37
In most cases he is actually saying "53 is the Mike".
There are four types of linebackers that are used in typical 3-4 and 4-3 defenses, respectively:
Mike - middle linebacker, responsible for calling plays, jack-of-all-trades
Sam - outside strong-side (the side with the tight-end) linebacker, blitzes most often, needs strength
Will - outside weak-side ...
36
In that particular situation, the Patriots were allowing the Giants to score because of 2 important reasons.
The Giants were already in scoring position - well within field goal range and
The Patriots only had a slim lead (2 points) - so a field goal from the Giants would mean they would be trailing and need to get the ball back and score again.
So they ...
22
It would certainly be allowed, but it would likely be a failed strategy in soccer.
In professional soccer, you only get 3 substitutes per game. If you burn one on pulling out your keeper, then if you accomplish your goal and tie the score, if you go to overtime, you're stuck with no keeper on the field.
So subbing in a field player for a keeper is ...
18
Let's start from the end. The best player who plays "false 9" today is, without any doubt, Lionel Messi.
There isn't one definition of a "false 9", but I will try to explain it from my understanding.
"False 9" is generally a player who isn't a pure striker as defined in the past. This player will drop deep into the field to be a part of or start the ...
16
Sports governing bodies come down very, very heavily on teams deliberately losing - a very similar example to the England/Belgium World Cup situation is from badminton at the 2012 Olympics, when the teams which deliberately lost were disqualified. FIFA would almost certainly deal with any blatant deliberate losing in the same kind of way; see also a cricket ...
14
There are numerous factors:
Wind direction (either that day, or typical) for outdoor sports
Sun location (includes both "sun in my eyes effects" and shadows on the field effects)
Bench locations
Levelness of the field (typically top league fields are level, this is less true at lower levels)
Fan location (sometimes fans of each team will congregate in a ...
13
There is no law stipulating who has to take the line-out throws. To see why it is the Hooker's job, we can consider a process of elimination of the other positions.
First, it should not be any of the backs, since they will be needed to execute backline plays (or defend against them) once the ball is cleared from the lineout.
Consider then the forwards. ...
12
I think your question should refer to non-striker tactics and that's what I will refer to in my answer.
First of all Barcelona are playing, like Spain, without a real striker but they have Messi (Villa who isn't a typical #9 was injured), and as you can see they are very successful.
You have to read the following amazing and interesting article:
http://...
12
Chelsea under Mourinho used a defensive triangle anchored by Claude Makelele, the advantages of which are described here by the coach himself.
Look, if I have a triangle in midfield – Claude Makelele behind and two others just in front – I will always have an advantage against a pure 4-4-2 where the central midfielders are side by side. That’s because I ...
12
I think you need to distinguish two separate attributes here: First, there are team sports, meaning multiple individuals work together, vs. individual sports. And second, there are sports where the participants react to each others' actions vs. sports where the participants' performances are each measured on some objective scale and the best performer wins.
...
12
We cannot say for sure what the exact reason was, unless Van Gaal goes out and specifies why he's put in Krul instead of the starting GK Cillessen.
Here are some relevant facts tho:
Cillessen is 1.88 m whereas Tim Krul is 1.93 (as recorded on Wiki page for respective players). So there is a 5 cm difference in their height. How that difference reflects to ...
12
Typically, a fair catch is called when no yards will be gained if a return was attempted, e.g., when a player of the kicking team is going to crush the returner the moment the ball touches him. It allows the receiving team to safely retain possession while saving the defenseless returner from taking a crushing hit from a player moving at full steam. So yes, ...
12
I doubt something like AS Adema 149–0 SO l'Emyrne will happen here.
FIFA has some fair play regulations giving them the possibility to act accordingly and they're warned. It will be possible to disqualify a team trying to lose deliberately.
The Regulations for Russia 2018:
Rule 5.4:
On entering the competition, the participating member associations and
...
11
As has been noted, keepers do sometimes come up to act as an attacker during the game, though they are never really subbed out for another attacking player. A couple things to keep in mind from The Laws of the Game.
Players
Page 15: "A match is played by two teams, each consisting of not more than eleven
players, one of whom is the goalkeeper"
Page 16: "...
