The Hungarian midfielder opened the scoring in the Reds’ dominant 3-0 win at the Orange Vélodrome with a clever, cheeky low free-kick that snuck under Marseille’s jumping wall just before halftime. The goal was a thing of beauty: Szoboszlai rolled the ball along the turf, exploiting the gap left when the defenders leaped to block a potential curler over the top. But what really set social media alight was his post-match explanation to TNT Sports, where he revealed the “homework” behind it.
“I did my homework,” Szoboszlai said with a grin. “I got told that if no one is lying down, then maybe I can have a chance to hit it under the wall. And no one was lying down, so I tried it, and it worked out.”
The tactic he referenced is a relatively recent evolution in defending free kicks: one player (often called the “draught excluder” or “floor blocker”) lies flat on the ground behind the jumping wall to seal the bottom gap and prevent low drives or under-the-wall efforts. It’s become commonplace in top-level games to counter specialists like Szoboszlai, James Ward-Prowse, or James Maddison who excel at dipping or driven free-kicks. Marseille’s wall, however, had no such player in place—no one prone on the turf—so Szoboszlai spotted the vulnerability and exploited it perfectly.
His candid admission sparked a frenzy online: fans flooded X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and TikTok with clips of the goal, memes about “doing homework,” and debates on whether the tactic is genius or cheeky gamesmanship. Some hailed it as tactical intelligence (“This is why Szobo is underrated—pure brains!”), while others joked about defenders “forgetting their homework” or called for a rule change. The quote went viral, with thousands sharing variations like “If no one is lying down… time to slide it under 🔥” and compilations of similar goals.
The moment perfectly captured Szoboszlai’s growing influence under Arne Slot: his set-piece prowess (now three direct free-kick goals this season across competitions, including screamers vs. Arsenal and Bournemouth) adds a new dimension to Liverpool’s attack. It kickstarted the rout—followed by an own goal from Geronimo Rulli under pressure and a late Cody Gakpo finish—helping the Reds climb firmly into the top eight of the Champions League league phase.
Pundits praised the ingenuity, with some noting how “homework” like scouting opponent habits (no floor blocker) gives an edge in dead-ball situations. Klopp-era fans drew parallels to the German’s love for set-piece innovation, while neutrals marveled at how a simple observation turned into a goal.
In a season where Liverpool have faced criticism for inconsistency, Szoboszlai’s explanation reminded everyone of his quality and cool-headedness. The internet frenzy shows how one tactical nugget can dominate conversations—proving football’s magic lies in the details, the prep, and those unexpected moments of brilliance ⚽✨.
What do you think of the “no one lying down” tactic—smart exploiting or something defenses need to fix?
