Anatomy of a wonder goal: From Steven Gerrard to Gary Lineker, they've all had their say on Kemar Roofe's moment of genius

BlueMeanie

Well-Known Member

Anatomy of a wonder goal: From Steven Gerrard to Gary Lineker, they've all had their say on Kemar Roofe's moment of genius... now for the first time the Rangers ace reveals how he scored from inside his own half against Standard Liege last week​

  • Roofe's wonder goal sealed a 2-0 victory over Standard Liege in Europa League
  • The forward hit a 55-yard strike that sailed above the Standard Liege goalkeeper
  • Gerrard said it was the best goal he's seen live since being a professional



It started with a tackle. And then another. There was even need for a little dribble. But then, in Kemar Roofe’s own words, ‘I just had to get rid’.
What followed was a goal Rangers boss Steven Gerrard described as the best he had ever seen live. ‘Genius’ he called it, a 55-yard strike that sailed above the Standard Liege goalkeeper and into the net, bouncing only once, right on the goal-line.
That Roofe executed his effort on a pitch submerged in water added to its audacity. The 93rd-minute goal sealed a 2-0 victory during last Thursday’s Europa League opener in Belgium, the country where Walsall-born Roofe played before this summer’s £4.5million move from Anderlecht to Ibrox.
Kemar Roofe's wonder goal sealed a 2-0 victory over Standard Liege in the Europa League




Kemar Roofe's wonder goal sealed a 2-0 victory over Standard Liege in the Europa League



And the 27-year-old told Sportsmail: ‘I came on with about 15 minute to go, just to help protect a 1-0 lead really. My main focus was to be a release for the defence.
‘So I was dropping back, trying to be an extra body. The ball fell and I managed to get around it. All I’m thinking is, “Win the tackle, if I don’t, they’re in a good position”. I won the ball but it wriggled out. I ran through a second tackle. You don’t want to let the boys down.
‘But then another defender comes towards me. Okay, I’ll just nick it around him. In my mind I’m like, “Keep the ball. Keep the ball”. My plan was to run as far as I could with it.’
The only problem for Roofe was the pitch. He would have needed a boat and not boots to reach the corner flag.
‘They were the worst conditions I’ve ever experienced as a professional. The manager even told us not to pass the ball on the grass, if you’re going to pass then do it in the air. You were running through puddles.
The Rangers forward won the ball deep inside his own half before escaping his man


+5
The Rangers forward won the ball deep inside his own half before escaping his man
‘So I’ve got away from the traffic and thought, “You know what, I’m going to have a go here”. It was either run for the corner, which was impossible, or shoot for the bottom corner - I just had to get rid!’
Get rid he did.
‘As I shot I fell on the floor and lost track of the ball. But it took an age. Honestly, it felt like it took minutes, not seconds. You then see it land, finally. Wow.’
Wow, indeed.
‘My old coaches used to get frustrated with me trying this sort of thing at least once a season. But in that situation the keeper is always out of his goal. If you can get it on target then it will go in. That’s easier said than done, though.’
How close has he come to pulling it off previously?
‘Not very… it usually trickles wide! Growing up I had a bucket list of goals I wanted to score. Every Christmas I’d get the compilation DVDs of Premier League goals, so I was aware of David Beckham’s (in 1996), even though I was only three at the time.
The 27-year-old collected the ball and lobbed the Standard Liege keeper from 55 yards


+5
The 27-year-old collected the ball and lobbed the Standard Liege keeper from 55 yards
‘I’ve always had it in my head, “I wish i could score from my own half one day”. And now that I have it hasn’t really sunk in. I think I’ll only look back when I’ve retired and really appreciate how good a goal it was.’
Piers Morgan tweeted the goal to his 7.6million followers and, at last count, the online views were over three million. Not that Roofe is counting.
‘Every day someone tells me something new - Piers Morgan, American TV. It’s crazy. But I honestly don’t watch any of it. If someone doesn’t tell me then I won’t know. I never watch TV. I’m not on Twitter.
‘That’s the way I like living when it comes to football. I keep my focus on me. It’s easier that way. I may regret it when I retire, think that maybe I should have lived in the moment a bit more. But that’s just my way of staying grounded.’
Gerrard’s words in the wake of his goal also ensured Roofe was not getting carried away. He laughs as he reveals: ‘The manager said it was the best goal he’d ever seen, but also that he still wouldn’t start me!
‘But I didn’t mind that, we’ve got a plan to get me back to full fitness. He knows what he’s doing. One goal shouldn’t change that.
Roofe executed his effort on a pitch submerged in water in Belgium last Thursday


