The delap throw...

[blueplan]

There is a scientific basis in cleaning, drying (reduced weight of moisture, particulates etc), rubbing and warming up the ball. It will enhanced the trajectory and flight of the ball.

By using a 'towel' Delap does affect the ball. These are the esoteric tools of a thrower or a ball striker in most sports. Any slight advantage adds up. In Delap's case
1. Delap's technical ability acquired through background as a javelin thrower.
2. Width of the field and 'towel' provisioning
3. Throwing is more pinpoint accurate than kicking, especially when target has prior experience with the thrower (who can identified opponents weak spots etc.)

So all these tiny advantages adds up eh?

My suggestion nice time either don't give him a towel or provide him with a wet or greasy towel .

 

[Drayk]

It's like a goalkeeper putting bin lids on the back of his gloves to make his hands bigger.

thats a cracking idea.

to be fair, if we had someone who was setting up loads of goals in the same way as delap we would not be complaining.....

 

[happy]

god knows how idiots can watch them week in and week out.

In fairness there's not much else to do in Stoke is there, what are the entertainment options open to them? There's only so may windows you can lick.

 

[Drayk]

god knows how idiots can watch them week in and week out.

In fairness there's not much else to do in Stoke is there, what are the entertainment options open to them? There's only so may windows you can lick.

haha im from stoke, true though....

 

[c4lv3rt]

Personally if they played at the bottom of our fuckin` garden,I wouldn,t open the blinds or curtains to watch those twats !!
The worst of the worst thats ever been in the PL for years.
Hate there style of play and god knows how idiots can watch them week in and week out.
BORING,BORING,BORING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bloody hell oakie.....calm down!!! I detect a rise in blood pressure just at the shear mention of the famous Stoke City!!!.........Better keep those blinds closed then shag cos we're here to stay ;-)

will you sjoke inbreds just do 1 back to your own forum PLEASE

 

[J-Bay Blue]

Lots of players take 20-30 seconds standing around, looking around, walking up the sideline, etc, before throwing the ball in. The thing that shits me is that Delap gets a towel. Who else uses a towel? Most players use their shirt. He shouldn't be allowed a towel in my opinion.

A very good point - could one of the rules experts / part-time referees please answer the following:

1. Is De Lap not breaking the rules by using a "foreign object aid" - the towel (similar to the rules in golf that prevent pros from using distance calculators, and the rule that prevents cricketers from tampering with the ball)

2. What is the minimum distance that the opposition must stand from the touchline when De Lap takes a throw-in (ie in a Rugby Union line-out, it is 5 metres). I guess that De Lap could always take the throw from further back, but then he would lose distance.
Could opposition teams assemble a wall of players just in front of him, as is the case with free kicks?

Love them or hate them (the latter in my case), you have to acknowledge that Stoke have scored a lot of goals from De Lap's throw-ins (I can think of at least 8).

*Someone* needs to find a way to neutralise these long throw-ins (I remember they were all the rage in the early 1970's - seemed to have disappeared until recently).


Interesting to see that part of the reason for De Lap's distance on throw-ins is apparently that he was a good Javelin thrower.

I was District under 16 Javelin record holder at School (nearly speared our geography teacher with a no-throw one sports day!) - perhaps I should give Roberto a call and offer my services?