the touch line with the ball over his head, then drops it and walks off so one of his teammates can throw it in instead. Really? Did the other guy call “dibs” or what?
2. The short corner. What’s the point? I have never seen it work effectively, except as a ploy to waste time. Do I just not understand the purpose?
Bonus b*#ch: This one is general: Anything that any player or team does to waste time. Period. I know everyone does it. I still don’t have to like it. Just play the game like real men.
by DissidentAggressor on Sep 27, 2010 11:27 PM EDT reply actions
The short corner
works if you do it quickly, your opponent isn’t paying full attention and you’re Brazil.
You will hear us on Brougham, you will hear us on Occidental, you will hear us on King. We are all around you, there is no escape.
Portsmouth
used it extensively in their promotion year. If you take it fast you’ll have two players v one defender: lethal.
Barrett
Nice use of Barrett as the picture for this, as he is arguably the worst striker in MLS. Oh sure, he has his moments and even gets on a roll a little bit, but overall he is terrible and has been given more opportunities than most would have.
I agree, but...
Dominic Oduro is worse in my opinion. Yes, he does create some of the chances himself with his speed, but his finishing is just as horrendous. The Oduro roller coaster was another reason that FCD drove me nuts for a while. I’d see him blaze past everyone, get really exciting until I realize he had no one to pass to and the ball was headed either straight to the keeper or into the upper rows of the supporters section.
Career shots to goals stats:
Oduro 111 to 14 – 12.6%
Barrett 236 to 29 – 12.3%
yeah, they’re both pretty bad.
We started
Roger Levesque, Brad Evans and Pat Noonan at striker this year, so I’d argue he’s definitely not the worst.
You will hear us on Brougham, you will hear us on Occidental, you will hear us on King. We are all around you, there is no escape.
Free Kick Delay Tactics --- They're the WORST!
Free kick delay tactics and the referees that buy into them really get me. And this is from from teams I support and their opponents. I can’t stand it when I see this!
Standing in front of a free kick, tossing the ball back ten yards, holding onto the ball when it’s the other teams kick. It’s all a tactic to let the defense get back in position after they commit an infraction.
If it’s a ceremonial kick around the box, that’s one thing. But at midfield or in the defensive end? START DISHING OUT THE YELLOWS!
The point of the free kick is that the team broke the rules and should be punished. Referees buy into it being part of the game and too often become a pawn in the defense’s own plan. Intentional foul, delay the restart, we’re back in business.
The “no, don’t do that again, look how aggressively that I am moving my arms in the international sign for stop it” deal just doesn’t cut it. Make it known that kind of delay will lead to a caution and follow up with the threat. It’ll stop.
Goalkeepers
who palm and punch when a catch is perfectly possible. Pat Jennings would be spinning in his grave were he dead.
Pet peeves
1) The ANALyst for MLS matches, (sorry, I don’t know his name — no, actually, I’m not) who goes “ooh, OOh, ooh” every time a scoring chance occurs. That’s my job, dammit.
2) Pastel kits. Notice the Everton and Barcelona 3rd jerseys, or worse yet, try not to.
3)Sepp Blatter
4)Michel Platini
5)Morning talk show hosts on Fox, who interview Tea-airy Awnree.
6)Soccer bloggers who look disturbingly identical to Blackpool manager Ian Holloway
Pet Peeve
When a forward gives thumbs up the high hand clap when they are overplayed by a midfielder or defender.
I know its a way to thank them for trying to hit them with a long ball, but its gotten to the point where everyone does it. Don’t know why I am annoyed by it, but I am.
my peeves
South American floppers… although i like it when the italians do it then get up and start talking with their hands! its so comical to me. (i always pretend what they are saying to the ref…….Mama mia, he kicked me….amore!)
guys who can’t keep their feet planted on throw-ins, that is irking me lately!!!!!!
International breaks….
My favorite strikers getting injured… thats really pissing me off!
US being ranked 18th after the world cup.
