Gary Neville was amazed by how far the defensive wall of Arsenal was before Bruno Fernandes Manchester United fired in Sunday's game in Old Trafford.
The United Captain opened the score just before half -time with a fairly flat effort of more than 25 meters.
Before the free kick was taken, Neville said as he commented on Sky Sports', the wall looks a fair way back. It seems that it gives him a chance. It looks a mile back. '
After he saw the ball hit the net, Neville added: 'Can we put a measure on it? Because that wall was absolutely miles away. Usually you see the wall, in particular a large wall, it always looks very difficult to get it in time to time.
'There seemed to be so much space, so much space that he didn't even have to go that high in the net. And he (David Raya) could not happen. But you thought he and he delivered. '
Opposition players are supposed to be 10 meters away from the ball when defending a free kick.
Where the defenders are, however, is not up to the players themselves. The estimated distance is measured by the referee, usually by counting his steps.
The wall of Arsenal on Sunday, as characterized by referee Anthony Taylor, was later revealed as 11.2 meters away from the ball, according to Sky Sports.
Colleague Sky Sports Pundit Jamie Redknapp was very impressed by the strike of Fernandes, but not because of the positioning of Arsenal keeper Raya.
“It's a bit like Drogba and Ronaldo technology,” said Redknapp during the break. 'You can view the positioning of the keeper.
'I think what you are trying to do is a top spider. That gets the extra power. And that moves so quickly.
“And he's still … The goalkeeper may have been a garden. Once that ball has passed him, look, he is still miles away from it. '
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