Mon 5 Jun 06
Point of no Return: Twelve Yards
In the June edition of Four Four Two, Henry Winter provides a thorough indictment of England’s failure to train properly for penalty kicks, a consistently bedevilling issue in international matches.
But does anyone listen? Apparently Lurch is more focused on his Mister Roboto goal dance than the ball, as demonstrated in the recent friendly versus Jamaica.
And in that same Four Four Two, Becks had the gall to claim of penalty kicks,
“You can practise till the cows come home but when you’re out there in front of 50,000 fans or 80,000 fans and however many millions are watching at home, you can’t create that kind of atmosphere just by practising them. It’s all about confidence and having a bit of luck.”
Atmosphere?! This isn’t about organizing an aromatherapy treatment: just work at getting the ball onto the goal, you skying pillock!
Paul Canniff
How many times will we see Mister Roboto during the WC? I predict: Zero!
I don’t care if you can’t totally recreate the atmosphere of a PK situation. Practising PKs will only help make it more of a “second-nature” thing. The Germans in 1990 potted every one of their PKs against England, in clinical fashion, always tight to the corner. They practised them after every training session. England should have a 1st PK team take on a residual team every day, and play for money. And have it so that the 1st team would pick up a small dividend from a win, while losing would mean losing 5x that amount to the others. Something to finely hone that 1st team to build up that force of will to not lose to any opposition.
Crouch’s effort Saturday was abysmal. I wouldn’t pick him to be among the first 8 takers after that display.
England’s PK takers have to be:
Lampard
Owen
Gerrard
Beckham
Rooney?
Terry
Hargreaves (if he’s on at that point, which would probably mean Gerrard off)
Ashley Cole
Gary Neville
… and just have Sven tell Beckham it’s gotta stay along the ground. Every one he’s hit off the deck has been saved, or missed.