My Take On The #Zaza Dance #EURO2016
Disclaimer: i have yet to watch the Italy v. Germany match. i am still in a dark place over it but i will eventually watch it. Possibly this weekend. I have only seen the highlights of the shoot out.
Now back to business… so Zaza is being meme crucified on the internet.. my god the amount of memes that have popped up since Saturday is staggering. Staggering!!! Truth be told, some are hilarious…What i find ridiculous is the claim that “it’s the worse PK ever”. No, it isn’t.
I am by no means an expert but i am trying to understand what Zaza’s mindset was.. to me, clearly he was trying to throw off Neuer.. How? simple…
By definition: Once the striker (player) starts his/her approach toward the ball, he/she may not interrupt his/her movement.
Generally,
- You have those players that place the ball on the spot.. back up a few steps and in a running motion move toward the ball and strike it.
- You have those players that place the ball on the spot.. back up a few steps and start their approach toward the ball then “stutter step” and follow through..
- i am sure there are other approaches but …then you have the Zaza…
His movement, with small steps and ever so carefully, is always forward and toward the ball. As a goalie i think i would have a hard time reading when the player will attack and strike that ball.. The fact is that at any time during his,show horse style trot, Zaza could have just charged the ball and struck it. This was all a ploy to keep Neuer guessing. It was a tactic..In the end, it did not go Zaza’s way. It’s unfortunate.
Pelle’s kick as you can see below took the more “traditional” route with a little of that stutter step in it .. … yet he too missed..
The issue i have with Pelle’s is that he taunts Neuer that he will panenka it.. then he misses the net completely..when i first saw Pelle’s shot i felt that as he was approaching the ball that somehow he changed his mind, something happened because it looked like he really flubbed the kick completely. I am not so sure anymore.. what i do see though now is that he seems to give it away with a quick look to the side he eventually went with the ball.
a better video showing Pelle’s taunt…
Anyway, now i await with great anticipation the World Cup.. with, fingers crossed, Gigi Buffon between the pipes.
My Random Thoughts 