Watching lots of soccer during the World Cup, it appears that there are more instances of the ball hitting the goal posts or the crossbar than actual goals scored.
I bet with some friends that the ratio of these near-misses vs scored goals is at least 2:1 in major competitions. My friends say that it is less than 10 percent.
What say you, Teeming Millions?
I say, let’s move this to the Game Room.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
In the Stanley Cup playoffs, in the National Hockey league, there was also an astounding number of shots hitting the post, which emits an exciting bell-like ring. My theory is that the goalie has a very keen spatial perception of where the goal is, and can reach nearly everything that would go in, but not quite reach what hits the post.
As for hitting the crossbar in the World Cup, note that the height of the bar is very close to the maximum reach of a jumping goalkeeper. So shots that would have gone under the bar are often deflected away. Also, players can kick with an accuracy of a foot or less, and aim for a spot just inside the post, where a goalkeeper can’t quite reach it. If their aim is off only a few inches, he hits the post, instead of going into that tiny sweet spot. Nobody shoots at the center of the net. in hockey or soccer.
Uh, no. The crossbar is eight feet above the ground. The average goalkeeper is well over six feet tall. I’d say that most (most being 75%+) can touch the crossbar without leaving the ground at all. Most modern goalkeepers, from a standing start, could touch the crossbar somewhere up around their armpit.
Hitting the crossbar or post is actually far more difficult to do than but the ball in the net (unless the angle of the shot is very tight). Of course though the ball hitting the woodwork is hardly rare as very often the best chance to beat the keeper is the shot that takes the ball near the post.
However let’s remember in the World Cup 159 goals have been scored so far. I don’t know how many times the ball has hit the post/crossbar - a dozen times, maybe more? However 10% is much closer to the true figure than 66%.
FIFA’s stat page gives a total (if my mental summation is correct) of 29 shots that hit the woodwork. With 159 goals, that’s 18.2%.
In 2010, there were 145 goals. FIFA’s stat page gives a total of 2 (!!) “shots on bar” and no (!!!) “shots on post”. Good job, good effort, FIFA.
Which why if anyone complains to the goalie about a puck hitting the post, the goalie will say with utter confidence “that’s all I gave him!”