Balotelli and penalties...

Sir Gallagher

GavRedKing wrote: »

I actually cringe when I see Mata taking them and hes fairly good from corners and free kciks.

I think hes missed 3 of the last 4 for us including 1 in the UCL shot out.

From a Liverpool perspective, i remember Owen being brutal at them, Torres missed a couple when he had the chance and the same with Suarez. Pressure and finishing comes naturally to these guys, it must be a dead ball thing.

markc1184

Dont know if he's been mentioned already but from those that are now retired I remember Unsworth being pretty reliable from the spot.

jem

Full back Phil Neal had an unreal record as far as I remember

Darkglasses

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I dont think they have thought it out tbh. Just like Man Utd and Wayne Rooney still do not have clue what they are doing wrong. I do not think that clubs (even at the level of Man Utd/Man City etc) are really thinking about the technique of a dead ball specialist.

Have we ever seen a keeper trying to dictate on what side Balotelli sends his penalties? All I have seen are keepers trying to stay still and failing.

I think you're majorly underestimating Mario's reaction-time on the spot, it's unbelievable. As soon as he sees a goalie twitch one way, he can tuck it away much, much quicker than any goalie can set himself to dive. Much quicker, and with great precision.

I also think you're underestimating the amount of work analysts and statisticians at the clubs are doing.

kfallon

GavRedKing wrote: »

I actually cringe when I see Mata taking them and hes fairly good from corners and free kciks.

I think hes missed 3 of the last 4 for us including 1 in the UCL shot out.

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

From a Liverpool perspective, i remember Owen being brutal at them, Torres missed a couple when he had the chance and the same with Suarez. Pressure and finishing comes naturally to these guys, it must be a dead ball thing.

Think Henrik Larsson's peno record at Celtic wasn't great either, he did score the majority of them but he was defo prone to missing a few.

Smithwicks Man

Balotelli and Ibrahimovic would be the two best around for me. At the top level anyway, there s=could be some great penalty takers in South America etc. but the composure these 2 show from the spot is immense.

Morzadec

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Something i always found strange about peno takers is, why is it that strikers generally seem to be sh1te at penos?

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

From a Liverpool perspective, i remember Owen being brutal at them, Torres missed a couple when he had the chance and the same with Suarez. Pressure and finishing comes naturally to these guys, it must be a dead ball thing.

I think the big difference is instinctive versus being given time to think.

These players are reactive, who respond well to the situation at hand. They probably didn't 'think' about where they were going to put the ball. What I mean to say is that they didn't have time for too much conscious thought, analysis of the situation etc...

With a penalty it's completely different. You have all the time in the world to think - what's the keeper going to do? will he do it differently if I change my run up? What if I miss? etc...

Like I said I think part of the reason that Balotelli is so good is because he doesn't feel much mental pressure. He is incredibly confident and I have a feeling the 'What if I miss?' question probably never runs through his head - he doesn't view it as an possibility or perhaps it just doesn't really bother him.

This, combined with a technique for fooling the goalkeeper that appears pretty flawless up to now make him an amazing taker.

I suppose the answer is that taking a penalty calls for a totally different skillset than finishing a chance during a game - you are being challeneged mentally in a completely different way and this will suit some players better than others.

SlickRic

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I would prefer a penalty taker with a genuine technique rather than relying on trickery.

i prefer one who scores 100% of the time tbh.

Super-Rush

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtgwpmM5GCI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAVLpl88Bpw

The one against United was unstoppable.

Morzadec

SlickRic wrote: »

i prefer one who scores 100% of the time tbh.

Exactly.

I think there's a bit of a British-Irish bias against those kind of tricky, shuffle penalties. We prefer to see them leathered home. If the tricky penalty goes wrong we all say what a cocky eejit the player is.

Balotelli's 100% record is largely because of his trickery and his shuffle in the run up. I don't see how people can say they don't 'like' it or that it 'takes away' from him when it is the central reason he is so good!

It looks risky when he just rolls it into the corner but it's not - he knows what he's doing. He has seen the keeper move the other way. He's that good, and it's the perfect penalty in many ways - commit the keeper and then very safely roll it in the other corner where you don't have the chance of fu*king up your shot and blazing it over/wide.

The shuffle/trickery seems risky but in the right hands (Balotelli's) it's actually far safer than the other method, where an early movement from the keeper could make things difficult.

Jax Teller

Someone said before he doesn't care whether he scores or not so it takes the pressure off . Not sure I agree fully with it but it could be possible .

skippy15

Just checked our Irwins pens for United 22 pens/ 22 goals scored (ok so 1 was a rebound):D

CSF

skippy15 wrote: »

Just checked our Irwins pens for United 22 pens/ 22 goals scored (ok so 1 was a rebound):D

So 21 of 22 then.

event

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I dont think they have thought it out tbh. Just like Man Utd and Wayne Rooney still do not have clue what they are doing wrong. I do not think that clubs (even at the level of Man Utd/Man City etc) are really thinking about the technique of a dead ball specialist.