+5

Roofe executed his effort on a pitch submerged in water in Belgium last Thursday
‘He told me in the dressing-room it was the best he’d ever seen, but I think he was more impressed by the first two tackles and keeping the ball, rather than the strike itself.
‘If you give 100 per cent for him and are brave, that’s what he wants. I really like him. Him and his staff are excellent. Their knowledge, their understanding. It’s not easy to transfer his skills as a player to management, but I think he’s done that. He demands a lot from us. He knows where we want to get to.’
Where they are is top of the Scottish Premiership, six points clear of Celtic in a bid to end their rivals’ run of nine straight titles.
Sunday brought a 2-0 win over Livingston in which Jermain Defoe scored his 300th career goal, an outrageous first-time cushion from a ball over the top.
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard said it was the best goal he's seen live since being a professional


+5

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard said it was the best goal he's seen live since being a professional
‘Jermain is unbelievable. When he scored his goal he ran pointing towards me on the bench. Before the game we were talking about different runs to make, our movement in behind. And then he scores a goal with that exact run. What a goal it was. It must be the goal of the season - in the league anyway!’
BBC Scotland are asking online readers whose goal was best - Roofe or Defoe?
‘I’ll go with whatever you’re saying,’ says Roofe.
We think it was him.
‘Exactly.’
 
Last edited:
Defoes strike was sublime but Roofes goal is a once in a generation. Could easily be argued as up there with the best ever.
If it was Messi or Ronaldo then people , quite rightly be fawning over it and compare it to other wonder goals. The fact it was a Rangers player makes it even more special.
If it was 1 of the 2 you mention that'd scored it the Internet would've melted!
I said very similar to your last sentence in a thread the night Roofe scored it.
 
Defoes has to be known as "The coolest GOAL" A beautiful smooth finish!

Lets not kid ourselves, these two goals in a week has spoilt us and what joy it must have given real football fans all over!

"That GOAL!"
I have seen thousands of goals including recently every nominated goal from the Puskas Award since it started! I have analysed the so called goal of the century the Maradona goal against England and my former no.1 goal of all time Archie Gemmills 1978 World Cup goal and then "That GOAL!" Roofe scored!
I took into consideration pitch, weather, runs, defenders actions and the most difficulty from start to finish!

I already posted my own thoughts and conclusions on another thread without bias and it was hard for me to let go of a goal I had supported for 42 years as the best goal I had ever seen but "That GOAL!" Roofe scored is on a different level, as for Maradona and Gemmill as said I posted my reasoning on another thread!

"That GOAL!"
He won the ball off the first defender then a nutmeg on the 2nd defender whilst being tackled and fended the 2nd defender off twice more, shielding whilst surrounded by a further 2 defenders as he twist and turns sending the 2nd defender the wrong way he then took out the other two defenders he faced with one move by flicking the ball round the 3rd defender and away from the 4th looking up whilst running round other side of 3rd defender seeing the goalie off his line, a little skip to shape up then unleashed the ball into the net followed by the goalie add the rain soaked puddled pitch condition and you have just witnessed a piece of footballing magic with that wow moment of disbelief when you realised he had just scored a goal worthy of the title the greatest goal ever scored!

It stands as imo the greatest goal I have ever seen and starts from where he picked the ball up and what he had to do and did to get into what we all would not have even considered at that time as a goal scoring position and never expected to watch the camera try to keep up with it leaving us all watching waiting then stunned as it went over the line, just WOW!
 
Defoes has to be known as "The coolest GOAL" A beautiful smooth finish!

Lets not kid ourselves, these two goals in a week has spoilt us and what joy it must have given real football fans all over!

