Would you try anything if you knew that if it went wrong 40, 000 (alright 25, 000) people would be screaming and yelling what a useless twat you were?
If I was getting paid 60K a week to do so, yes I would. I also think it's exaggerated how much abuse he gets at games. It's more groans and sighs when he cocks up than bellowed abuse, on the whole.
But if you try and fail and the crowd immediately get on your back for getting a pass wrong, why would you bother trying at all next time? Confidence is a massive thing - if he had confidence, he'd try those things - the fact that he has none may be the reason he doesn't try those passes.
Well, maybe you would but everyone's different aren't they? And it's easy to say, but I bet it's not so easy to do. Ruud Gullit reckons that players are effected by the crowd much more than spectators realise and maybe even those groans and sighs get to Rodwell. It can't be nice hearing it, no matter how much he gets paid. He's also had all of that 'we never win with him in the team' stuff to put with. It would be reasonable to argue that if the crowd does knock his confidence then He's not cut out to be a professional footballer but it's still counter productive to make scapegoats.in the way that we do.
To be clear I'm not saying he should be attempting Gerrard passes and scorpion kicks and rabonas, I'm saying he should put himself about more. Close down harder and faster, get more tackles in, make more lung busting runs, throw his weight about. He's one of our biggest players but he may as well be tiny. If he's incapable of doing any of the above then he's cheating a living. No argument from me on the negative effects of being booed, I don't think I've ever booed one of ours in my life for that reason. Maybe if he did the sort of basic things I mentioned above then he'd get the crowd onside because we like to see effort and physicality but he just ghosts through games.
Follow Vaughan's example, put a shift in, and do the simple things consistently, and the crowd will be fine, if this is too difficult he should not be playing at this level, end of.
Agreed, if he did that he might get less grief from the crowd. But He's not the only player to have been made a scapegoat. The thing is, it's another case of easier said than done. If his confidence is shot, and he is anxious, then it might be that even doing that is too much for him and feels like he needs to hide. Anxiety can be crippling.
I know and I'm not without sympathy for him if he is indeed struggling with crippling anxiety. I dunno though, it's like a data inputter being paid 60K a week to compile a few spreadsheets but they can only do one a month because the thought of typing faster makes them anxious. You'd have to say they're in the wrong job and should quit for the sake of the company and their own mental health.
Yeah, exactly. I mean I am only speculating about him having anxiety but I can't think of another reason for a player with his ability going so spectacularly ****. He probably would be better off going and doing something that was less stressful for him but He's just another one of those cases where a good footballer turns up SAFC and then inexplicably turns useless.
Aye well that's another story for another day and one I don't have the answer for. It might suit him better playing CB, wouldn't say there was less pressure but if he can just do the basics quietly but competently then he'll be ok. Whereas if you just do the minimum in midfield you stick out more.
Too many mexicans in the back four, no enforcer in the midfield, too many Altidore's up top. Tragic that the US misses out on the world cup, but probably a blessing that this particular version of the USMNT will be spared the embarrasment of a (-12) GD in the group stage of the WC. please log in to view this image
If you think you've got it bad spare a thought for the Dutch. One of the best footballing nations on the globe ****ing it up again.
He may be in the England squad for the world cup !. He would do more in defence most likely as he never gets forward and has he EVER put a cross in ? same goes with Cattermole. The failure to get in decent defenders is crap though.
He plays in the middle. They generally don't cross from the middle when you need to be on the wing to do so. Don't think I ever saw Peter Schmeichel put a cross in. Didn't have any effect on how good a player he was. In short. You stupid ****.
Surely every outfield player though, should take the opportunity, when it arises, to make a run and try to cross the ball into the box, why not ?
