So, who's the best penalty taker we've ever had? For me it's a toss up between Geoff Hurst and Ray Stewart - with Tonka just shading it. Any other candidates for "If someone was taking a pen to save my life, it would be ..."
Yes, good to see he has his mojo back but still too much of a like for like with Parker for me. I'm happy, of course, that we have points on the board but feel we should have beaten both Wolves and Fulham if our position is really that false. Fact is we are damaged by our failure to score enough goals. Minus nine is not an easy deficit to make up when you have a forward line as goal shy as ours. At present you may as well minus a point off our total. In fact I struggle to recall when we last beat anyone by more than a single goal. Admittedly I don't have a good memory for holding past matches in mind but I can't help feeling that until we start scoring twice or more a game in significantly more of our fixtures, we will continue to teeter on a dangerous brink. History rarely repeats itself exactly and I wouldn't count on Blackpool sliding in the same fashion as Burnley; I think they may end up six or seven points better off- which may relegate them or it may not.
Our inability to score more than one means we are all biting our nails for the whole game, however, when on earth during Zola's reign did you feel we could crawl a game back and in fact go on to win it at the death? Grant is impressing me increasingly this season, as I thought he would.
1517, Mido perhaps? Carlton? Harewood? Kanoute against Arsenal?
I might have said Diamanti until that miss against Arsenal!
Have to be Stewart for me. He only missed one in his entire career didn't he? When he hit them, they stayed hit! Mind, Hurst was hitting a heavier ball and I only saw Banks save one of his. Unfortunately, that miss resulted in our League Cup semifinal exit so it was a costly one!
Hi Kevin, how are you? Blackpool will not top 36 points this season. I'm happy to have a spread bet on that! We beat Birmingham 2-0 last season!
I think it is a confidence thing. We go ahead and try to protect what we have. More wins and games without defeat should see us playing with more sense of freedom, then I expect the goals to flow. Piquionne is looking tasty in front of goal, Obinna must hit a purple patch soon, McCarthy will score if played and surely Dyer has to get off the mark eventually? I also expect to see Da Costa contributing a few from set pieces soon. I'm optimistic!
I was on the North Bank when Banks saved Sir Geoff's pen - it was down that end of course. I couldn't believe he hadn't scored. Don't think I ever recovered from the disappointment, to be honest. But I like the idea of someone putting their life in the hands of Carlton from 12 yards out. Perhaps Exit could use that as an advertising campaign.
Agree TIS - the team now has shape, is organised and has heart. Now all we need is a little more courage and self belief. It will come.
2107, I watched the highlights on Sportsnight with Coleman, not knowing the score before hand. I was down in Somerset. Like you, I couldn't believe Hurst hadn't scored. When Hurst took a penalty, the net bulged - always! I was pig sick and hated Stoke for years afterwards.
Stewart scored 84 times in Claret & Blue to Dick's 65. Not sure how many of those were penalties but I would have a pound to a pinch of shit that Stewart netted more times from the spot than Julian. Hurst netted 249 times!
Still an avid reader (daily) just my computer is banjaxed at home so only contribute to the banter if it happens roughly in working hours! Stewart for me too. BTW the ball was never heavier in yesteryear. I can't remember the exact weight but the rules (19th century) state a leeway of 2 ounces either way at kick off . It is true than until the sixties when waterproofing improved they of course got heavier if it was wet. The modern ball is more areodynamically efficient which explains why it bends and moves around more.
Anonymous said... "Played awful. Should have been subbed off at half time 4/10 at best."
Thank god you are not a manager because had Noble been taken off we probably would have lost the game. Was our best player alongside Parker in the 2nd half.
Shows how much of an idiot you are, even with the benefit of hindsight you say he should have been subbed!
Interesting Kev. Trouble is, the ball I used to kick WAS heavier and harder than I ball I now kick. Even in the seventies, the ball took on water / moisture and, I suppose mud from the awful pitches. It isn't just the movement of the ball, it feels lighter and less resistant when your foot comes into contact with it. In the 1970s, there were very few players who could scream the ball into the back of the net from outside the box - that is why players like Lorimer and Currie were regarded as so special - now, everybody can do it.
We remember Hurst, Dicks and Stewart so fondly because they slammed the ball with such force, but now even a little guy like Parker can slam one home from miles out, as at Chelsea last season. Look at the way Alex belted in that free kick against Arsenal. That definitely travelled further, faster and truer than any Lorimer shot I ever saw. Why?
Maybe it is aerodynamics, maybe it is stronger legged players, maybe it is the truer surface when a player connects with the ball, maybe it is the manufacture of the boots...but none of that explains why I can kick the modern ball further and faster than I could kick the old ball. I don't play on Premiership pitches, I have a cheap pair of boots and I don't have Lorimer style leg muscles, never mind the leg muscles of the modern footballer. Something HAS changer. Maybe they are all two ounces lighter than in the 70s, though that doesn't sound a bigger enough margin to explain it.
So, who's the best penalty taker we've ever had? For me it's a toss up between Geoff Hurst and Ray Stewart - with Tonka just shading it. Any other candidates for "If someone was taking a pen to save my life, it would be ..."
ReplyDeletePlayed awful. Should have been subbed off at half time 4/10 at best.
ReplyDeleteKevin in Manchester writes..
