If you weren't able to catch Tuesday's UEFA Champions League action, you might have missed a pretty sweet back-heel goal from Arsenal star Andrei Arshavin.
Now, we realize that he was offside, and the goal shouldn't have counted, but you can still appreciate the skill.
Enjoy:
Funny to note that after this post went up we have had some amazing (and legitimate) backheel goals take place…
who cares about the goal celebration? Seriously. If you care about the goal celebration, go watch Cirgue du Soleil.
He is a sick player. Wish the US could have someone of his caliber. A very cheeky finish. Him/HealthyRosicky/RVP/Fabregas/Healthy Walcott=top four finish. Screw Man City, they will mess it up somehow.
Tihinen scored a better one today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOnIIe6KT0Y
flying backheel volley
i saw this move several times today during the champ league matches! i bet everyone saw Arse-shavin’s goal and tried to copy it. no joke i know for sure i saw it in the Beshiktas game – right at the top of the box some dude did a give and go, and his go was this back heel move into a defender though. they wish they were arse-shavin
Same old Arsenal
always cheating
Seriously, nothing impressive about that. He could have scored that any of a million ways with his eyes closed. Any one of us could have pulled that off.
No best ever by far was Henry’s vs Charlton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDD89Gbo5hw&feature=related
Not much of a goal. Looks to me like he knew he was off and was just screwing around.
Arshavin’s a Witch… The Russian ‘Brujita.’ Arsenal are going to the Final this year. Just wait till Theo and Nasri are back.
Ronaldo’s was better. The one he had last year when he was being marked. The pass came from the right as well.
Nikopolides (the olympiakos ‘keeper) played unbelievably…the game should’ve ended 1-0…but its no biggie
@Mcjones
Have you considered changing your name to Mctwat? Sounds good on you.
Baseless generalizations and xenophobia based on no facts is stupidity personified. For someone of your intelligence level, I’ll simplify — you’re a stupid twat and it’s understandable if anyone would hate you, regardless of their heritage.
The goal was not that impressive at all. Arshavin looked shaky the whole match and showed one piece of skill that was saved at the near post by the Greek shotstopper. The Greek goalie was impressive.
Yo, Andrei, I’m really happy for you and I’m gonna let you finish but Peter Crouch had one of the best backheel finishes of all time. One of the best backheel finishes of all time!
No way. van der Vaart with Ajax: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKiJLvOlXpQ
Zola’s back heel off a corner agains norwich is the best I’ve seen…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z4DAaQe7Q4
No Way!!!!! He Was not offside!!!! Look at it close.
Ed — comment winner.
back heel… lovely
what’s beauty about that offside?
Mr. Galarcep,
You seem pre-occupied these days. Are you working on something big?
lol @ Mcjones. So, thats what it is. That darn “S”… I always thought it was because we call it ‘soccer’.
I agree with Tippos….he knew he was offside, so why not backheel….
Crap ref/asst.
Blah anyone can score that offsides.. Monteros goal is way better
Passes leading up to the goal are quality. The goal itself is really not a difficult thing to do.
Who is he “shushing” alm the time?
@Mcjones
“Europeans” is capitalized you jag off.
That’s like one of my goals in FIFA 09
Gawd — he could score a World Cup-clinching goal from 80 yards out and all I would think is: “What a bad goal celebration.” By the way, isn’t the heel the back of your foot? Why isn’t that type of shot just called a “heel”? Why a “back-heel”?
Sharpe back-heel…..whoa. Haven’t seen that before. There were 3 amazing bits of skill in that (and I’m afraid I can’t name the players): the first guy who jukes two defenders before making a perfectly weighted lay-off to the right wing; the cross into the middle that nutmegs the defender to find a very well-marked Sharpe, then the finish. Very nice.
Why europeans hate Americans?
Answer: There is no call known as offsides. It’s offside.
Bleh! who cares? He was offside and under zero pressure.
Here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6EpPWqPejA
He was offside, unmarked and he still hit it into the keeper! Nothing beats the backheel goal scored by Lee Sharpe for Man U against Barca in 94 or 95 I think.
Yeah he was offsides, but it still doesn’t mean I can’t rue the decision to not start him in fantasy because I’d read he was injured and likely to not play.
meh…average. I’ve scored goals like that. And he was offside.
That’s really not that tough. I had a bunch of those in HS.
Also, Peter Crouch’s backheel volley is still the backheel goal to beat this year.
Although I suppose it was entertaining, I wouldn’t call that a beautiful goal. He could have easily finished the ball into the corner if he kicked it normally, but doing a back-heel sent the ball into the keeper, almost allowing him to make the save. Honestly, I agree with tippos. I think he knows that he is in an offsides position and doesn’t expect the play to count so he f**ks around with the finish.
How many offsides and fluke goals can one team get in a season?
Arshavin is something else…guy is special, even if he was offsides
Nice! He looked so relaxed doing it. Wonder if he thought to himself, “I think I am offsides” and was just goofing off with that shot??
It almost seems as though the backheel happens because he assumes the flag will go up.
Why does he always celebrate by shushing the crowd? He is weird.
Great finish, terrible officiating. Arshavin’s the perfect player for Arsenal. He’s as skilled as anybody they’ve got and likes to play entertaining soccer, but he brings an aggressiveness to their attack that’s otherwise lacking.
Great offside finish.
What was an MLS ref doing officiating that game? 😉