During Manchester United’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday, goalkeeper Andre Onana was seen applying Vaseline to his gloves. While this move left fans puzzled, many people speculated on social media about the reasons behind this move. Meanwhile, this is not the first time the technique by Andre Obama has been employed.
Reason For Andre Onana Vaseline Tactics
In the recent match between Manchester United and Liverpool, Andre Onana used Vaseline on his gloves to improve his grip on the ball. This tactic is not new and has been used by other goalkeepers in the past to tackle wet weather conditions. The substance makes the gloves feel grippier and enables the goalkeeper to catch the ball more easily.
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster has confirmed that he can easily tell which goalkeeper has Vaseline on their gloves during training sessions. He also revealed that former England goalkeeper Joe Hart first used the tactic during the 2014 World Cup. In his words;
“It’s hard to explain, but if we were in a training session, I could tell which one had Vaseline on their gloves, because as soon as you caught the ball, it does feel grippier,”
Foster said regarding the use of Vaseline;
“He put Vaseline on his gloves and he said ‘Fozzy, honestly, it is a game changer!’”
Ireland international star Shay Given has also used Vaseline on his gloves in the past to improve his grip on the ball. Speaking;
“When the ball’s wet it helps with the grip,”
This statement was made after he was spotted by a fan applying a substance on his glove in 2016.
Andre Onana Vaseline Tactics Explained Amidst Critics
While fans are curious, some people may believe that Vaseline may make gloves slick, becoming a disadvantage in making saves. Former Premier League goalkeeper Mark Bosnich has stated that it can help goalkeepers feel more comfortable and improve their grip. while speaking to Sky Sports News. In his words;
‘Onana was outstanding in the first half. He’s had his ups and downs, there’s no doubt about that.
‘With everything that’s going on on social media with the Vaseline on the gloves, lucky for him, he was outstanding, because that would have been the punchline of many a joke everywhere around the world if one of the balls was slipping through.
‘The only thing that I can think of is that it helps his grip. A lot of goalkeepers like to have their gloves a little bit wet sometimes, because I think the grip that’s on it, the rubber, can be so stringy that it takes a bit of feeling out of the hands.
‘But the best person to ask is obviously the goalkeeper. The only thing I can think of is that he feels as though it makes his grip more comfortable.’
Conclusion
Andre Onana made six important saves during the match against Liverpool, as MAN U was dominated during the first half. He was also seen using Vaseline on his gloves during a game against West Ham in December. However, this tactic has been used by several goalkeepers in the past to improve their grip on the ball during wet weather conditions.
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Edmund Jaja is a sports enthusiast, Content Writer, Editor, and Storyteller from Nigeria. He’s been a die-hard Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United fan since the Fergie era, with the zeal and passion to inspire through writing.
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