How to Score: Science and the Beautiful Game

Revealing the secret science that lies behind "the beautiful game," from international team formations to the psychology of the pitch and the changing room, Ken Bray describes the influences that impact upon 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, midfield, or defenders? How do we know when a ball has crossed the goal-line? And, how can teams win a penalty shoot out? Analyzing many of the most memorable games of the last 50 years and the tactics of our favorite international and local footballers, this book also touches 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.