Have we ever seen a keeper trying to dictate on what side Balotelli sends his penalties? All I have seen are keepers trying to stay still and failing.

im sorry but thats a load of waffle. You think the likes of wenger, fergie, mourinho, etc havent done their research on penalty takers they are facing?
Things like this are not left up to chance. maybe lower managers dont bother, but the top managers, they would analyse everything.

Corholio

Jax Teller wrote: »

Someone said before he doesn't care whether he scores or not so it takes the pressure off . Not sure I agree fully with it but it could be possible .

Think it was Enckelman for Villa who saved it far as I can remember?

GLaDOS

No doubt Italy wish he was on the pitch right now

Darkglasses

event wrote: »

im sorry but thats a load of waffle. You think the likes of wenger, fergie, mourinho, etc havent done their research on penalty takers they are facing?
Things like this are not left up to chance. maybe lower managers dont bother, but the top managers, they would analyse everything.

I agree completely. Even besides the managers, Man City have a whole office full of people who's job it is to analyse things like this. I'm sure the other top clubs are the same.

But of course everyone knows better than the manager...

Amirani

skippy15 wrote: »

Just checked our Irwins pens for United 22 pens/ 22 goals scored (ok so 1 was a rebound):D

Irwin missed 2. Missed one against Aston Villa also where he didn't score the rebound.

frisbeeface

Rickie Lambert has 31/31 for Southampton. Had a quick google and couldn't find stats prior to that, very impressive record though.

elefant

David Villa is another excellent penalty taker. I have seen him take many, many penalties for Valencia, Barca and Spain, and I only know of him him missing 2: 1 for Barca, 1 for Spain (v Honduras).

Richard Hillman

event wrote: »

im sorry but thats a load of waffle. You think the likes of wenger, fergie, mourinho, etc havent done their research on penalty takers they are facing?
Things like this are not left up to chance. maybe lower managers dont bother, but the top managers, they would analyse everything.

Well clearly Man Utd do not analyse how their penalty takers are missing otherwise they wouldnt be letting Rooney continuingly balls up an extremely high percentage of his penalties. I also find it hard to believe that Nani has received any coaching for deadballs considering he cannot take a corner after 6 years at the club.

LiamoSail

skippy15 wrote: »

Just checked our Irwins pens for United 22 pens/ 22 goals scored (ok so 1 was a rebound):D

Slightly beside the point, but i think I remember reading that in the time himself and beckham were at united, Irvin had a better success rate from free kicks

Smithwicks Man

frisbeeface wrote: »

Rickie Lambert has 31/31 for Southampton. Had a quick google and couldn't find stats prior to that, very impressive record though.

He has a great record to be fair.

Missing 1 for Bristol Rovers is the only blemish on an otherwise impeccable record

Jesus Wept

Smithwicks Man wrote: »

Keeping up with my recent trend of starting threads because I'm bored. Here's another :pac:

I may be biased but I don't think this is a ridiculous claim:

Is Balotelli the best penalty taker in world football?

Is Balotelli becoming one of the best, if not the best penalty taker ever?

24/24 and counting.

Is that internationally or in any competitive match or?

Smithwicks Man

Andy Carroll wrote: »

Is that internationally or in any competitive match or?

Competitive club games only and I think the international friendly counted. I thinks it's 21 for Inter, City and Milan and 3 for Italy, one of which was a friendly.

COYVB

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I dont think they have thought it out tbh. Just like Man Utd and Wayne Rooney still do not have clue what they are doing wrong. I do not think that clubs (even at the level of Man Utd/Man City etc) are really thinking about the technique of a dead ball specialist.

Have we ever seen a keeper trying to dictate on what side Balotelli sends his penalties? All I have seen are keepers trying to stay still and failing.

I doubt there's a top flight keeper in the world who doesn't have a good idea of the penalty habits of the majority of their opponents. It might not be something the club works on specifically, but you bet your bollox the keepers do

Blatter

He missed one tonight. Reina called his bluff and outfoxed him.

LuckyLloyd

Blatter wrote: »

He missed one tonight. Reina called his bluff and outfoxed him.

Reina had clearly done his homework and did well to get down and react to where Balotelli put it.

IrishHomer

Blatter wrote: »

He missed one tonight. Reina called his bluff and outfoxed him.

Reina jumped forward before the ball was struck

Blatter

IrishHomer wrote: »

Reina jumped forward before the ball was struck

Don't most goalkeepers though? Not something new is it?

