QUESTION: What is the hardest ball to defend in football?

Well, for me it's the one that's played from wide positions just behind the back four and just in front of the goalkeeper, giving the goalkeeper a decision should he stay or should he come out and get it.

You can use this type of cross especially when playing against a side that defends high up the pitch. Get the ball out to the wide men, have the minimum number of touches and get the ball bent in low behind the two centre halfs by putting bend on the ball. The sipn will also take the ball away from the keeper.

Not only is it a great ball for the strikers, it's a nightmare for defenders because they are always running towards their own goal and if there is a forward coming in behind the defender he has to play the ball so the worst you can get is a corner, the best a goal or an own goal. Take a look at Manchester United's third goal against West Ham on Saturday.

Gary Neville's first-time cross behind the centre half just eluded Ruud Van Nisteloy but unfortunately Sebastian Schemmel could only run the ball into his own goal.

The best exponents of this type of cross are David Beckham and Gianfranco Zola.

Finally, may I say a thank you to the Referee's Society for inviting me to speak at their meeting. It was good to see many old faces and I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of young men who have taken up the art of refereeing. Do they realise one day they could end up like Neil Yates, perish the thought.