It is a problem dominant football teams are experiencing across the world: with so many opposing sides deploying a low block, meaning they sit deep on their 18-yard line for the majority of the game, how do you find a way to goal? With space behind the defence strangled and the centre of the pitch condensed, plotting a course requires precise combination play. Most teams have to go around the block but that usually means crossing the ball, and statistically those do not translate into goals very often. In light of those convoluted routes, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has made the executive decision that going over all those bodies is the best policy.
It has been part of his playmaking repertoire for years but, lately, the Norway midfielder has been attempting his trademark ‘scoop pass’ several times a game. It tends to be played from the outskirts of the penalty area. When Odegaard finds himself with time and space, he waits for a gap to appear.
If one is not forthcoming, the next-best option is dinking the ball into the space between the opponents’ back line and the goalkeeper. And it is usually performed from a stationary position. The scooping motion requires stability to slide the toe of your boot underneath the ball and then lift to create a looping trajectory.
Whole games will pass without anyone attempting one even once, but the 26-year-old seems determined to make it a key part of Arsenal’s attacking playbook. In the 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old T.
