The lottery of penalties

[Gritt23]

Does that phrase annoy anyone else? It drives me


How can it be a lottery when we are so regularly poor and Germany are so regularly successful. They haven't lost a shoot-out since 1976, having won all 14 they've been in since then. That doesn't sound like a lottery to me.

I don't know what the difference is, but could we PLEASE start looking into what it is, and forgetting the idea that it's just down to good or bad luck.

 

[timbha]

wonder how attitudes on here would have changed had Carragher scored and Ronaldo missed - who was lined up to take our last pen?

 

[Captain Pugwash]

crouch i would think

 

[Tooting Gull]

It is at least a semi-lottery. There is no excuse for missing the target, but whether the keeper saves it is mainly luck.

Unfortunately for us, as was all too clear yesterday, our players are now not only trying to beat the goalkeeper but years of baggage every time they step up to the spot - it's really not helping.

I found myself wondering, fatally, this morning how different our football history would have been had we won the shootouts we've lost (WC semi 1990, Euro semi 96, WC last 16 98, Euro 1/4s 2004 and now this one).

If our FA have any remaining credibility with FIFA/UEFA I'd like to see them lobbying for the two captains playing scissors/paper/stone in the centre circle after 120 minutes. It's our only hope.

 

[C1 BHA]

Does that phrase annoy anyone else? It drives me


How can it be a lottery when we are so regularly poor and Germany are so regularly successful. They haven't lost a shoot-out since 1976, having won all 14 they've been in since then. That doesn't sound like a lottery to me.

I don't know what the difference is, but could we PLEASE start looking into what it is, and forgetting the idea that it's just down to good or bad luck.

That is an amazing statistic......is that right ?14 straight successes?

 

[perseus]

The only bit of luck was playacting (cheating) when the good Carrick penalty had to be taken again.

The rest was rotten penalties.

 

[Munkfish]

The only bit of luck was playacting (cheating) when the good Carrick penalty had to be taken again.

The rest was rotten penalties.

did you watch the game

 

[perseus]

I expect it was Carragher? Or was it the Gerrard penalty? I can't remember now.

 

[Munkfish]

yeah good effort for trying

 

[BensGrandad]

Piss Poor penalties by Lampard and Gerrad and gamesmanship by the Portugese goalkeeper to put Carragher off doesnt excuse the fact that we couldnt hit a barn door in 120 minutes and had plenty of chances so that penalties wouldnt have been needed.

 

[Muhammed - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

 

[FalmerforAll!**]

Basically,if Gerrard can play in the FA Cup Final with cramp and manage to pinpoint the ball into the bottom corner from 40 odd yards then why can't he play in a World Cup quater final and not put it away from twelve without cramp

 

[DJ Leon]

The only bit of luck was playacting (cheating) when the good Carrick penalty had to be taken again.

The rest was rotten penalties.

The Carrragher penalty? What bit of playacting was that then? He took it before the whistle had gone and the ref made him take it again.

My God, the excuses we're coming up with for losing.

 

[Brovion]

Does that phrase annoy anyone else? It drives me


How can it be a lottery when we are so regularly poor and Germany are so regularly successful. They haven't lost a shoot-out since 1976, having won all 14 they've been in since then. That doesn't sound like a lottery to me.

I don't know what the difference is, but could we PLEASE start looking into what it is, and forgetting the idea that it's just down to good or bad luck.

I totally agree, there is only the minutest element of luck in it (no more than there is during normal open play), it's 99% skill. It's about coming up to the ball, making the goalie go one way while you put it another.

If they blindfolded you, spun you round three times and then made you kick the ball THEN it would be a lottery. Also if the Germans lost occasionally or even perhaps MISSED a penalty every now and then then I may concede that there may be a slight element of luck. Until then we're going to have to accept that it's another facet of the modern game we're (for one reason or another) not very good at. A bit like passing and ball retention.

Stop blaming 'luck'.

 

[Bono]

Ashley Cole was up for the 5th, not that it matters anymore.

 

[rool]

They should replace it with the cross bar challenge.

I tell you what though there are some supposed 'England' supporters who seemingly couldn't wait for us to be knocked out and were probably rubbing their hands in glee in anticipation of getting back on NSC to have their say about it.

 

[London Calling]

Look at the Germans pens the other night, they had the belief they would scored, they ran up, hit it low into the corner.

We ambled up hit it softly and hoped.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

They call it luck because you can't practice under the circumstances (tension and tiredness) that accompany the shoot-out.

But as you say -the statistics don't support it. It is having a decent keeper (Ricardo), you need to be playing against a poor keeper (think Shilton and Seaman when both past their best), and you need players who have the nerve and bravery to make the keeper commit or be able to put it into the corner when every nerve in their body is telling them to make it safe.

I do not know what it is. Perhaps it is related to our inabilty to retain the ball under pressure. But I agree - it is not a lottery.

 

[Hannibal smith]

Where was the gamesmanship? When Liverpool won the Champions league, Carragher was in Dudek's face telling him to do the 'Grobelaar'. Why wasn't Robinson doing something, anything to slow things down, put them off? Where was Carragher this time stirring things up?

We had almost lost before we started.

 

[Gwylan]

We had almost lost before we started.

We had: the players knew it, you could see it in their faces.

What's more, the Portuguese knew it as well.