Elan.....once you have any angular approach to a goal you are ALWAYS supposed to shoot across the GK's body and put it last post. Casillas did a poor job of covering his goal, he was supposed to have come out a couple more feet against balo (and he didn't quite do his legendary status any favours on the goal he conceded either) so I wouldn't study too much what you think Casillas was attempting to do. to me, he was setting himself up for failure, Balotelli spit the bit and didn't use the chance he earned for himself. Furthermore, the only man close enough to Balotelli for a tap-in wasn't close enough to the goal for a tap-in. Balo was supposed to plant that ball in the back of the net.
We gonna have to disagree, because I believe Casillas actually did well in that situation. What stopped him from coming out further was that Ballotelli slowed down immensely after charging into the box. If Casillas had come further out then he could have gotten chipped or make the first post available. The ball on the foot of the player will keep the keeper from moving forward.
There are no MUST in soccer, there is shooting at goal and then there is finishing, Ballotelli would have had a shot, but he would not have finished.
I also think that Casillas did well in the situation.. Not always you have to come storming off your line in a 1 v 1 situation... Staying put as Casillas did limited Balotelli to one option, which is to shoot for the far post. If he had committed, Balotelli would have had 3 or 4 options, shoot far post, round the keeper, shoot through legs.... and even possibly a chip.
If you look at the replay, it seems that Balotelli is actually waiting for Casillas to commit to then decide what to do, and when that never happened he look like a deer in the headlights. I think staying at home put him off.
to answer both of you, in a one-on-one situation, you are suppose to match the attacker's speed so I am not suggesting that he shoulda come rushing out at Balo, but he still left him too much far post to shoot at and the only 2 ways tp make up for that was for him to shift to his right....and compromise his first post as well....or take a couple steps forward. That move may have put balotelli off, but against a more seasoned, composed and experienced striker, he was paying the price....or pulling off one HECK of a save like Buffon did yesterday.
Even if Casillas charged Balo, he would not have relinquished all them 3 or 4 options as you described, dinho, (1) going around him puts him to have to deal with all the defenders converging on him (2) I not sure that forwards really see shooting through a 'keeper's legs as a viable "option". It's just something that happens when they make a poor choice of shooting straight at him and (3) the only way Balo was chipping that ball at an onrushing Casillas was if he made himself small....like he did when Di Natale scored.
