I believe Southgate when he says it was his decision. I just can't understand him putting Saka at five, I would have gone with Grealish or Phillips (but Kane on fifth)
I read that Sterling didn't want to take a penalty which is why Saka took it instead. If that's true, Southgate should have made Sterling step up
Sterling bottling it wouldn't be a shocker tbf. Grealish wanted one and I'd be surprised if Phillips wouldn't take one
When England failed to score the second goal, I had the feeling that if Italy equalised it was likely to go to extra time and penalties. It was not a good game for Sterling.
In the end snoregate said he had made his mind up in training. It just goes to show how little he understands real.pressure. The good thing is he took off henderson who would be first in the queue to take one despite being absolutely incapable. Kane ok Sterling. Bottler 1 Maguire, fair play and top pen actually. Grealish. If not why not is my question Stones ditto. Bottler 2 Phillips youngish too but a cm. Questionable. Saka young but played a bit and I've seen plenty of kids take good pens. He didnt hit badly it was just not in the corner. Pickford, always last choice as keeper. Shaw bottler 3. Rashford and sancho were sent on to take pens. They failed. Clearly southgate's fault. Sent on far far too late and prob didnt even have a tip about. So in training walker, henderson, presumably mount and trippier were considered **** or just had 7 or 8 guys smashing pens home every time ahead of them. In that situation with donnamura looking at you, not moving and a big big final maybe you want the guys.coming on to go first but I dont know. Usually I'd say send on the big guns first not last and get the score on the board. Imo take off shaw if he is not taking one. Walker going off as a senior pro or trippier who I would have marked for one is odd. Clearly what we have seen before is england v denmark where southgate saved the subs up. Was pens in his mind there till we scored? He saved 2 subs to take pens not try win the game. No matter what kane and sterling were not coming off yet then sterling disnt take one. It's all illogical and nonsense imo
The story is that, They've been practising in training and the five that took the pens where the statisically the best in the training sessions.
Which proves the point doesn't it. People say you cant train for the situation and it proved the case. Two dicked about rather than firmly smashing the ball home. That says statistically either their docking about in training wasnt saved by poor england keepers or it was easy in training. Poor little saka hit it ok but it just wasnt in the corner. A nice height for a save too. When gerrard started taking pens he was unreliable. By the time he was 30 he was down to an art. Jorginho is the same yet missed when the chance to win the thing was there. He also dicked with it You need to have the right attitude imo and calmness. If you look at pickford you know he will dive and you can put it the other way but donnamura withstood rock still waiting. A calm player should be paying attention, making his mind firmly up and wither smashing it or doing their little dance based on what they've seen. You.can look a hero like thiago did or a fool like rashford or jorginho. I'd prefer to smash it myself.
Sterling isn't a great striker of the ball so I'm not surprised he wouldn't want to take one. IMO, penalties should be for the people who can cleanly strike a ball and are 100% confident. If you dont have either, then I don't want you anywhere near the penalty spot. You would automatically assume that all attackers should be up for taking it but it's not the case. Rashford and Sancho were safe options - both are goal scorers, confident and clean strikers. But Saka was the only one that I would question - this is a kid who has not taken a senior penalty I believe. I have a lot of admiration for him because he has got big balls for wanting to take it. Southgate should have given it to Grealish who openly said he wanted to take a penalty.
Agree with all that. I don't know if Sterling bottled it or not, but generally he seems to have good mental strength. Shooting with time to think about it was never his strength, so he doesn't strike me as someone who would be particularly good at penalties. Could be like Henderson - wanting to take one, but you'd rather they didn't.
Before milner took our henderson decided he was the main man for everything. He always a joke 5 years ago and he is a joke now. He has not improved on iota with age. Some players are just too.obvious with their body shape and need to put it top corner and that's an end to it. Some can disguise their intent and hit either side and some can wait for a keeper to dive and open or close their foot to suit. I firmly believe in a pressure pen shoot out I dont want people to try to fool anyone. Thiago looked class but just as easily it goes horribly wrong. The best pens I saw were Italy v swiss wasnt it? Their pens will spain were then ****. When you just hammer it in confidently they usually fly in.
Best pens I've seen by a country mile were the Europy Final. 21 perfect pens in a row. No fcking about. Until De Gea stepped up
Yeah they were very good but also a display of falling over before the ball was struck by keepers. Rashford didnt play with his? There were a lot of good ones taken was he still on the pitch?
I agree with that apart from Shaws that night, that was an awful pen and should have been saved That said i would have expected shaw to take one, he has been great through the whole of last season and in the euros
