Top 10 Goals On The Counter-Attack

Everyone loves a goal on the counter-attack because they're the goals that get the fans excited and off their seats.

They're also the goals that turn defence into attack within the space of a few seconds because of the pace at which they're scored at.

To score an effective goal on the counter-attack, your team needs to have players with pace because you want to get the ball from one end to the other as quick as you can and to do that, you need players who are quick and direct.

There have been a number of different kind of counter-attack goals including long balls from just outside your own penalty area, quick break goals and even solo goals.

Solo goals only count as goals on the counter attack when they start inside your own half as the player can turn defence into attack when they're on their solo run.

There are a few solo goals on the list as well as the other kind of goals I mentioned earlier.

Now here is the list:

Mohamed Salah - West Ham v Liverpool - 2017

Yaya Toure - Man City v Aston Villa - 2014

Heung Min Son - Tottenham v Burnley - 2019

Wayne Rooney - Man United v Bolton - 2007

Olivier Giroud - Arsenal v Crystal Palace - 2017

Loic Remy - QPR v Wigan - 2013

Jamie Vardy - Leicester v Liverpool - 2016

Thierry Henry - Arsenal v Tottenham - 2002

Bernardo Silva - Aston Villa v Man City - 2021

Anthony Martial - Man United v Stoke - 2016

10. Anthony Martial - Man United v Stoke

I had to have Martial's goal against Stoke at no.10 because the build up to the goal was quite slow compared to other goals scored on the counter attack.

After stopping a Stoke attack, Man United played a few passes inside their own half before they launched the ball towards the Stoke final third through Matteo Darmian's ball to Juan Mata.

Stoke got enough men back into their own half whilst Mata had the ball before he quickly played it to Rooney who then found Martial who hit a curling striker into the top corner.

The goal itself was brilliant as Martial controlled the ball with his left foot before hitting the curling shot with his right.

9. Mohamed Salah - West Ham v Liverpool

Salah's goal against West Ham started as soon as Liverpool defended a West Ham corner as he received the ball from the headed clearance on the edge of his own penalty area before playing the ball to Sadio Mane, who carried the ball from inside his own half before playing the ball to Salah inside the penalty area to score.

As soon as Liverpool cleared the ball away, both Salah and Mane were on the break in a flash as they ran with pace towards the West Ham goal before Salah scored the goal.

I could've had another Salah goal against West Ham in his strike against them in 2021. But this one for me was the better of the two because the build up was quicker.

8. Wayne Rooney - Man United v Bolton

Rooney's goal against Bolton started inside his own penalty area after Cristiano Ronaldo intercepted a Bolton flick on from a throw-in before he performed a quick one-two with Rooney to start the counter attack.

Ronaldo dribbled with the ball with pace into the Bolton half and when he saw Rooney making the run beyond him, he fed the ball to Rooney who chipped the ball over Jussi Jaaskelainen.

This goal was scored with pace and turned defence into attack within a matter of seconds as Man United got the ball forward quickly the moment they intercepted the Bolton thrown-in.

It was also the partnership between Ronaldo and Rooney at its best because of the link up between both players in the build up.

7. Bernardo Silva - Aston Villa v Man City

Silva's goal against Villa was a first time volley into the top corner and the build up to the goal was quick and incisive

The build up started inside the City penalty area when Joao Cancelo headed away Matty Cash's cross to Riyad Mahrez who played the ball back to Cancelo who headed the ball back to Mahrez.

Mahrez managed to play the ball to Fernandinho whilst under pressure before Fernandinho found Gabriel Jesus, who picked out Silva with a delightful ball into the box which Silva volleyed first time into the back of the net.

6. Loic Remy - QPR v Wigan

Remy's goal against Wigan started from a Wigan free kick which hit the wall and it was from that moment QPR launched their counter-attack.

Stephane Mbia collected the ball from the blocked free kick and carried it into the Wigan half and with pace before feeding Remy just outside the penalty area.

The goal itself was a brilliant strike as Remy hit it first time just outside the box from a difficult angle and into the top corner.

5. Jamie Vardy - Leicester v Liverpool

Vardy's goal against Liverpool was a goal that typified Leicester's title winning season in that it was a long ball over the top for Vardy to run onto.

The ball into Vardy came from Riyad Mahrez inside Leicester's own half and it instantly turned defence into attack as Vardy made the run the moment the ball left Mahrez's boot.

The pass from Mahrez was sublime and the finish from Vardy was just incredible as he hit it first time on the half volley from a difficult angle.

4. Olivier Giroud - Arsenal v Crystal Palace

This goal from Giroud was his famous scorpion kick and the lead up to it was quick and incisive.

The build up to the goal started when Lucas Perez got back to intercept a Crystal Palace pass and what followed was quick and decisive passes.

Bellerin got the counter-attack started when he gave the ball to Giroud who backheeled it to Xhaka, who gave it to Iwobi who passed it to Sanchez who delivered the cross for Giroud to finish off and he did it in style.

This goal was the PUSCAS award in 2017 which is why I had to have it in my top five as well as the finish at the end of the move.

3. Yaya Toure - Man City v Aston Villa

Toure scored this goal all by himself as he received the ball inside his own half from Aleksandar Kolarov's short pass before going on a mazy run and scoring the goal.

He beat two Villa defenders during his mazy run where he used strength and power to hold off the Villa defenders trying to win the ball and make the run towards goal.

He turned defence into attack the moment he received the ball as he drove forward with it as soon as it arrived at his feet.

2. Thierry Henry - Arsenal v Tottenham

Henry scored many incredible goals throughout his time at Arsenal and this one was right up there among the best he scored.

He scored this goal all by himself as he received the ball deep inside his own half before going on an epic solo run which ended with him placing the ball into the bottom corner just inside the Spurs penalty area.

He turned defence into attack by going on the solo run he went on during which he was barely challenged for the ball.

1. Heung Min Son - Tottenham v Burnley

This goal from Son had to be my no.1 because he ran almost the entire length of the pitch on his way to scoring this incredible goal.

He turned defence into attack when he was about midway inside his own half as that was when he increased his speed and really drove at the Burnley defence.

His run started on the edge of his own penalty area and he beat about five or six Burnley players on his journey towards the goal and putting the ball in the back of the net.

This goal was a winner of the PUSCAS award and deservedly so because it was just an incredible goal to watch.

MY TOP 10:

1. Heung Min Son - Tottenham v Burnley

2. Thierry Henry - Arsenal v Tottenham

3. Yaya Toure - Man City v Aston Villa

4. Olivier Giroud - Arsenal v Crystal Palace

5. Jamie Vardy - Leicester v Liverpool

6. Loic Remy - QPR v Wigan

7. Bernardo Silva - Aston Villa v Man City

8. Wayne Rooney - Man United v Bolton

9. Mohamed Salah - West Ham v Liverpool

10. Anthony Martial - Man United v Stoke