Quote Originally Posted by McNamara That Ghost... View Post
Syn, I think you'd find going near post from a volley (and from where RVP was) goes against what most strikers would do because you have to be perfect for it to be a goal (there's no chance of hitting the side netting and it being a goal), whereas going across goal, there is. If he had covered the near post, then I daresay RVP would've tried going across goal instead. A couple of seconds is not a lot of time to cover both parts of the goal, in fact it is impossible.

It's a mistake, sure. An understandable one in this situation though. Just like Snznznzny wasn't to know Gibbs would let Ben Arfa cut inside (he got beaten on his near post then).
The reason strikers attempt to go far post is because the goalkeeper is at the near post, not because it's easier to hit it far post than near post. It was easier for Van Persie to sidefoot it near post than cut through it far post. To me that seems like common sense not just because the technical difficulties of controlling a shot through the laces but also because the angle is tighter. If this wasn't the case, the goalkeeping manual would tell goalkeepers to keep Reina's position but instead you're asked to keep your near post covered.

Szczesny should have saved Ben Arfa's too - I remember saying that at the time. Though the shot was more accurate and lower down. I realise it's not just as simple as 'near post...should save it' but the angle where Van Persie hit it from, the height of the shot and the fact that it was a controlled shot rather than belted, I think it was very save-able.