Pepe Reina’s Disaster: Explained?

If you’e a Liverpool fan or even just a Pepe Reina fan, then don’t watch the above video. First the Spanish keeper fails miserably to beat Arsenal’s Marouane Chamakh to the cross. Which is bad enough. But then when Reina gets lucky and the ball not only bounces back off the post, but also bounces directly towards his supposedly safe hands, the ball still somehow squirms out of Reina’s grasp and over the line.

How is this possible? Well, at first I thought it was maybe a little mean of Chamakh to celebrate a goal he almost certainly won’t be credited with. But if you watch the above video very very carefully you can see Arsenal’s Moroccan striker apply a thick layer of Vaseline to the ball when meeting the cross.

Further reading:
Ed’s match report at Liverpool Offside.
Martin’s player ratings at Arsenal Offside (plus some observations about karma and Reina’s role in Cesc Fabregas Barça shirt gate)

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Category: English Premier League