FIFA have released their nominees for the Puskas 2017 Award, and Arsenal’s scorpion kick scored by Olivier Giroud has made the list, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s similar finish did not.
Manchester United fans have reacted with frustration following the announcement of the Puskas nominations, with Mkhitaryan being overlooked for the award.
The Armenian forward won December’s Premier League Goal of the Month award for a spectacular acrobatic scorpion kick, but failed to be selected for the coveted award.
Controversially, Giroud failed to win January’s GotM award despite scoring his own spectacular goal, losing out to Andy Carroll’s scissor kick, while the West Ham star’s goal was overlooked.
The likelihood is that Giroud was selected over the United star could well have been because Mkhitaryan was in an offside position whilst breaking through to score his goal, but why the Frenchman was selected over Carroll’s is another story.
Another reason why the Arsenal man’s was favoured could well be that his goal was boosted by the ball striking the underside of the bar, giving the goalkeeper much less chance of denying the goal, but United fans refuse to accept the decision.
Are we biased in favouring Giroud? Should Mkhitaryan have been denied his GotM award for being offside? Would the United goal have been included or favoured if he was onside?
Pat J
The fact that FIFA chose Olivier ‘ s goal brings to bare the curuption, ineptitude and the extent of bias in the Premier league. Everyone knew Giroud’s goal was better than the two mentioned above; how on earth can anyone benefit from wrong doing? Well that could only happen in the premier league cause it is childishly wrought with curruption.
I don’t see why the Matic goal got picked. Surely there were plenty of long range efforts throughout Europe. After seeing the panel, I think that Britain might have received some favortism, because Celtics goal you will see many like that at Barcelona Bayern PSG, you’ll see better. I voted for the goal scored by Barcelona v Dortmund, up until that point I honestly thought Girouds was best, but your man just looks ridiculous scoring that goal, like Playstation Fifa type stuff.
I don’t think it’s corruption, but the amount of influences pundits have on decisions. Most of them are not Arsenal lovers because they played for other teams. So unless it is as clear as a day, we have no chance.
FIFA knows d best
They are both suitable candidates. Mkhitaryan can’t be faulted for a brilliant finish just because a linesman missed a call. The goal was counted and he did nothing unsportsmanlike such as handling it or something. Maybe they are thinking the goals are so similar in style they should only pick one of the two, and perhaps the offside did tip the scale toward OG?
plus the buid up for OG goal
Couse it offside goal
That it and the end
I’m pissed when both goals are compared. Miki own was offside nd Giroud wasn’t.
Giroud had a tremendous flick and counter to his goal; miki own wasn’t.
Giroud goal was the winning nd miki I presume was the 4th
Giroud goal came off the crossbar which makes it classlier.
The only advantage of miki over giroud is that miki meant to do it and must be commended but giroud is still better.
I wish Giroud could really win this…I love him for his loyalty to Arsenal even though he isn’t the best out there. I’d take a comitted less talented player over a sulking world class one
I don’t know why Mkhitaryan won when he was offside, but maybe Carrol was chosen over Giroud because people thought it required less luck and more skill. Then maybe the reason Giroud was chosen for the FIFA one was that Giroud’s was the best scorpion kick in the world this last year but Carrol’s was beaten by better bicycle/scissor kicks this year. They probably just wanted a variety of the best.