Dominik Szoboszlai’s incredible free-kick for Liverpool on Sunday saw the Reds beat Arsenal 1-0 in what appeared to be a six-pointer in the Premier League title race – but former Reds striker Michael Owen believes that had the Gunners not positioned a wall in front of the makeshift right-back, the Hungarian may not have taken a shot – with the Ballon d’Or winner calling the wall ‘a hinderance’ to David Raya.
Szoboszlai’s emphatic late strike flew past Raya off the post, giving Arne Slot’s side three huge points and keeping them the only side with a perfect record in the Premier League. Despite the fact that it was scored in August, it is already being touted as one of the goals of the season, dipping over three Arsenal players in the wall.
Michael Owen: Arsenal Wall ‘Was a Hinderance’ to David Raya for Szoboszlai’s Free Kick
However, despite the fact that it was an objectively brilliant strike from the former RB Leipzig player, Owen believes that the Spanish stopper was ‘hindered’ by his players lining up slightly left of centre of the goal, forcing him to scamper over to the other post and ultimately failing to keep the ball out.
During Premier League Productions’ live broadcast of the title match on Sunday, Owen said:
“At 32.2 yards, if you put a ball there and say, ‘Can you score from that far out?’, I’m probably going to say no.
“Probably. I’ve mentioned it before: I believe the wall in this case is a hindrance. I’m not sure, but I believe that soon, when the ball is over 32 yards out, if the goalkeeper stands in the middle and there is no wall, he won’t even have to dive; he can simply shuffle and catch it.
“The wall in that scenario is a hindrance. They don’t see it, but it offers someone something to aim at. The goalkeeper is always forced to move to one side of the goal or the other. If he merely stands in the middle with nothing in front of him, the opponents will begin to block, forming their own wall.
“That only demonstrates that the free kick taker wants a wall there! It provides them with a point of reference. Don’t get me wrong: 20 yards out, you do need a wall. But over 32 yards away, I believe a wall is a hindrance to a goalie.
It could be a watershed moment in the title race if Arsenal fails to take points off their Merseyside rivals in the return fixture at the Emirates Stadium in early January, giving Slot’s side a head start – and those pivotal moments could even spark a change in how free-kicks are approached defensively.
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