"That GOAL!"
I have seen thousands of goals including recently every nominated goal from the Puskas Award since it started! I have analysed the so called goal of the century the Maradona goal against England and my former no.1 goal of all time Archie Gemmills 1978 World Cup goal and then "That GOAL!" Roofe scored!
I took into consideration pitch, weather, runs, defenders actions and the most difficulty from start to finish!

I already posted my own thoughts and conclusions on another thread without bias and it was hard for me to let go of a goal I had supported for 42 years as the best goal I had ever seen but "That GOAL!" Roofe scored is on a different level, as for Maradona and Gemmill as said I posted my reasoning on another thread!

"That GOAL!"
He won the ball off the first defender then a nutmeg on the 2nd defender whilst being tackled and fended the 2nd defender off twice more, shielding whilst surrounded by a further 2 defenders as he twist and turns sending the 2nd defender the wrong way he then took out the other two defenders he faced with one move by flicking the ball round the 3rd defender and away from the 4th looking up whilst running round other side of 3rd defender seeing the goalie off his line, a little skip to shape up then unleashed the ball into the net followed by the goalie add the rain soaked puddled pitch condition and you have just witnessed a piece of footballing magic with that wow moment of disbelief when you realised he had just scored a goal worthy of the title the greatest goal ever scored!

It stands as imo the greatest goal I have ever seen and starts from where he picked the ball up and what he had to do and did to get into what we all would not have even considered at that time as a goal scoring position and never expected to watch the camera try to keep up with it leaving us all watching waiting then stunned as it went over the line, just WOW!

I was at Hampden and witnessed in the flesh Coop's stunning goal in the Dryburgh Cup Final against that mob. I thought I'd never see in my lifetime another goal from a Rangers player to even get near that work of genius. That I'm even reconsidering it says everything about Roofe's goal.
 

Anatomy of a wonder goal: From Steven Gerrard to Gary Lineker, they've all had their say on Kemar Roofe's moment of genius... now for the first time the Rangers ace reveals how he scored from inside his own half against Standard Liege last week​

  • Roofe's wonder goal sealed a 2-0 victory over Standard Liege in Europa League
  • The forward hit a 55-yard strike that sailed above the Standard Liege goalkeeper
  • Gerrard said it was the best goal he's seen live since being a professional



It started with a tackle. And then another. There was even need for a little dribble. But then, in Kemar Roofe’s own words, ‘I just had to get rid’.
What followed was a goal Rangers boss Steven Gerrard described as the best he had ever seen live. ‘Genius’ he called it, a 55-yard strike that sailed above the Standard Liege goalkeeper and into the net, bouncing only once, right on the goal-line.
That Roofe executed his effort on a pitch submerged in water added to its audacity. The 93rd-minute goal sealed a 2-0 victory during last Thursday’s Europa League opener in Belgium, the country where Walsall-born Roofe played before this summer’s £4.5million move from Anderlecht to Ibrox.
Kemar Roofe's wonder goal sealed a 2-0 victory over Standard Liege in the Europa League's wonder goal sealed a 2-0 victory over Standard Liege in the Europa League




Kemar Roofe's wonder goal sealed a 2-0 victory over Standard Liege in the Europa League



And the 27-year-old told Sportsmail: ‘I came on with about 15 minute to go, just to help protect a 1-0 lead really. My main focus was to be a release for the defence.
‘So I was dropping back, trying to be an extra body. The ball fell and I managed to get around it. All I’m thinking is, “Win the tackle, if I don’t, they’re in a good position”. I won the ball but it wriggled out. I ran through a second tackle. You don’t want to let the boys down.
‘But then another defender comes towards me. Okay, I’ll just nick it around him. In my mind I’m like, “Keep the ball. Keep the ball”. My plan was to run as far as I could with it.’
The only problem for Roofe was the pitch. He would have needed a boat and not boots to reach the corner flag.
‘They were the worst conditions I’ve ever experienced as a professional. The manager even told us not to pass the ball on the grass, if you’re going to pass then do it in the air. You were running through puddles.
The Rangers forward won the ball deep inside his own half before escaping his man


