AS the saying goes, you have to be mad to be a goalkeeper… and these No1’s have provided us with some eccentric moments.
In between the sticks for Manchester United, David De Gea conceded the most bizarre goal against Arsenal, when his own team mate Fred trod on his heel, leaving him on the deck as Emile Smith Rowe volleyed in from the edge of the area.
The controversial goal was allowed to stand with referee Martin Atkinson failing to blow the whistle before the ball crossed the line to stop play.
But that’s not the only bizarre moment involving the keeper as SunSport looks back at some classic incidents…
DIVIOT
Former Blackburn goalie Tim Flowers’ unfortunate error always appears on blooper shows.
In fairness to the ex-England shotstopper, he got his body behind a tame shot from Stan Collymore in a game against Liverpool in 1996.
But what he forgot to take into consideration was the divot he created moments earlier for his goal kicks.
Not only did the ball hit said divot, it flicked the ball over the hapless goalie’s head.
LIFE’S A BEACH
On a beach, a beach ball is lots of fun. But on the football pitch, it’s a potential hazard for goalkeepers
Just ask ex-Liverpool and Spain keeper Pepe Reina, who saw a shot from Sunderland striker Darren Bent deflect off one past him in a 1-0 defeat in 2009
Ironically, the ball was thrown onto the pitch by a Liverpool fan.
Some years later, Reina would tweet “Who the hell put a ball in there?”, accompanied with a picture of the incident.
SCORPION KICK
It’s the most remarkable save you’ll ever see.
England were hosting Colombia in 1995, in what ended up being a drab 0-0 draw.
However, it was livened up by madcap Rene Higuita’s now infamous scorpion kick.
An overhit cross from Jamie Redknapp floated towards goal. The curly-haired shotstopper let it float over his head, before volleying back where it came from – mimicking a scorpion’s tail stinging its prey.
ON A ROLL
He’s behind you!
Clearly, Shay Given didn’t get the memo that 6ft 2in centre forward Dion Dublin was sneakily hiding behind him.
So, the Irishman decided to roll the ball out in front of him as he prepared to launch the ball forward for Newcastle in a game against Coventry City during the 1997-98 season.
Cue Dublin pouncing on the loose ball and sweeping it home.
PAUL ROBINSON’S FREAK GOAL
Spare a thought for his rival, Ben Foster because no goalie wants to be scored against by his opposite number.
But that’s exactly what happened to the Watford shotstopper, when ex-Spurs star Paul Robinson unleashed a monster free kick from deep in his own half in a game from 2007.
Inexplicably, Foster completely misread the bounce of the ball as it skidded off the turf and over his head.
“It was just one of those things – a freak goal. Out of respect for Ben I didn’t want to run off celebrating looking like I meant it,” Robinson later said.
KEPA CALM AND CARRY ON
Few men would defy chain-smoking Maurizio Sarri.
However, Kepa Arrizabalaga must have had a death wish at Chelsea for this act of lunacy.
The Italian manager wanted to take the goalie off in the 2019 League Cup final, ahead of a penalty shootout against Manchester City, believing he was injured.
Sarri ordered penalty-saving specialist Willy Caballero to warm up, then tried to make the change. Kepa wasn’t having any of it though, and waved his manager off and stayed on the pitch.
Kepa later accepted: “I was wrong, and I am sorry for everyone who was involved: for Maurizio Sarri, who it seemed like I had undermined in public; for Willy, a teammate and a great professional; and for all my teammates and Chelsea fans who had to put up with everything – all the noise that was generated during the game and then in the days after.
“Inside the club it was no big deal. I had a chat with the boss, we talked about how we had each seen the situation, and we cleared the air.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
