Video Stars: Goals & gaffes galore from the week just gone
There is perhaps only one thing better than watching people who are paid to play football produce a sublime bit of skill or score a spectacular goal.
And that is seeing them make a total hash of it!
We've gathered the very best and worst of the week's goalmouth action right here so you don't have to go searching for it. Isn't that nice...
BACK OF THE WRONG NET
We'll kick off with an own-goal hit parade, with this pearler from Sporting Gijon's Jorge - his second in as many weeks. The defender put Recreativo 1-0 up with this effort, a finish any striker would have been proud of.
Meanwhile in Serie B, Treviso's defence obviously decided they would hand victory to the visitors Bari by scoring two own goals in one game. First William Pianu headed this one past his own keeper, before Luca Mezzano made absolutely sure, tapping home from close range.
The only consolation for Crystal PalaceâÂÂs Clint Hill was that Ipswich were already leading 3-1 when he expertly headed home from a corner.
Hill: "Sod it"
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While Nancy goalie Gennaro Bracigliano didn't stand a chance when defender Andre Luiz shinned this lob over his head to give Toulouse a 1-0 lead.
"KEEPER'S BALL"
Onwards with more howlers we must go, and next we laugh at the last line of defence... goalkeepers.
Former Gooner goalie Alex Manninger, now of Juve, obviously wasn't that bothered about saving this free kick from Cristian Ladesma, choosing to give the ball a friendly wave as it sailed over his head to put Lazio 1-0 up.
Bristol City's Brazilian keeper Adriano Basso was being similarly friendly to this Michael Kightly cross, his cheery wave getting nowhere near the ball, allowing Wolves' Neill Collins the simplest of goals.
And keep watching as Basso followed that up with the worst clearance since the last day at Woolworths, kicking the ball straight at Kightly who played in Matt Jarvis for Wolvesâ second.
Anything a Brazilian can do, Barnet's Ran Kadoch can do better. With his side 1-0 up at Underhill the Israeli keeper tried to reach a hopeful punt towards his goal first. He came, he flapped, he missed, and Dagenham's Mark Nwokeji tapped home the equaliser.
Basso: "Bugger it"
While his team were defending a 1-0 lead at the Bernabeu, Osasuna keeper Roberto Fernandez suffered from a terrible case of butter fingers, misjudging this long range effort from Sergio Ramos. Real Madrid added a couple more to wrap up a 3-1 win.\
But pick of this week's keeper calamities comes from Steeve Elana of Brest in the French second division.
Already losing 1-0 to Guingamp in a cup match, Elana came dashing out to clear the ball, but only succeeded in whacking it straight at Guingamp striker Badara Sene who watched as the ball rebounded into the empty net.
MEET THE MISSUS
Harry Redknapp's famous 'arm around the shoulder' routine was nowhere to be seen on Sunday after Darren Bent squandered this chance to give Spurs all three points against Portsmouth.
"My missus could have scored that one," Redknapp said after the game, perhaps wondering if Daniel Levy would sanction a move for her.
Perhaps Bent had been watching Wigan's Amir Zaki at Manchester City when the striker showed how to miss like an Egyptian with this unbelievable header over the bar from barely a yard out.
The Central Coast Mariners were all at sea at the weekend having been sunk 3-0 by the Melbourne Victory, but perhaps they could have thrown themselves a lifeline (all right, we'll stop the nautical jokes now) had unmarked Mariners striker Matt Simon not missed this sitter from eight yards.
Zaki: "Huh?"
GOL!
Despite the evidence above, not all footballers are plodding imbeciles with the coordination of John Sergeant after a bottle of scotch.
Some are capable of some pretty nifty footwork, so let's have a look.
Julio 'the Beast' Baptista showed more skill in one moment than he showed in a whole year with Arsenal when he scored an injury-time bicycle-kick winner for Roma at Torino.
Ajax's Spanish midfielder Gabri waited until five minutes into injury time before making it 4-2 at NEC with this cool lob.
And we'll stay in the Eredivisie with Schteve McClaren's FC Twente, for whom good work from Eljero Elia set up Kenneth Perez to hit the winner against Vitesse with a sweet 20-yard strike.
Baptista magics up three-points for Roma
In France, Monaco's Columbian winger showed the fans why there really is 'only one Juan Pablo Pino' with this great solo effort, twisting two Caen defenders inside out before unleashing a 20-yarder into the far corner.
Former Hammer Paul Konchesky returned to haunt West Ham last weekend with Fulham, crashing home a long-range rocket with his lefty. It brought back memories of his outlandish strike in the 2006 FA Cup final with West Ham, except this time he meant it.
Over in Spain, Real Betis's Sergio Garcia bagged a brace to help his side beat Valladolid 3-1. Both were cool, calm chips over the keeper, one to the goalie's left and, for the benefit of symmetry, the other to his right.
Barcelona hit Deportivo La Coruna for five on Saturday, with boy wonder Leo Messislaloming his way to the edge of the penalty area before slotting home the opener.
Apparently content to let the young Argentine score all the spectacular goals these days, Thierry Henry added a second with a collectors' item from the Frenchman... a header.
While in Italy, perhaps Bosko Jankovic was trying to be just like Henry when he put Genoa ahead away at Lecce with this exquisite flick from a right wing cross.
Back in Blighty, Leeds fans won't thank us for drawing attention to yet another piece of magic from wonderkid Fabian Delph, lest any watching Premier League scouts try to pry him away from Elland Road.
Delph dazzles for Leeds at Brighton
The big guns have also been sniffing around Cardiff's Joe Ledley and after watching this left-footed volley into the top corner that put his side 1-0 up against Birmingham it's easy to see why.
Giles Barnes has long had his card marked as a star of the future, and where better to show off your skills than Old Trafford?
The Derby midfielder ensured it was a nervy finish for Manchester United with this tasty free kick in injury time of their Carling Cup clash.
This week's Video Stars written by Rob Burnett. Enjoy the weekend's games â and send details of any great goals or gormless gaffes to gary.parkinson@haymarket.com
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