Skylinehead

Love the way Reina leant left, but then changes direction as Balotelli goes the other way.

Red Crow

Benitez and Napoli look very good.

dfx-

Skylinehead wrote: »

Love the way Reina leant left, but then changes direction as Balotelli goes the other way.

Great to see the step technique being halted.

Great win for Napoli:cool:

Smithwicks Man

He was 2 yards off his line when Balotelli struck it, but they all do that to be honest. He made up for it with a cracker n stoppage time, disappointed the record is over but he's still the best penalty taker around imo

du Maurier

Was that 'shuffle' technique ever questioned or banned down through the years?

Think I remember the Aldridge shuffle being put under the spotlight as gamesmanship. Anyway, if Balotelli requires something similar to put it in the net then surely a goalkeeper, like Reina (briefly stepping off the line a split second prior to contact with the ball) should be somewhat allowable as well. They're both employing 'tactics' as it were.

Smithwicks Man

du Maurier wrote: »

Was that 'shuffle' technique ever questioned or banned down through the years?

Think I remember the Aldridge shuffle being put under the spotlight as gamesmanship. Anyway, if Balotelli requires something similar to put it in the net then surely a goalkeeper, like Reina (briefly stepping off the line a split second prior to contact with the ball) should be somewhat allowable as well. They're both employing 'tactics' as it were.

Except that what Balotelli does is not against the rules whereas coming off the line is and the penalty could have been retaken.

I know what you mean though but I don't think he's bending the rules really. If he came to a complete stop in his run up then it would be against the rules and would be met with a yellow card and having to retake it but he never stops completely.

I'm surprised he hasn't mis-hit the ball tbh as he's always looking at the keeper when he's taking them

EdenHazard

Eli Manning wrote: »

Benitez and Napoli look very good.

Has he lost weight or something?

du Maurier

Smithwicks Man wrote: »

Except that what Balotelli does is not against the rules whereas coming off the line is and the penalty could have been retaken.

I know what you mean though but I don't think he's bending the rules really. If he came to a complete stop in his run up then it would be against the rules and would be met with a yellow card and having to retake it but he never stops completely.

I'm surprised he hasn't mis-hit the ball tbh as he's always looking at the keeper when he's taking them

Yeah, true I suppose. It can be construed as a stutter in some people's eyes, but he doesn't actually halt up. But that kind of lends to a fine line between what's legal and not. But anyway..

BMMachine

EdenHazard wrote: »

Has he lost weight or something?

no, he was talking about the team.
I think you have taken him out of context

BMMachine

BMMachine wrote: »

no, he was talking about the team.
I think you have taken him out of context

Joke.jpg

Mr Blobby

BMMachine wrote: »

no, he was talking about the team.
I think you have taken him out of context

Drag00n79

IrishHomer wrote: »

Reina jumped forward before the ball was struck

He didn't.

BMMachine

rarnes1 wrote: »

Joke.jpg

oh right, he was just making fun of Rafael Benitez's weight. That's very funny.

grenache

Delighted for Reina and Napoli. He's like a man transformed since Rafa took him there.

BMMachine

BMMachine wrote: »

oh right, he was just making fun of Rafael Benitez's weight. That's very funny.

Fcuk you're serious!

Smithwicks Man

grenache wrote: »

Delighted for Reina and Napoli. He's like a man transformed since Rafa took him there.

Had some game tonight to be fair, Balotelli would've had a hat trick only for him

BMMachine

rarnes1 wrote: »

Fcuk you're serious!

oh completely.
for a moment there i forgot benitez was on the heavy side but then EdenHazard made that great joke back there and at first I didn't get it but thanks to you guys i have now remembered that benitez is a bit heavy. top comedy

Handsome Bob

BMMachine wrote: »

oh completely.
for a moment there i forgot benitez was on the heavy side but then EdenHazard made that great joke back there and at first I didn't get it but thanks to you guys i have now remembered that benitez is a bit heavy. top comedy

Eden prefers the more fashionable types such as Mourinho and AVB, I mean imagine a manager slumming it in a pair of trackies....

Kess73

Mod Post: Thread goes back on topic or it gets shut. Anyone who wants to try and derail it further gets a card.

A Primal Nut

Essien wrote: »

He's certainly very good at sending the keeper the wrong way, though that's not a skill I'd have much faith in.

A lot, maybe more than half, of those penalties would be considered dreadful if the keeper guesses the right way. I suppose that's his trick though, having the alertness and speed of thought to place it after the keeper has given away which way he's going.

It's hardly a co-incidence that the keeper went the wrong way all those times. He seen which way the keeper was going and put it the other way at the last second. Takes a quick thinker and a lot of skill under pressure.