He is trying harder now, he's been decent in the last three games when introduced. Hopefully he'll continue to put that sort of effort in too. My fear is that once he gets selected to start a game he'll sink back to his previous ways having "made it" back into the team.
As captain on the pitch last word goes to Henderson on who took the penalty as far as I'm concerned. His name was 'on the board' for it, as we have heard, but after all the argy bargy on the pitch around it last night, Hendo's head [and confidence] would surely have gone or been affected, so letting Balotelli take it was the right thing to do.
Rodgers is the problem here. He needs to make absolutely clear of the pecking order for penalties. I don't reckon he has, unless he really did chose Hendo in which I would question his judgement. Only one man should have taken that penalty and that was Ballo. Hendo was piss poor last night and needs to stick to his strengths rather than try too hard in emulating Gerrard - I don't think Hendo is the best player for set pieces. I'd have Gerrard, Ballo, Sterling, Lallana, Lambert, Borini, Coutinho, Ibe (if he felt confident) and even Sturridge above Hendo for penalties. You need to have the guy who is best at penalties taking them. Simples.
As anyone ever seen Hendo take a penalty...? Sterling is **** at finishing and generally poor when he has time to think about things so would he be good at penalties? Who expected Carragher to be seen as a good penalty taker...? The best penalty takers aren't always the best finsihers. Leighton Baines, Dennis Irwin, Stuart Pearce, etc are good examples of this too, look at some of the players they out ranked in the penalty stakes.
I thought it would be higher than that. Lambert's probably got a higher conversion rate than Gerrard then. They should get me int o take them, I've got a 100% record
My worries is that Mario Balotelli causing a rift in the dressing room. If so many players are becoming unhappy with his arrogance: the whole thing can backfire:it is not going to be helpful.
He could score them for fun in training, it was enough to let Carragher have a go in a world cup shoot-out I am 100% in the respect the managers wishes camp with this. He could select Brad Jones to take them and I'd say the same. However, I do agree that we have to question the manager for not selecting or making it clear he selecting Mario. Maybe it was a sentimental type thing again; selected Hendo because he was starting the game and felt it would be harsh / confidence knocking to take it away again should Mario get on the field.
No, it's not the same. What would have been the same is if when you had P.Neville as captain holding the ball about to take a penalty and Baines had come on the pitch and taking it off him. A guy who has no record in pens against a guy that has a top record. What at happebed at Everton was the opposite, it was a average pen taker taking it off the established one.
All players with good mental strength. Not sure that's one of Hendo's strong points. Although by that logic, Studge should be pretty good at penalties.
Seems David Brent has lucked out again... He's so busy sucking hendersons cock now after relegating him to right wing back earlier in season when he was licking Gerrard's balls that he forgot to tell balotelli he was not pen taker like the guy was told at start of season Brent just kicks the balls of any player he thinks he needs right now and treats those he doesn't think he needs within 24 hours like dog turd
It is all about mental strength. I'm **** at finishing but have a 100% record at penalties. I think Mario is good at them because he is so laid back so the pressure doesn't bother him.
We only won because the keeper he signed made a save, the youth player he gave a debut won a penalty, and the striker he signed scored it #luckedout #brentout
Maybe its already been said but I think the manager should be disciplined for not having Balotelli ahead of Henderson as the penalty taker in the first place.
