Penalty taker

[TheSandman]

That old Scottish bloke at Burnley has only missed something like 3 from about 80.

We should have him train up the Fonz.

[l_mckay]

 Bent should start taking them from now on,cant remember him missing many!

[VillaZogmariner]

Young refusing to shirk spot-kick responsibilities



Ashley Young insists he won't shirk his spot-kick responsibilities despite missing against Bolton - although he admits Darren Bent could step forward for the next penalty.

Young says he has the "strong character" to bounce back from his penalty pain against the Trotters.

The second striker will step forward - unless he's persuaded otherwise by Villa's record signing.

He said: "People may talk about the delay before I took it or their goalkeeper encouraging me to hit it to his right but I wasn't even aware he was doing that. I was totally focused on the penalty.

"The last few I have taken I haven't even looked at the goalkeeper before hitting it. It's been head-down.

"With this one, I stepped up and just hit it the way that I have done with the others I have scored previously.

"It was one of those things. I haven't seen it back. I don't know if it was a poor penalty or he made a good save. I have missed it and I will get over it and focus now.

"I am a strong character. I won't dwell on the penalty miss. I have scored penalties and I have missed some too - and I have always bounced back from them.

"I won't let it get me down and it won't stop me taking another. I definitely will take another.

"I am sure Benty will have his say on the next one. We will have to wait and see.

"Let's see how kind I'm feeling when the next one comes along. I'll see if I let him take it or not."

Young says he will bounce back from the penalty - and he backed the team to come roaring back following the defeat.

The star performer admits there was shock as the players walked off the pitch after the 3-2 defeat because of the amount of chances they created in the game.

He added: "It was incredible to think we lost that game. There was deep disappointment from everyone involved.

"We created so many chances and on another occasion we would have scored four or five goals. But it wasn't to be.

"We were just so frustrated walking off the pitch having lost the game. I was obviously even more frustrated, having missed the penalty when we were two-one up.

"If I had scored, it would have been a totally different game and at two goals ahead we would have been cruising. But it wasn't to be.

"We created chances after it too before they got those two killer goals. We just need to pick ourselves up now and take it into the next game.

"The team will bounce back from the defeat. We have some big personalities and real character in the dressing room. We have bounced back before and we will do it again.

"We have the strength, character and attitude to come roaring back. I thought there were plenty of positives to take from the game. We need to take those into the Wolves match."

[Shrek]

Well looks like Young is the boss then.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

I seriously hope Houllier makes sure Bent is in for the next penalty. And stops Young taking. Free kicks. He is wrecking some of our best chances .......

[UsualSuspect]

What i find most worrying is the fact that the club put it on the OS

It makes it look like AY runs the team

Isn't it the managers decision?

Like Ashley refusing to play unless it's in the hole

[usav]

I've never seen a more akward looking penalty taker in my life than Ashley Young.

[UsualSuspect]

Im not fussed who takes them, Bent, Downing, Collins

Just the fact that petulant AY is refusing to give it up. Like a kid trying to hold onto his favourite toy after he's been naughty.

Like I said Im at a loss as to what good the Club thought it would do by putting it on the OS

[Mister E]

FWIW, I think a team should have 2-3 penalty takers, to keep the oppo keepr as poorly-prepared as possible. Variety and unpredictability are the keys to a good penalty-taking record by a team. From the current squad Collins, Bent, Young and Albrighton could all take decent penalties in rotation, I reckon.
Probably won't happen though.

[Holtenderinthesky]

"I am sure Benty will have his say on the next one. We will have to wait and see.

"Let's see how kind I'm feeling when the next one comes along. I'll see if I let him take it or not."


WTF???

That just proves what many of us have been thinking since he got the arm band.  He can't take set-pieces for love nor money but yet he still grabs the ball at every opportunity.  Why is this?  Because HE is in charge and HE can do what he bloody well likes.  Not good for the morale of the team I'd suspect.  Particularly some of the older more experienced players.

[The Charmer]

the best penalty takers have the ability to place the ball after they see which way the goalkeeper moves- Cantona,
[/quote]

I agree.
Compare the feeling of confidence & expectation when a player like Cantona stepped-up, alongside how most of us were feeling as Young stood there, hands-on-hips, staring at the ground  -  You just knew we were seconds away from failure.

Now, for him to say on the OS that he hadn't even looked at the keeper offering him his usual position, makes you wonder if he has anything remotely bordering on a Plan B in his head.

I know it's risky, but to watch as the penalty-taker really 'bosses' the keeper, psyches him out and waits for that first split-second of movement, can make it a moment of skill rather than a 'smash, hope, thank-Christ-for-that' event.