Tonight's football thread

[IainR]

Surely your best penalty taker only goes 5th if he's too scared to take one of the first 4. Either that or he wanted the 'glory' pen.

Brilliant.. the english advising the world on penalties..

So what do we do pack 1-3 with the best takers.. they score.. 4th and 5th sit all nervous.. stand up and miss we go home..

Or you can do what the winning team did and leave an expert penalty taker.. Fabregas.. til last.. score and go to the final. Both teams did the same thing...

[IainR]

I always enjoy a penalty shoot out - concentrated tension/excitement, and a test of skill. And you know you will get an answer one way or the other in the next few minutes. The expression on Ronaldo's face at the finish made the 90 minutes plus 30 minutes of falling over almost worthwhile.

strange... you watch great football and get joy from one of the best players in the world not being in the final and being upset by it.. not one of your better posts..

[Muddy Retriever]

Brilliant.. the english advising the world on penalties..

So what do we do pack 1-3 with the best takers.. they score.. 4th and 5th sit all nervous.. stand up and miss we go home..

I thought Young was our third penalty taker and he missed! We never got to our 5th one like Portugal.

[Danbert Nocurry]

Brilliant.. the english advising the world on penalties..

So what do we do pack 1-3 with the best takers.. they score.. 4th and 5th sit all nervous.. stand up and miss we go home..

Or you can do what the winning team did and leave an expert penalty taker.. Fabregas.. til last.. score and go to the final. Both teams did the same thing...

Quite a few shootouts end before the 5th shooter, so to me it would seem curious to leave Ronaldo until then. You wouldn't want a central defender taking it either, though, if it came down to it. I would have my best shooters go early - if they score it settles the nerves a bit of the later shooters, and if they miss those later shooters probably won't matter anyway.

The thing I find interesting, and may ask some stat nerd to investigate, is how often the team that misses first goes on to win. You'd think it would be the kiss of death, but I believe Italy (v England), Chelsea (v Bayern) and Bayern (v Madrid) all missed first and won?

[Mike T]

strange... you watch great football and get joy from one of the best players in the world not being in the final and being upset by it.. not one of your better posts..

Ronaldo's undoubted skill with the ball is more than cancelled out by his arrogance and his cheating - have you forgotten that wink? There was far too much falling over/lying down for that match to be called great football.

[IainR]

But it is still what Spain did.... Fabregas is a recognized penalty taker. So why make out it was glory seeking...

Answer this: Who would you rather take a penalty? Pique or Fabregas? Fabregas, so Spain also played with the order, their plan worked.. Portugal's didn't so people use it knock Ronaldo... incredulous.

"Asked why the world's most expensive player Ronaldo did not step up to take a penalty, Bento said it had been agreed that the captain would come forward for the final spot kick.
"We had this plan and if it would have been 4-4 and he would taken the last penalty we would be talking in a different way," he said.

[IainR]

Ronaldo's undoubted skill with the ball is more than cancelled out by his arrogance and his cheating - have you forgotten that wink? There was far too much falling over/lying down for that match to be called great football.

Honestly.. wow..

The wink... it was nothing. Rooney got himself sent off.. the wink was telling the coaches 'didn't I say that would happen?'

But if you think he's arrogance.. ability to step up, to stand up and be counted is cancelled out you live a sad life.

I honestly don't think he dives that much anymore. He's always airborne. For sure. That's why he scored 60 goals this season. Because he didn't miss 15 games with injury. Its pretty simple get airborne, any contact will be minimal. Look at Alonso's lunge on him last night, studs planted that would have been a leg breaker.. he's airborne he dives over the contact, gets caught but its minimal, he plays on..

Racism in football.. match fixing... and you lot would rather get wound up by the guy who is one of the best players in the world right now?

TBH I don't see the arrogance. An arrogant player wouldn't work so hard, look at his fitness, power, strength? The guy works his arse of in training to have those qualities, which when put with his skill enables him to be so effective. I can't think of any other player who has come through with so much raw potential but so many faults to improve season on season for nearly a decade. Look at him in his early days. Too light, held the ball for too long, didn't cross early enough, dived too much, show boated. That all went, all changed. Aye he still does the odd dive, so does Rooney, Cole, Gerrard and young.

[IainR]

I would have my best shooters go early - if they score it settles the nerves a bit of the later shooters, and if they miss those later shooters probably won't matter anyway.

But Spain did not do that... so 100% of the teams last night, both with experienced coaches, left one of their, if not their, best penalty taker til last.. Maybe.. just throwing this out their.. Bento and Bosque no more than Danbert... just throwing it out there.. a wild idea for a Thursday.. :-)

[IainR]

I thought Young was our third penalty taker and he missed! We never got to our 5th one like Portugal.

Ok I got that one wrong.. but by being picky and ignoring the actual point I assume you concede defeat and its actually something both teams did.. if it pays off they are genius's goes wrong and the player called it... look at brave Pirlo.. that penalty, changed the atmosphere. had Hart stood up and caught it would we be calling him arrogant..

It's amazing how people's perceptions or views change on such fine margins...

Interestingly Fabregas demanded the last penalty... I hope there's a good few posts condemning him.. but the coach agreed so he was fine with it.

[Mike T]

" Aye he still does the odd dive, so does Rooney, Cole, Gerrard and young "

That does not make it right - compare the reactions of rugby/Aussie rules players to that of footballers after being tackled - I'm afraid it ruins many a game for me, and last night was one of them. I agree Ronaldo has improved in this respect, but he is still a frequent offender.

Yes - compared to match fixing and racism diving is a minor issue, but it is still worthy of criticism when it occurs.