Pennant yesterday

[fred milne]

I'm getting more and more concerned about him. He's shown glimpses of ability but I'm starting to wonder whether he has the heart for it.

 

There was a spell of play yesterday that stood out for me. He was breaking forward with the ball and 3-4 passing options in front of him. However, rather than releasing the ball, he kept on running towards a mass of defenders until he was tackled. He then made no serious attempt to track back.

 

Rafa undoubtedly noticed it as he got subbed a couple of minutes later.

[allez les rouges]

aye, he had a bad game.

 

maybe he was trying to hard?

[Stevie H]

he seems to have tunnel vision. if there's nothing on he just ploughs forward regardless, and it's really worrying. his decision making needs massive work.

[owenthomas]

there's definitely a lack of confidence there with him (along with a fair few others mind).. Stevie H mentioned yesterday, and i couldn't agree more, he needs to stay out wide instead of cutting in.. all his good work for us so far has been from out there so stick with it.. this cutting inside isn't really something i'd noticed of him previously so could he have been told to do it??

 

saying that though, i watched the highlights last night when i got home from work and he still put at least 3 balls into the box that the attacker connected with and could (should) have scored from - if they do that then Pennant's noticed more for what he brings to the team - it might also help his confidence..

 

i still believe he'll come good.. considering he's only been here 3 months or so and is still getting used to higher expectations, new surroundings, different tactics etc etc he deserves to be cut some slack.. he's not had the impact we'd hoped as yet but other than the obvious 3 or 4 players so far this season, who has?

[allez les rouges]

there's definitely a lack of confidence there with him (along with a fair few others mind).. Stevie H mentioned yesterday, and i couldn't agree more, he needs to stay out wide instead of cutting in.. all his good work for us so far has been from out there so stick with it.. this cutting inside isn't really something i'd noticed of him previously so could he have been told to do it??

 

saying that though, i watched the highlights last night when i got home from work and he still put at least 3 balls into the box that the attacker connected with and could (should) have scored from - if they do that then Pennant's noticed more for what he brings to the team - it might also help his confidence..

 

i still believe he'll come good.. considering he's only been here 3 months or so and is still getting used to higher expectations, new surroundings, different tactics etc etc he deserves to be cut some slack.. he's not had the impact we'd hoped as yet but other than the obvious 3 or 4 players so far this season, who has?

 

i agree he will still come good and i agree with the tunnel vision, whichi i beleive is a direct consequence of his confidence ie trying to do to much instead of the simple things.

[Rimbeux]

i agree he will still come good and i agree with the tunnel vision, whichi i beleive is a direct consequence of his confidence ie trying to do to much instead of the simple things.

 

 

You are both spot on, no lack of effort or heart

Edited October 15, 2006 by Rimbeux

[Stevie H]

he needs a word in training then. keep it simple, get outside your man when you can and put the ball in, if there's nothing on turn back and keep possession.

[Mike]

maybe hes not that good

[Magic8Ball]

there's definitely a lack of confidence there with him (along with a fair few others mind).. Stevie H mentioned yesterday, and i couldn't agree more, he needs to stay out wide instead of cutting in.. all his good work for us so far has been from out there so stick with it.. this cutting inside isn't really something i'd noticed of him previously so could he have been told to do it??

 

saying that though, i watched the highlights last night when i got home from work and he still put at least 3 balls into the box that the attacker connected with and could (should) have scored from - if they do that then Pennant's noticed more for what he brings to the team - it might also help his confidence..

 

i still believe he'll come good.. considering he's only been here 3 months or so and is still getting used to higher expectations, new surroundings, different tactics etc etc he deserves to be cut some slack.. he's not had the impact we'd hoped as yet but other than the obvious 3 or 4 players so far this season, who has?

I dont remember Pennant cutting in so much at Brum - therefore I conclude Rafa wants him to cut in more, maybe to be more of a goal threat ala Gonzales

however I dont think this is Pennants game, and he should be allowed to stay out wide and do what hes good at crossing ( though if he were a regular goal threat it would solved the midfield problem, making us more a 433 team)

 

I know people want scape goats but Pennant normally does an aweful lot of work protecting the Right back and contributes many good crosses in a game

 

 

Personally I think the whole team is out of whack, its not Balanced at all - Rafa needs to solve the midfield problem ie where to play Gerrard

[Cooldude]

His crosses have been really poor, they're floaters and lacking pace and direction.