+5
The Rangers forward won the ball deep inside his own half before escaping his man
‘So I’ve got away from the traffic and thought, “You know what, I’m going to have a go here”. It was either run for the corner, which was impossible, or shoot for the bottom corner - I just had to get rid!’
Get rid he did.
‘As I shot I fell on the floor and lost track of the ball. But it took an age. Honestly, it felt like it took minutes, not seconds. You then see it land, finally. Wow.’
Wow, indeed.
‘My old coaches used to get frustrated with me trying this sort of thing at least once a season. But in that situation the keeper is always out of his goal. If you can get it on target then it will go in. That’s easier said than done, though.’
How close has he come to pulling it off previously?
‘Not very… it usually trickles wide! Growing up I had a bucket list of goals I wanted to score. Every Christmas I’d get the compilation DVDs of Premier League goals, so I was aware of David Beckham’s (in 1996), even though I was only three at the time.
The 27-year-old collected the ball and lobbed the Standard Liege keeper from 55 yards


+5
The 27-year-old collected the ball and lobbed the Standard Liege keeper from 55 yards
‘I’ve always had it in my head, “I wish i could score from my own half one day”. And now that I have it hasn’t really sunk in. I think I’ll only look back when I’ve retired and really appreciate how good a goal it was.’
Piers Morgan tweeted the goal to his 7.6million followers and, at last count, the online views were over three million. Not that Roofe is counting.
‘Every day someone tells me something new - Piers Morgan, American TV. It’s crazy. But I honestly don’t watch any of it. If someone doesn’t tell me then I won’t know. I never watch TV. I’m not on Twitter.
‘That’s the way I like living when it comes to football. I keep my focus on me. It’s easier that way. I may regret it when I retire, think that maybe I should have lived in the moment a bit more. But that’s just my way of staying grounded.’
Gerrard’s words in the wake of his goal also ensured Roofe was not getting carried away. He laughs as he reveals: ‘The manager said it was the best goal he’d ever seen, but also that he still wouldn’t start me!
‘But I didn’t mind that, we’ve got a plan to get me back to full fitness. He knows what he’s doing. One goal shouldn’t change that.
Roofe executed his effort on a pitch submerged in water in Belgium last Thursday


+5

Roofe executed his effort on a pitch submerged in water in Belgium last Thursday
‘He told me in the dressing-room it was the best he’d ever seen, but I think he was more impressed by the first two tackles and keeping the ball, rather than the strike itself.
‘If you give 100 per cent for him and are brave, that’s what he wants. I really like him. Him and his staff are excellent. Their knowledge, their understanding. It’s not easy to transfer his skills as a player to management, but I think he’s done that. He demands a lot from us. He knows where we want to get to.’
Where they are is top of the Scottish Premiership, six points clear of Celtic in a bid to end their rivals’ run of nine straight titles.
Sunday brought a 2-0 win over Livingston in which Jermain Defoe scored his 300th career goal, an outrageous first-time cushion from a ball over the top.
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard said it was the best goal he's seen live since being a professional's seen live since being a professional


+5

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard said it was the best goal he's seen live since being a professional
‘Jermain is unbelievable. When he scored his goal he ran pointing towards me on the bench. Before the game we were talking about different runs to make, our movement in behind. And then he scores a goal with that exact run. What a goal it was. It must be the goal of the season - in the league anyway!’
BBC Scotland are asking online readers whose goal was best - Roofe or Defoe?
‘I’ll go with whatever you’re saying,’ says Roofe.
We think it was him.
‘Exactly.’
Walsall born.......I was sure I read he was Jamaican!!!
 
If he had picked up the ball just outside their box, it would still have been a superb goal but, to do it from just outside his own box, raises it to another level.
 
Has anyone noticed that he appears to backheel nutmeg one of their players.
It was audacious and the last audacious goal was wee Alf's when Candeias backheeled the ball to him after having blocked it at the edge of our penalty box.
 
Another great goal that was a hard technique has just come back to me...

Boydy at Firhill. Davis (I think) long ball over the top. Boydy let it drop over his right shoulder and took it first time on the volley on his left foot. Was a great goal. Think the other goal in that game was decent too from memory.
 
I think the last Rangers goal that came close to amazing me like that was Pedro Mendes against Caley Thistle.

Or Mendes against them.

Or even Mendes against Partick Thistle.

