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There is a weapon currently terrorising the English Premiership football league so effectively that it is rumoured it will soon be released into the International scene. It strikes fear into the hearts of defenders and goal keepers alike and has been responsible for creating a plethora of goals.
The weapon I am referring to is the long throw of Stoke City and Ireland midfielder Rory Delap. Rory Delap is not a name world football will be particularly familiar with and he will be the first to admit that he does not possess the same ability as superstars like Christiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Steven Gerrard. However, what Delap does possess to separate him from the rest is the ability to launch a ball over 35 metres at a speed of 60kph.
Delap’s unique gift allows him to deliver a ball from a throw in with the same distance and technique as if it had been kicked in from a corner or cross. This is an indispensible weapon and provides his club side, Stoke City, with a constant threat any time the ball is out of play near the opposition’s penalty area. Delap is able to bombard the penalty area with throw after throw safe in the knowledge that the only way an opposing team can escape is if they can clear the ball up the pitch. This has been so effective that there are now rumours he will earn a recall to his national side the Republic of Ireland.
When taking a throw Delap takes a short run up before planting his front foot steadily on the ground via a long stride. This rapid forward momentum increases the speed of the ball once released and due to the control he is able to exert through his arms and hands he is able to deliver it with deadly accuracy.
The power of the throw comes from his shoulder and back muscles although in recent interviews Delap has stated that he does not pay any specific attention to building his upper body strength. This suggests that the distance and speed his is able to produce is almost entirely down to his flexibility and technique.
Tactically it is a nightmare to defend against as players cannot be offside from a throw in. This makes it even harder to defend against as attacking players can gather in and around the mouth of the goal while goalkeepers are essentially crowded out. Delap’s throw creates a feeling of great anxiety for defenders as they desperately scramble to clear the threat. The constant barrage he is able to deliver places opposition players under continuous pressure and those unable to cope are often forced into making costly mistakes.
Unfortunately for the neutral this is very ugly and unattractive to watch but whilst his throw has the ability to create goals and cause problems for the opposition it will remain an innovative and necessary tactic to deploy for any team that possesses his services.
 | Author: | The Sports Nut (The Sports Nut's profile, The Sports Nut's blog) |
 | Posted On: | Tue, 2008-11-04 17:34 |
 | Tags: | soccer training, football, technique, speed training and flexibility |
 | Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
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