How Premier League underdogs have mastered the 'catapult' goal: Analysts, set piece coaches and TIMING key behind stunning sucker punches to the big teams Anthony Elanga covered 85 yards in nine seconds to score against Man United But what is the tactical explanation behind the rise in these 'catapult' goals? LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! The signs that Ruben Amorim's Man United side are getting there By MATT BARLOW Published: 23:03 BST, 4 April 2025 | Updated: 23:05 BST, 4 April 2025 e-mail View comments Counter-attacking football has long been a popular weapon for the Davids seeking to topple the Goliaths — and the catapult goals such as Anthony Elanga ’s are its crowning glory. Elanga raced 85 yards in nine seconds, breaking clear from a defensive corner and dribbling from inside his half to score a thrilling winner for Nottingham Forest against Manchester United on Tuesday. Twenty four hours later and Marcus Rashford scored the opener for Aston Villa at Brighton , bursting out from a defensive corner and latching onto a long pass from Morgan Rogers.
They seemed like goals for our time, totems of this Premier League season. Two speed merchants freed from the burden of life at Old Trafford, revitalised in effective teams doing serious damage on the turnover of possession. And yet, as usual, this is nothing new.
Malcolm Allison, in his definitive coaching book Soccer for Thinkers, wrote ‘a team losing possession is in trouble whether the players realise it or not�.