Greenwood's near post finishing

[King Azaz the Unabridged]

The one against Villa was a goalkeeping error, but only because Greenwood's striking ability makes it impossible for keepers when he gets in a good position - he's deadly with both feet and gets shots off incredibly fast.They just don't know which way he's going to go - Martinez had already taken a step across to his right.

Today's goal was the same except the other way around, Schmeichel was caught off guard because he was expecting the near post finish.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

The one against Villa was a goalkeeping error, but only because Greenwood's striking ability makes it impossible for keepers when he gets in a good position - he's deadly with both feet and gets shots off incredibly fast.They just don't know which way he's going to go.

Today's goal was the same except the other way around, Schmeichel was caught off guard because he was expecting the near post finish.

Very Messi- esque

 

[bosnian_red]

Hes capable of any type of finish, something that not a lot of strikers are. It makes such a difference as whatever he goes for can catch a goalkeeper off. He's also quite good at spotting what the goalkeeper is guessing at and choosing something different. Just a natural.

 

[crossy1686]

He creates massive amounts of uncertainty by being two footed which forces the opposition to have to think about what he's going to do, instead of knowing that he likes to cut inside on his left for example. By the time they react he's already hammered the ball.

What impresses me most is how lethal he is. What was the xG for that goal against Leicester? It's had to under 0.5

 

[Leethal]

It's his lack of back-lift on his shot, and the power he's still able to generate at unerring accuracy.

Keepers don't get time to be steadied; and he doesn't telegraph his finish at all, so they can't start to move and shift their momentum towards his anticipated shot direction.

Keepers can't win in this instance.

 

[Red00012]

He’s just world class

 

[RedRonaldo]

This is it.

Greenwood has one of the shortest backlifts I've seen in all my years of watching football.

Whatever heuristics goalkeepers normally use to make up their minds, they don't work on Greenwood. He's a special talent.

True. I also think this is the reason why Greenwood is so special.

 

[Hephaestus]

He creates massive amounts of uncertainty by being two footed which forces the opposition to have to think about what he's going to do, instead of knowing that he likes to cut inside on his left for example. By the time they react he's already hammered the ball.

What impresses me most is how lethal he is. What was the xG for that goal against Leicester? It's had to under 0.5

Our total xG was 0.07 at HT apparently so yeah, under 0.5 for his goal

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[Bullhitter]

It's a skill which combined with his elite finishing, fast feet and two-footedness makes it tough for keepers. I can't recall seeing many of his goals and thinking the keeper should do better.

 

[kouroux]

Very Messi- esque

Indeed.

 

[Reynoldo]

It's his lack of back-lift on his shot, and the power he's still able to generate at unerring accuracy.

Keepers don't get time to be steadied; and he doesn't telegraph his finish at all, so they can't start to move and shift their momentum towards his anticipated shot direction.

Keepers can't win in this instance.

In a nutshell that’s it, keepers just can’t read when or where he’s going to shoot because of his unique ability to get his shot off like he does.

 

[GueRed]

His finishing is world class simple.

In 2-3 years with more experience and is physically more developed he will be a world class player..

 

[Inigo Montoya]

His finishing is world class simple.

In 2-3 years with more experience and is physically more developed he will be a world class player..

Just need one or two around him to feed him opportunities.

I just wonder what his return could be if we had anyone close to Xavi and Iniesta creating spaces . The next phase is definitely to integrate players like that

 

[Adam-Utd]

Just need one or two around him to feed him opportunities.

I just wonder what his return could be if we had anyone close to Xavi and Iniesta creating spaces . The next phase is definitely to integrate players like that

We need to get away from having 2 CDM's parked in front of the back 4 first, but baby steps.

Once Ole is happy with his defenders I'm sure he'll take the reigns off.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Kasper Schmeicel must have read this thread.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

He is a special finisher and people should appreciate that more rather than knit picking. Greenwood's knack for getting his angle, power and directions right is phenomenal. Even Rooney and Ronaldo never has this gift at his age.

 

[Rossa]

As I posted in the Greenwood thread, he makes the goalie look at fault, but in fact it's Greenwood's technique that makes it very hard. Unlike almost any other striker, he doesn't adjust his body at all when shooting. He just shoots in his stride. As a goalie, you predict where the striker is going to shoot. Watching Iheanacho, it is clear as day that he is going to use his left because he adjusts his body such. His body also screems wide post. The goalie then reacts. With Greenwood, it is impossible to predict because he just shoots in his stride without adjusting. Thus, the goalie has to either guess, but then he can mistime completely, or he has to react as the ball leaves the foot. That is nigh on impossible to do because the goalie also has to adjust - am I going to place my weight on my left foot or right foot.

I noticed it even more these last two matches as to very solid goalies make mistakes, but they aren't mistakes. It's embarrassing, but only because Greenwood has a technique that almost no other footballer has.

 

[Withnail]

I can't be the only one that thinks a large number of Greenwood's many near post finish goals should have been saved by the keeper. Since his breakthrough in terms of goals last season he has scored so many goals at the near post, either narrowly beating the keeper or with the keeper getting a hand on them. What's particularly interesting is that a lot of these goals seem like they have been scuffed just a little bit.

This might sound like criticism but its not I actually think it's genius in some ways. He's a natural finisher so he must be aware that there is an advantage by finishing the way he does.

Aguero is another lethal near post finisher but he usually gets a lot of power behind his. Greenwood has powerful shots too like his goal against spurs but its the ones that don't seem cleanly hit that really fascinate me.

At the rate he's going, these might be his trademark goal. Why are these so difficult for keepers to save? Especially with the old cliche of keepers should never be beaten at their near post. Greenwood makes a mockery of the saying.

This has been discussed quite a bit my the pundits and Shearer absolutely loves Greenwood.

It's because he shoots with little to no back-lift and he shoots early on the half-stride. Pat Nevin was talking about it yesterday on Off the Ball. He was saying he had practiced trying to do it in his playing days but couldn't manage it.

Keepers watch the player taking the shot and set themselves based on their body position. If they're not set to make the save they can't get down as quick.

Greenwood shoots so early he messes with their process and they can't get to the ball.

 

[Fortitude]

He has virtually no backlift and he can do it on either foot. The goal is too big for a keeper to simply react, they look at the attacker's body position to decide which way to dive. With Greenwood they don't have time. If it's right in the corner it doesn't need to be hit perfectly.

Didn't scroll further than this. Without the telegraphing of the body, the keeper is reacting to the ball only, and by that time, it has already travelled far more distance than most can even re-set their feet and then leap/react to. What will happen to most keepers is they will be watching an after image of Greenwood and processing what has happened too late to do anything about it. With no backlift, magical things can happen and that's why it's one of the most coveted traits a striker at goal can have. Greenwood also hits the ball with bend, so that's another factor that keepers have to deal with whilst seeing the ball's motions late. He can do this for a whole career - keepers can know exactly what's coming and still not be in a position to stop it, lest he simply go the other side or even take it with his other foot, as he is wont to do.

Little difference to throwing a punch from the hip; the opponent knows something's coming, but by the time the extension and shape of the arm is out, the processing time to react to it is massively reduced, as opposed to when thrown from the shoulder, where you get a whole lot more time to see the exact shape and angle whatever is coming at you, from.