Diving Headers

SirAnderson

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I've seen 2 much older threads on it, and got the warning not to bump old threads so thought I'd post this one and it can die a similar death like the others.

Where have they gone to?

I had to google latest diving headers and haven't even seen one for this season in the EPL at least. Is it no longer a thing of modern day football tactics or what? Granted its not something you train to do really, I think, more of a situational thing. It's a beautiful thing to watch, but possibly can put the player at risk, but then again so can bicycle kicks.
Does it suit a particular style of football as well? If you attackers are static in the box can't really do that? More of the counter attacking, fast pace, burst into the box and score kind of football (whatever that is :lol:)?

Post some videos for nostalgia sake too! :drool:

RVP's against Spain is still one the best for me!
 

noodlehair

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Now I think about it I can't remember that many being scored full stop.

The RVP one is the only one I can remember.
 

Jack-C20

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RVP’s goal was beautiful. I guess the much more natural instinct with a ball just out of reach is to lunge at it with your feet instead. We could certainly do with more diving headers in the game though.
 

harms

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I’m not sure that there ever was a time when diving headers were the norm. They always seem to stand out, because there are many factors that have to align with each other in order for someone to even attempt one.
 

tomaldinho1

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I think heading is probably the one skill that has regressed with centre forwards as football has become more professional, the mould of strikers like Sheringham, Ferdinand, Shearer, Dublin, Hughes is now a lot rarer in the PL than it used to be, Kane is probably the closest to that style left whereas now the top scorers are Vardy, Auba, Ings, Salah, Aguero who are all pretty rapid, relatively small/not physical bullies and clinical finishers. There are far fewer traditional wingers left which is no doubt a big factor as well.
 

Zlatan 7

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Slight dive to it, loved this goal as a kid and remember it being more of a dive

 

ValenciasDrilledCrosses

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Pogba scored a kind of diving header last season against Chelsea in the FA Cup, but they've generally disappeared. Players don't seem willing to go full stretch for goals in general, maybe that's just nostalgia syndrome.
 

Solius

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Is there any science to show that going with a diving header is better than just stretching with your legs?

Cole and Yorke used to be fantastic at them. It is weird how they’ve just gone out of the game.
 

Solius

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Ronaldo’s header here for 3 - 2 is the last I remember for us.
 

Harry190

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Solius said:
Is there any science to show that going with a diving header is better than just stretching with your legs?

Cole and Yorke used to be fantastic at them. It is weird how they’ve just gone out of the game.
Click to expand...
Goalies can't read you. Much easier to guess when you see the hips and shoulders swivel.
 

Chipper

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I think the dive is mostly after he's headed it but I'm counting it anyway. Hughes vs Liverpool (0:42)

Got us back to 2-2 after being 2 down. Think they had someone sent off, can't remember who and we came roaring back.
 

Frasbul

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Was RVP's goal really a diving header? He headed the ball and proceeded to dive afterwards. For me a diving header requires the attacking player to dive and hit the ball with his head whilst diving.

That shouldn't take away that it was an insanely beautiful goal.
 

Pav1878

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Not sure if it's already been posted but for me the best ever diving header is João Pinto against England in Euro 2000. Absolute gem.
 

SLBenfica1904

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Pav1878 said:
Not sure if it's already been posted but for me the best ever diving header is João Pinto against England in Euro 2000. Absolute gem.
Click to expand...
Came here to say this. Absolutely brilliant header after a long sequence of passes.
 

Bondathon

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Could the emergence of inverted wingers have something to do with it?

I’d guess most crosses are now either from a winger cutting back on to their preferred foot (and therefore curling towards goal), or a full back drilling one back from the byline? Neither of which are as conducive to a diving header as the more traditional early cross from a wide midfielder...
 

MikeKing

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I remember Tevez had one in the CL final I think it was, it would have been beautiful but unfortunately it was saved. Think he scored a few of those though.
 

paraguayo

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Players are playing much less street football growing up, with video games and real estate speculation. The players nowadays are much less inventive and seem to be robotic, like their coaches installed a hard disk in their heads and they follow it to a tee. Thus there is less inventive moves like diving headers and other stuff.
 
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