Why do some players get so negative as they get older?

Racing Flat

About the 92nd minute tonight a ball is played through for Robbie Keane. Probably his most clearcut oppurtunity of the night to get a run and shot at goal. He had a slight start on his defender, who was last man. If he ran straight forward to the ball and kept going, he'd have been in the box in a few strides and could have a shot at goal. Instead, he immediately veered to the right to the touchline, losing control of the ball and Cyprus went up and got a free kick (think it was the one where McGeady got a card). This negativity drives me mad. Is it a lack of confidence? Maybe fuelled by the knowledge that an ageing body doesn't have the pace it once had? Or is it just playing the percentages?

This negativity galls me. Similarly playing for free-kicks, corners and penalties at all times. Fair enough, sometimes it the right thing to do, but when a player has a half chance in the box and yet they go down in the hope of getting a penalty - when does the instinct to stay on your feet and take the half chance get lost?

The negativity is capped by the constant complaining about every decision. This creates a negative vibe which probably spreads to the rest of the team (hence poor captain material). It's like the complainer is a victim of justice but wants the ref to rectify this. Rather than the victim trying to take responsibility and get justice for himself by winning the ball back or scoring a goal. Again, abdicating responsibility, poor captain material.

Shearer went through a similar patch of constant complaining around the Dalglish/Gullit period. He'd play with his back to the goal, so more often than not the defender would make contact with him when trying to get to the ball. He'd go down or throw his arms in the air complaining looking for a free. When Robson came in, he got him to play side on, and immediately he became more positive.

The thing with such 'negative' players (apart form Shearer maybe) is that I never expect them to score. When Keane is bearing down on goal, I expect him to miss. I never expect Rooney to miss in that one on one situation. Or Torres to miss, or RVN, or Lampard, or young Michael Owen. Michael Owen of the last year or two at Liverpool and onwards I never expect to score (maybe with England is an exception). Andy Cole with Newcastle I never expected to miss, with Utd. I always expected him to miss.

So what makes players like Keane and Owen go form positive, ballsy strikers with such belief that they knew they'd score, so they did, become players who don't believe they'll score and their all round play becomes negative?

I remember a story of one of Ian Rush's first games. He was through on goal, the keeper didn't make a good job of narrowing the angle so he'd ample room to slot it in the corner, or ample time to go around the keeper and tap it in. Instead he chipped it over the keeper. The riskiest option. But he scored. He turned to receive the plaudits of his team mates. Unfortunately for him a very angry chicken chop Souey was the first to get to him and he grabbed him and said something to the effect of 'Try that again when I'm on the pitch and I'll kill you, you cheeky b******'.

Is it confidence and so bad, or is it that they are playing the percentages (win enough frees, hold up the ball enough to kill off games, keep possession, don't risk losing possession so that you win more games and ultimately are more successful) and therefore good from a win at all costs point of you, but wearisome from a sporting point of view?

Xavi6

It's basically playing the percentages. Nothing to do with a players physique by any means.

Keane and the others you mentioned have just matured and realised that putting your head down and running towards goal doesn't always have to be the option.

What if Keane hit a shot from the Irish right channel, the keeper caught it, rolled it to his right full who galloped up the Irish left wing, whipped a ball in and Cyprus equalised? I'm sure that would have more people screaming at the tv than what he actually did.

As much as I'm not a fan of Keane, that is just sensible football.

_blank_

One nil in a tight game, and you want the captain to shoot?

The chances of him scoring are very low, the chances of ANY striker scoring in any situation are very low, so instead, he goes to the corner flag and winds the clock down.

What would you be posting if he had went on and shot wide, handing posession back to the Cyprus keeper who then punts it long to one of their tall attackers, and they scored.

I'll tell you what you'd be posting.

You's be ranting about him squandering posession and handing them a goal, that's what.

Racing Flat

In many circumstances yes, you would hold up the ball, but this was a very clear cut oppurtunity. As it turns out he lost the ball as soon as he tried to hold it up and they did go on the attack as a result. Had he made a run on goal he'd have held onto it for longer. But his ability to hold the ball up or not, may not be as relevant as to whether it was the right thing to do...The point was that when players have belief in themselves and confidence they make the bravere decisions. Going up 2-0 and the game was over. Holding onto 1-0 for a few minutes in the corner and they may have got a goal kick, last ditch chance and equalised. I think that in that example as he would have had a clear run on goal, he should have tried to kill it off.

BaZmO*

Racing Flat wrote: »

About the 92nd minute

That's the most important part of your post, you should find the answer you're looking for there.

Racing Flat

BaZmO* wrote: »

That's the most important part of your post, you should find the answer you're looking for there.

The game went on for 94...In any case he lost possession quicker by trying to hold it up than he would have if he went ahead at goal. As Giles says, there's a right way to play the game and a worng way whether it's the first minute or the last. I'm obviously on my own thinking he made the wrong decision, which someway confirms my thoughts that football is getting more and more negative. There are times, and in most instances in the 92nd minute, when holding the ball in the corner is the right thing to do, but I think when you have a great oppurtunity you have to take it.

When I was playing a few years back, at training the coach would be shouting, keep the ball down, not in the air...but in the match at the weekend he'd give the full-back a right boll****g if he passed it to a midfielder rather than hoofing it down the line.

jesus_thats_gre

Racing Flat wrote: »

I never expect Rooney to miss in that one on one situation.

You lost me here...