ReplyDeleteYes, good to see he has his mojo back but still too much of a like for like with Parker for me. I'm happy, of course, that we have points on the board but feel we should have beaten both Wolves and Fulham if our position is really that false. Fact is we are damaged by our failure to score enough goals. Minus nine is not an easy deficit to make up when you have a forward line as goal shy as ours. At present you may as well minus a point off our total. In fact I struggle to recall when we last beat anyone by more than a single goal. Admittedly I don't have a good memory for holding past matches in mind but I can't help feeling that until we start scoring twice or more a game in significantly more of our fixtures, we will continue to teeter on a dangerous brink. History rarely repeats itself exactly and I wouldn't count on Blackpool sliding in the same fashion as Burnley; I think they may end up six or seven points better off- which may relegate them or it may not.
Our inability to score more than one means we are all biting our nails for the whole game, however, when on earth during Zola's reign did you feel we could crawl a game back and in fact go on to win it at the death? Grant is impressing me increasingly this season, as I thought he would.
ReplyDelete1517, Mido perhaps? Carlton? Harewood? Kanoute against Arsenal?
ReplyDeleteI might have said Diamanti until that miss against Arsenal!
Have to be Stewart for me. He only missed one in his entire career didn't he? When he hit them, they stayed hit! Mind, Hurst was hitting a heavier ball and I only saw Banks save one of his. Unfortunately, that miss resulted in our League Cup semifinal exit so it was a costly one!
Hi Kevin, how are you? Blackpool will not top 36 points this season. I'm happy to have a spread bet on that! We beat Birmingham 2-0 last season!
I think it is a confidence thing. We go ahead and try to protect what we have. More wins and games without defeat should see us playing with more sense of freedom, then I expect the goals to flow. Piquionne is looking tasty in front of goal, Obinna must hit a purple patch soon, McCarthy will score if played and surely Dyer has to get off the mark eventually? I also expect to see Da Costa contributing a few from set pieces soon. I'm optimistic!
I was on the North Bank when Banks saved Sir Geoff's pen - it was down that end of course. I couldn't believe he hadn't scored. Don't think I ever recovered from the disappointment, to be honest. But I like the idea of someone putting their life in the hands of Carlton from 12 yards out. Perhaps Exit could use that as an advertising campaign.
ReplyDeleteAgree TIS - the team now has shape, is organised and has heart. Now all we need is a little more courage and self belief. It will come.
ReplyDelete2107, I watched the highlights on Sportsnight with Coleman, not knowing the score before hand. I was down in Somerset. Like you, I couldn't believe Hurst hadn't scored. When Hurst took a penalty, the net bulged - always! I was pig sick and hated Stoke for years afterwards.
Plank! what about JD????
ReplyDeleteStewart scored 84 times in Claret & Blue to Dick's 65. Not sure how many of those were penalties but I would have a pound to a pinch of shit that Stewart netted more times from the spot than Julian. Hurst netted 249 times!
ReplyDeleteStewart all day, every day - end of.
ReplyDeleteAnon 2107 - quality line of the day with that Exit stuff, mate. LMAO!!!
22:30 thought we were talking quality not numbers.........
ReplyDeleteHi HF,..kevin in manchester writes
ReplyDeleteStill an avid reader (daily) just my computer is banjaxed at home so only contribute to the banter if it happens roughly in working hours! Stewart for me too. BTW the ball was never heavier in yesteryear. I can't remember the exact weight but the rules (19th century) state a leeway of 2 ounces either way at kick off . It is true than until the sixties when waterproofing improved they of course got heavier if it was wet. The modern ball is more areodynamically efficient which explains why it bends and moves around more.
JD all day long
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDelete"Played awful. Should have been subbed off at half time 4/10 at best."
Thank god you are not a manager because had Noble been taken off we probably would have lost the game. Was our best player alongside Parker in the 2nd half.
Shows how much of an idiot you are, even with the benefit of hindsight you say he should have been subbed!
Interesting Kev. Trouble is, the ball I used to kick WAS heavier and harder than I ball I now kick. Even in the seventies, the ball took on water / moisture and, I suppose mud from the awful pitches. It isn't just the movement of the ball, it feels lighter and less resistant when your foot comes into contact with it. In the 1970s, there were very few players who could scream the ball into the back of the net from outside the box - that is why players like Lorimer and Currie were regarded as so special - now, everybody can do it.
ReplyDeleteWe remember Hurst, Dicks and Stewart so fondly because they slammed the ball with such force, but now even a little guy like Parker can slam one home from miles out, as at Chelsea last season. Look at the way Alex belted in that free kick against Arsenal. That definitely travelled further, faster and truer than any Lorimer shot I ever saw. Why?
Maybe it is aerodynamics, maybe it is stronger legged players, maybe it is the truer surface when a player connects with the ball, maybe it is the manufacture of the boots...but none of that explains why I can kick the modern ball further and faster than I could kick the old ball. I don't play on Premiership pitches, I have a cheap pair of boots and I don't have Lorimer style leg muscles, never mind the leg muscles of the modern footballer. Something HAS changer. Maybe they are all two ounces lighter than in the 70s, though that doesn't sound a bigger enough margin to explain it.
of course you have cheap boots, I am sure everything about you is cheap. I bet you're a regular at M and S and Matalan!
ReplyDelete