Introducing the most dangerous pass in football
New York TimesA sharp, anxious intake of breath, followed by a round of applause that carries a mixture of quiet admiration and, more than anything, relief. It’s the short, vertical ball from the goalkeeper to — typically, but not always — the midfield pivot, who is receiving under pressure, back to goal and close to their own penalty area. 👊 pic.twitter.com/g0Jmd2O2LN — Fulham Football Club December 6, 2024 As for Chelsea, they got their own back at Southampton, where Noni Madueke read Joe Lumley’s pass to Kyle Walker-Peters and set up Christopher Nkunku for their second goal. In other words, completing a pass to a team-mate isn’t enough when playing out against a press; it’s about giving the player receiving the ball the best possible opportunity of making their next action perfect — after all, multiple passes will often be required. It’s high risk and comes off, but the pass isn’t easy for Sam Morsy to play first time and that contributes to the next pass being untidy… … which ends up with Dara O’Shea jumping to try to get the ball under control and encouraging Spurs to press even more.
Discover Related