Why Cristiano Ronaldo holds the trumps in goalkeepers’ guessing game | Manchester United

Links (3)

Cristiano Ronaldo and the Boston Red Sox Pitcher Tim Wakefield Have Something in Common
Published 12/28/2007 by Nick at Manchester United
The Times of London has a nice bit about the science of a Ronaldo free-kick here.

Joey Barton, Sam Allardyce & the January transfer window
Published 12/28/2007 by Ronaldo Assis de Moreira at 101 Great Goals - latest football videos and international soccer goals from the Premier League, Champions League,La liga, Serie A, World Cup, UEFA Cup and more
... There is also high praise for the Portuguese winger and his dead-ball ability from Tom Dart in The Times. “Ronaldo’s shots do not sink, spin or slow as much. They are the football equivalent of baseball’s knuckleball: a pitch that seems to dance randomly in mid-flight because when a ball rotates little, its trajectory is more disrupted by the flow of the air around it. Today’s smooth footballs are aerodynamically closer to baseballs than past designs because they have fewer panels and seams.” ...

Goalkeepers Limited By Human Visual System In Free Kick Situations
Published 12/29/2007 by John Stevanja at Keeper Skool Blog
... This recent Times Online article discusses some of the reasons why goalkeepers are at a serious disadvantage when it comes to the free kick situation. One important suggestion in the article pointed to the  mechanics behind David Beckham's kicking style during a free kick: ...