He’s certainly had plenty of both - as most top goalscorers do, but it was goals per games as you know. His penalty stars are freakish though - 18 goals from 22 taken (Rooney had 7/7, Lineker 4/5, Charlton 3/4). Far more penalties seem to be awarded for England these days and in international football generally.
Handball in the area is an issue. It’s apparently unnatural to move your arms for leverage or balance, but it is natural to run around like Michael Flatley
I think that's due to the number of games as well as penalties being taken by one person. I might be misremembering but I'm sure they were spread out more, unless you had a specialist. Rooney may only have taken 7, but did he take all of them during his time with England?
I'm saying nothing... Colombia scored twice in 5 minutes after the break and it ended 2-2. Davinson Sanchez was an unused sub.
Brilliant! I've said several times that the commentators use of the term "not in a natural position" makes no sense because it's the hands behind the back thing that is completely unnatural. But you've cracked it with that description of it being like Flatley.* * though I think it was in the Simpsons once they found a hidden or lost book called "Irish Dancing Vol.2, Hand Movements" or something like that.
More games against poorer players who are more likely to commit fouls, as well as VAR giving more 'dubious' decisions. But its certainly a stick with which beat Harry on social media today, I have lost count of the number people stating he is not fit to lace the boots of Rooney! and that all penalties should be removed from individual goal stats.
I’ve never thought penalties diminish a player’s record. Harder to put away than a two yard tap in, which most good strikers get.
If it was about total yardage that the goals were scored from then Sir Bob would probably still be some way out in front.
I seem to remember that penalties were quite unusual but then there were not so many players falling over. Players now feel a touch and down they go. The ref has to then decide if that was actually a foul or not. Players in England and Scotland did not do this it's something they have learnt from Europe and South America. When I payed football in 1732 you just got laughed at by BOTH teams if you went over too easily. Pansy was a popular description.
Just rehashing what was discussed last year for Kane. Specifically, he has : 1. an "open play" strike rate comparable to Lineker but close to 50% lower than that of Greavsie. 2. to get 12 more goals from "open play" to surpass Greavsie My money would be on #2 being achieved by the end of 2025.
Absolutely right, I played most of my competitive football in the 1980s, I played right back on Saturdays in a reasonably good local league and centre forward on Sundays for a pub team. In both positions I would be sent off most weeks if the games 'laws' from today were implemented back then. As a full back you were always 'allowed' at least one assault on your winger,( a la Stuart Pearce), and he was expecting it and as long as he got up afterwards that was fine. As a centre forward you always left something on the goalkeeper the first few times you went in with him and you expected the same back, and until the ref had a word with me I would leave my foot in. You literally only went to ground when you had no choice, and even then you didn't often get a free kick.
The watershed moment was Michael Owen's dive for a pen in the 1998 WC. I remember the initial reaction was how could one of our players dive!! It just wasn't done before that. But because it was against the Argies the feeling quickly changed to - well it's against the Argies so why not do to them what they often do, it's about time we started "playing the game" - which is a bit of an ironic term. Became more acceptable in our national team after that.