It wasn’t a lucky goal

Everyone keeps calling Clint Dempsey’s goal in the England game lucky. I’d have to say I disagree. This just shows that soccer is 11 v 11 and our 11th man is simply better than anything England has to offer. At first glance it would be easy to dismiss it as a lucky goal, and I’d agree with that line of thinking if this was the first or even second time that this has happened to England. The reality is that this keeps happening to England over and over and over again, and at some point you have to say our goalies aren’t very good.

You know why England seemed to shoot right into Tim Howard when they were on a breakaway? Because he is a great goalie and puts himself in great positions. Just like shortstop in baseball or a goalie in hockey, Tim gets his whole body behind the ball so he doesn’t have to reach for the ball. Green’s mistake on the goal wasn’t that he let the ball slip through his hands. His big mistake was that he was lazy and didn’t get his body behind the ball for backup. Look at him reaching to the side in this picture.

And just to show you this is nothing new for England here are some video clips:

England vs Croatia – This goal knocks England out of qualifying in Euro 2008. Similar goal, same mistake. Goalie has horrible positioning and tries to reach to the side to catch a bouncing ball. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxefXTqeVi4

Robert Green again being lazy and not paying attention. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTV80j-ZAZ4

Robert Green again! He gets hurt here, but still it’s another in the list: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2xqhDat_yw

England v Croatia – Different game, different goalie, but it happens AGAIN http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=Dmws59X1cNg&feature=related

England’s backup in this tournament, David James, has made so many stupid errors in his career that his nickname is Calamity James.

England’s best goalie is 3rd stringer Joe Hart. He had a great season with Birmingham, but they’ll never play him because he is “too young.”