Shane Long limped out of Southampton's 2-1 defeat at home to Chelsea during Saturday's Premier League action, but not before he pounced on a defensive error to score his 7th Premier League goal of the season.
It was the most "Shane Long" goal imaginable.
Hesitation from Baba Rahman gave long the chance to zip in between two defenders and steal the ball away, but his touch took the ball well into the Chelsea box. Thibaut Courtois was slow to react, perhaps caught by surprise, and Long made up the ground like he always does before elegantly clipping the ball over the Belgian like we sincerely hope he does again in June.
But looking at how the goal happened, no other striker would have scored that goal if they took the first touch that Long did. Shane Long's heavy first-touch is not something any other striker would want to have, but he makes it work, again and again and again because his worst attribute allows him to use his best attribute, his pace from a standing start.
Look at where he takes his first touch:
And look at where he takes his second, and scores:
That's about a 25 yard first touch. He has no right to get there, but he does.
And it's no accident. Long knows that rather than cushion the ball in so he can dribble, he is far better suited to an almost rugby-esque grubber-kick style knocking of the ball ahead of him so he can use his pace and determination to find an opportunity to score.
The goal against Chelsea was probably the most ground he has covered after a first-touch, but for another example, have a look at a goal you've seen a hundred times before:
A clumsy touch with the knee that would have cause most strikers to squander that opening, but Long make it look just perfect. A bad-touch isn't always a bad touch when Shane Long is around.
So how does he make up for a questionable first touch? By capitalising on the defender knowing how unpredictable he is and refusing to be beaten to the ball.
He really is a unique footballer. His 100% effort in every situation causes panic that creates chances that otherwise wouldn't exist. He gets the fans off the seats and will always give everything he has on the pitch, and you know that if you put him in the team he will cause problems.
His heading ability is excellent, his athleticism is as good as you will find in the Premier League, and his football brain is of a very high I.Q., but his finishing isn't elite and his first touch is poor. Those characteristics are not what you would expect of an international striker playing regularly in the Premier League, but Shane Long makes it work, through sheer force of will.