Okay so basically any goal that Pedro Mendes scored, otherwise I can't think of another Rangers goal that shocked me the same way as Roofe's.
Mendes v Thistle wasn't even the best goal in that game, Boyd's was a worldly.
 
Defoes has to be known as "The coolest GOAL" A beautiful smooth finish!

Lets not kid ourselves, these two goals in a week has spoilt us and what joy it must have given real football fans all over!

"That GOAL!"
I have seen thousands of goals including recently every nominated goal from the Puskas Award since it started! I have analysed the so called goal of the century the Maradona goal against England and my former no.1 goal of all time Archie Gemmills 1978 World Cup goal and then "That GOAL!" Roofe scored!
I took into consideration pitch, weather, runs, defenders actions and the most difficulty from start to finish!

I already posted my own thoughts and conclusions on another thread without bias and it was hard for me to let go of a goal I had supported for 42 years as the best goal I had ever seen but "That GOAL!" Roofe scored is on a different level, as for Maradona and Gemmill as said I posted my reasoning on another thread!

"That GOAL!"
He won the ball off the first defender then a nutmeg on the 2nd defender whilst being tackled and fended the 2nd defender off twice more, shielding whilst surrounded by a further 2 defenders as he twist and turns sending the 2nd defender the wrong way he then took out the other two defenders he faced with one move by flicking the ball round the 3rd defender and away from the 4th looking up whilst running round other side of 3rd defender seeing the goalie off his line, a little skip to shape up then unleashed the ball into the net followed by the goalie add the rain soaked puddled pitch condition and you have just witnessed a piece of footballing magic with that wow moment of disbelief when you realised he had just scored a goal worthy of the title the greatest goal ever scored!

It stands as imo the greatest goal I have ever seen and starts from where he picked the ball up and what he had to do and did to get into what we all would not have even considered at that time as a goal scoring position and never expected to watch the camera try to keep up with it leaving us all watching waiting then stunned as it went over the line, just WOW!
The nutmeg on the 2nd defender was executed by the use of a little back heel flick to himself as the ball had got caught up in the pitch slightly, it happens that quick you almost miss it.
 
Just to let everyone know, you can see me jumping up and down in the background with arms outstretched as the ball heads over the keeper.
 
Another great goal that was a hard technique has just come back to me...

Boydy at Firhill. Davis (I think) long ball over the top. Boydy let it drop over his right shoulder and took it first time on the volley on his left foot. Was a great goal. Think the other goal in that game was decent too from memory.
Boyd also scored a cracker at East End Park too with another volley, but from outside the box.

 
The nutmeg on the 2nd defender was executed by the use of a little back heel flick to himself as the ball had got caught up in the pitch slightly, it happens that quick you almost miss it.
I did miss it which led me to watch many times, I wish it could be seen in slow motion but everything that happened that day adds up to the greatest goal ever scored!

I had a debate with @M_R3IDY_M on twitter who laughed off my comparison with Maradona goal against England so I challenged him to give his analysis of Maradona goal to show he didn't follow the crowd and had some substance for saying Roofes goal came nowhere near Maradona's goal but I have heard nothing past few days tells all I need to know!

I saw full game and remember before he scored he was getting foul after foul and when that run came I seemed to have seen something different as they raved about his run whereby I questioned the English players for weak tackling in fact out of the 3 goals Maradona, Gemmill and Roofe's If you watch you will see the half hearted weakest tackles came against Maradona to think Reid, Butcher (twice) and Fenwick had chances to tackle with commitment even block path give a foul all failed and so tamely it cost them the goal and the game?

Ah well back to the racing then on to tonights game COME ON! WATP
 
If he had picked up the ball just outside their box, it would still have been a superb goal but, to do it from just outside his own box, raises it to another level.
If he had picked up the ball from outside their box then run into his own half passing and barging 4 of their players and then turned inside his own half and whacked it back over the goalie that would actually have been some goal.
 
Has anyone noticed that he appears to backheel nutmeg one of their players.
It was audacious and the last audacious goal was wee Alf's when Candeias backheeled the ball to him after having blocked it at the edge of our penalty box.
I noticed it, but it took me about 2 hours and 300 views after he scored it to spot it.

I said at the time (possibly on the match thread) “The best goal I’ve ever seen just got even better.”
 
Back
Top