How To Score: Science And The Beautiful Game (Paperback)

How to Score reveals the science behind 'the beautiful game'. From international team formations to the psychology of the pitch and the changing room, Ken Bray explains the factors that influence play. He answers many of football's hottest questions: what is the perfect way to take a free kick? Which players are under more stress, attackers, midfielders or defenders? How do we know when a ball has crossed the goal line? And how can teams win a penalty shoot-out? How to Score analyses many of the most memorable games over the last fifty years and the tactics of our favourite international and local footballers, as well as touching on big scientific themes such as aerodynamics, computer simulation and game analysis, via a brief journey into football's history. Drawing on the latest research from the fields of physics, biology, physiology, computing and psychology, football's hidden rules are illuminated like never before. From down the pub to on the terraces, we love to talk about football, and How to Score is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the game's secrets.