11
It's hard enough to score in American football when you have half an hour to score in. Trying to score when you have 0:30 left in the game? Nearly impossible, if you're on your side of the field.
The fundamental problem here is that the defense knows what's going on. They know you have 0:30 left, and need to get to the 30 yard line or so in order to kick ...
10
According to this article, up to two defensive players can have helmets with radios/microphones to communicate with their defensive coaches, starting in the 2008 NFL season. However, only one player can have a radio on the field at any given play. Each of these radio-equipped helmets is marked with a green dot.
Usage:
As with the offensive transmitters, ...
10
Video - Matt Holiday did this in an extra inning game against the Brewers in 2014 with the game tied 3-3 and a runner on 3rd.
10
Absolutely. I can remember at least a couple of games I've watched where the game was tied and a deep fly ball was hit into foul territory with a runner on 3rd - the outfielder just let it drop so that they didn't have to try and make the throw to home plate to try and get the runner out that would have been tagging up.
10
Basically the squib kick is used at the end of the half or end of the game to run out the clock, and keep the ball away from a top of the line return guy. You basically pooch it down the field so someone bigger has to pick it up and run with it, instead of putting it in the hands of the other teams return specialist.
According to Wikipedia:
The Squib ...
9
If you have great confidence in your players, and expect them to be able to make an equal score given enough time, then you may be willing to let your opponent score NOW so your team has more time for a score of their own.
Obviously this is a very, very risky decision. If you happen to not score on that possession (as the Patriots did) you lose the game. ...
9
Game theory comes into play in American football play-calling. To simplify the game, consider that the offense can run either a running play or a passing play. The passing play generally has potential for more yards gained, but less chance of success than a running play. The defense, on the other hand, also chooses a play that is either focused on ...
9
It means the team without the ball, moves higher up the pitch to put pressure on the team with the ball, with the idea of getting the ball back or forcing the other team to make a mistake.
Say, teamA has the ball near their own goal. Then teamB will start putting pressure on teamA, by moving higher in the direction of teamA's goal. Players of teamB will ...
9
You don't see this in soccer. If a team is desperate to score a goal, the goalie comes out of his net and plays in the middle or front. For example when there is a corner kick, the goalie could go all the way to the opposite box to score.
However, this happens often in indoor soccer. The goalie comes out at the end of the game replaced by an attacker. But ...
9
The biggest difference is in the number of Defensive Backs on the field for the play, and you would use the dime defense to prevent the mid to longer range passes. A couple of explanations below will help clarify it for you. While it is great in the pass game, it does leave the defense susceptible to the run.
In American football, the dime defense is a ...
8
The New Jersey Devils used a similar setup back in the mid 90's. It was so revolutionary that it knocked fans out of their seats -- and into their beds ;)
The 1-3-1 is a type of neutral zone trap, which many teams will employ situationally at different points in the game. It is a natural evolution of the single forechecker on a penalty kill, and is often ...
8
Motorsport often fits this scenario - i.e. one team with multiple "players" (drivers) on track competing against many other teams and specifically in the case of Formula One, there is a teams' (Constuctor's) championship that they are playing for.
8
There is no requirement to have a wicket-keeper at all times. However, according to Law 40.1:
If by his actions and positioning it is apparent to the umpires that he will not be able to discharge his duties as a wicket-keeper, he shall forfeit this right and also the right to be recognised as a wicket-keeper
He will therefore not be allowed to keep ...
8
I cannot speak to cricket, but in baseball there is a system of who has precedence in a fly ball situation:
Outfielders have precedence over infielders
Infielders have precedence over the catcher and pitcher
Catchers have precedence over the pitcher
When it comes to who has precedence within the outfield, or infield it is as follows:
The center fielder ...
7
It is certainly 4-4-2 as almost all teams in England were using that formation back then.
Of course the English Premier League didn't exist in the 1980s as it started in 1992, but I have assumed the question relates to the top-flight English league, so that would be Division One (the First Division) pre-1992.
One reason often cited for the poor performance ...
7
There is a game I played in primary school that we call 'Rob the Nest'. This is the only thing I can think of that satisfies all the criteria
It is team game
Multiple teams (usually 4) play simultaneously and there can be only 1 winner
Players need to react to the actions of the opposing players
This is not a 'race', it is a game like football etc where ...
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