 

To be fair to him, he was constantly double teamed by Pederson and Lucas Neill yesterday, but his delivery has still been f***ing poor

[Mike]

His crosses have been really poor, they're floaters and lacking pace and direction.

 

To be fair to him, he was constantly double teamed by Pederson and Lucas Neill yesterday, but his delivery has still been f***ing poor

 

it looked to me that he was the one player blackburn gave space to, especially in the first half

[Cunny]

£8m does not get you much these days.

[Guest Cardie]

£8m does not get you much these days.

 

Whether he'd been our best player this season or our worse 8 million was always a scandalous price to play.

[Cunny]

I can't fault his attitude or effort but he's a winger who can't beat his man, can't cross it and does not seem to have an appreciation of where his team mates are when he is in possession.

 

I said at the time I was not bothered about signing him and when the price was revealed I was staggered. Birmingham must not have believed their luck.

[Guest Kev]

With the exception of Kuyt, Rafa's signings this season have been utter s****, got no confidence in them at all.

[allez les rouges]

With the exception of Kuyt, Rafa's signings this season have been utter s****, got no confidence in them at all.

 

speedy has impressed me. i couldnt beleive he never got on the pitch yesterday.

 

plus, we know that bellamy will come good.

[Cunny]

I'm at a loss that after a year of fighting to get the lad a work permit, Gonzales has hardly kicked a ball for us.

[Stevie H]

i think aurelio looks fine too, particularly given that he cost nothing. pennant should really have hit the ground running, likewise bellamy. weird that kuyt has seemed to bed in far quicker than those two.

[Guest Kev]

speedy has impressed me. i couldnt beleive he never got on the pitch yesterday.

 

plus, we know that bellamy will come good.

 

I don't think Bellamy or Pennant have got the guts to be in a succesfull side. We'll get one good game out of them in ten.

[fred milne]

i think aurelio looks fine too

I'm concerned he is going to fall between two stools.

 

He looks lost in midfield and, while his overlapping runs from full-back show promise, his defending needs a huge amount of work.

 

I'm at a loss that after a year of fighting to get the lad a work permit, Gonzales has hardly kicked a ball for us.

The frustrating thing is that he has shown signs of being a useful player - he is quick, knows where the goal is and works hard.

Edited October 15, 2006 by fred milne

[Guest Wilko]

Pennant is simply not good enough to be in a side that supposedly has aspirations to win the league,if he was he'd still be at Highbury.

[Stevie H]

I'm concerned he is going to fall between two stools.

 

He looks lost in midfield and, while his overlapping runs from full-back show promise, his defending needs a huge amount of work.

know what you mean, he might suffer from a touch of the christian zieges. too long for dick, too short for richard. it's frustrating, 'cos he's obviously a talented ball player.

 

The frustrating thing is that he has shown signs of being a useful player - he is quick, knows where the goal is and works hard.

 

gonzalez's use of the ball has really impressed me. he's been far cleverer in retaining possession and decision-making than pennant has. really want the lad to be thrown in for a run of games if he's fit.

[Knox_Harrington]

The frustrating thing is that he has shown signs of being a useful player - he is quick, knows where the goal is and works hard.

He looks a cracking player. Protects his full back as well. To be honest I think the first eleven all but picks itself at the moment and really wish it would just be allowed to do that. Reina, Finnan, Carra, Agger, Riise, Garcia/Sissoko (depending on the opposition), Gerrard, Alonso, Gonzalez, Crouch, Kuyt.

[Cunny]

He looks a cracking player. Protects his full back as well. To be honest I think the first eleven all but picks itself at the moment and really wish it would just be allowed to do that. Reina, Finnan, Carra, Agger, Riise, Garcia/Sissoko (depending on the opposition), Gerrard, Alonso, Gonzalez, Crouch, Kuyt.

 

 

I'd mix it between Garcia and Gonzalez depending on the oppo and I'd have Bellamy over Crouch.

Thought Crouch was awful yesterday.

[fred milne]

He looks a cracking player. Protects his full back as well. To be honest I think the first eleven all but picks itself at the moment and really wish it would just be allowed to do that. Reina, Finnan, Carra, Agger, Riise, Garcia/Sissoko (depending on the opposition), Gerrard, Alonso, Gonzalez, Crouch, Kuyt.

I'm in two minds between Crouch and Bellamy but the rest of the team should pick itself, albeit quite a few (including Reina, Carragher, Gerrard and Sissoko) need to pull their finger out sharpish.