Brilliant new left winger

[David Hodgson]

..is Jermaine Pennant.

 

Looked an absolute natural in the position, and it gives him the option of cutting inside onto his right for more shots on goal. I'd like to see Rafa persist with him there, as it would also give us the chanc eto play Babel or Benayoun on the right.

 

BTW talking of left wingers, anyone know if Kewell's expected back any day soon ?

[Earl Hafler]

  David Hodgson said:

..is Jermaine Pennant.

 

Looked an absolute natural in the position, and it gives him the option of cutting inside onto his right for more shots on goal. I'd like to see Rafa persist with him there, as it would also give us the chanc eto play Babel or Benayoun on the right.

 

BTW talking of left wingers, anyone know if Kewell's expected back any day soon ?

 

February 24th.

[mooks]

  Big Stuff said:

February 24th.

April 1

[usualsuspect]

  mooks said:

April 1

2009?

[Knox_Harrington]

Pennat's in excellent form. A fit Kewell would be a massive boon right now. He'd come in very useful indeed.

[Stevie H]

kewell's gone guys. move on.

[Knox_Harrington]

  Steve H said:

kewell's gone guys. move on.

If he has we should have released him. He didn't look gone at the end of last season and thirty/forty games of that, being rested and looked after wouldn't go amiss.

[Stevie H]

  Knox_Harrington said:

If he has we should have released him. He didn't look gone at the end of last season and thirty/forty games of that, being rested and looked after wouldn't go amiss.

i'm not convinced at all mate. our game's gone quick, really pacey and direct, and i don't see what kewell brings to that any more. his legs are gone.

[mooks]

  David Hodgson said:

..is Jermaine Pennant.

 

Looked an absolute natural in the position, and it gives him the option of cutting inside onto his right for more shots on goal. I'd like to see Rafa persist with him there, as it would also give us the chanc eto play Babel or Benayoun on the right.

Not wanting to give ammunition to the wise Rafa bashers on here but in hindsight I wonder what would have happened if we had played Pennant on the left, Stevie on the right and Crouch partnering Kuyt up front.

 

You know which game I'm talking about.

[Knox_Harrington]

  Steve H said:

i'm not convinced at all mate. our game's gone quick, really pacey and direct, and i don't see what kewell brings to that any more. his legs are gone.

Riise's started wide midfield twice this season. Refuse to believe Riise adds more to that game than Kewell does and at the end of last season he looked quick pacy and direct.

[Cobs]

  Steve H said:

i'm not convinced at all mate. our game's gone quick, really pacey and direct, and i don't see what kewell brings to that any more. his legs are gone.

i'mnorravvintha

[Guest Kaizer]

  David Hodgson said:

..is Jermaine Pennant.

 

Looked an absolute natural in the position, and it gives him the option of cutting inside onto his right for more shots on goal.

 

Yes it does, something he should have done twice on Saturday at least and it would have given him a golden opportunity to score two goals, but he did not do it because its not a part of his game.

 

Before he can be seen as a great player this is something he needs to start doing on regular basis from both sides.

[Woodsyla]

  Steve H said:

his legs are gone.

 

Based on what. Granted he's not often fit but everytime I've seen him play this summer he's still looked a handful.

[MFletcher]

  Kaizer said:

Yes it does, something he should have done twice on Saturday at least and it would have given him a golden opportunity to score two goals, but he did not do it because its not a part of his game.

 

Before he can be seen as a great player this is something he needs to start doing on regular basis from both sides.

 

Your Pennant-bashing is becoming tiresome. Whilst I accept that he should contribute a bit more in front of goal, his entire game doesn't rely upon his goal scoring record.

 

He was excellent yesterday and made some excellent crosses and dribbles. I doubt Quaresma could have done much better...

[Guest Kaizer]

Pennant bashing?

 

I`m pointing out the f***in obvious here, there were two times on Saturday when every top class winger with any goalscoring ability at all would have gone on the inside and taken a shot on goal when he was in a one on one inside the box, but Pennant went on the outside and opted for the cross instead and nothing came of it.

 

This is a big flaw in his game and before he sorts it out he will never be seen as a real top class player from anyone apart from our own biased fan base.

 

He needs to add goals to his game, something Rafa has said aswell, he said before Christmas last year that Pennant needed to score more goals, so what do you think, has he improved in this area?

 

Pennant does not even take shots at goal and this is the reason he has not been called up in the England sqaud, when and if he start to add these things to his game, he will probably get that call up.

Edited September 2, 2007 by Kaizer

[Lee W]

  Kaizer said:

Pennant does not even take shots at goal and this is the reason he has not been called up in the England sqaud, when and if he start to add these things to his game, he will probably get that call up.

 

So if Pennant has 20 shots in his next two games, and doesn't score a single goal he'll get called up - just because he shoots more.

[Guest Kaizer]

  Lee W said:

So if Pennant has 20 shots in his next two games, and doesn't score a single goal he'll get called up - just because he shoots more.

 

That would be more shots than he had during his 52 matches last season, so try to be a bit realistic.

 

But yes, if Pennant can take a few shots at goal during most matches, I think he will be seen as a better option than what he is at the moment, if I as a manger could choose between wingers that actually threatened the oppositions goal and someone that usually never does it, it would be an easy choice.

 

This is Pennant`s big weakness and if you dont aknowledge it as a major flaw, well then your standards and expectations are pretty low when it comes to what a winger is supposed to add to the game.

 

People are saying Pennant was brilliant on Saturday, well he was involved in zero goals so for all his supposed "brilliant" work the match would have finished 0-0 if that was the best contributions we got from our players, but thankfully it was not and the match finished 6-0 instead because other players contributed with what is important in football, to score more goals than your opponent.

 

There is no reason why Pennant cant easily add this to his game apart from in his own head.

Edited September 2, 2007 by Kaizer

[Guest spk]

pennats job seems to be pretty much get the ball in the box as there are others ahead of you that specise in finding the net.

 

the guy played more games for us last season than any other player and this season he's outstanding as a dedicated winger and creator (i.e.: not a striker). he's always going to have his haters because of his past but ffs, who hasnt been out, going largered/coked/pilled/generallly-f***ed up and got in a mess, and without the options his money offers.

 

he's not ronaldo, he's something different and what he offers he does really f***ing well man. he's clearly a #1 for rafa right now, deservedly so, and it's only a matter of time til he's in the england squad.

[Guest spk]

  Lee W said:

So if Pennant has 20 shots in his next two games, and doesn't score a single goal he'll get called up - just because he shoots more.

 

works for frank

[lawrie]

  Kaizer said:

when it comes to what a winger is supposed to add to the game.

 

People are saying Pennant was brilliant on Saturday, well he was involved in zero goals so for all his supposed "brilliant" work the match would have finished 0-0 if that was the best contributions we got from our players, but thankfully it was not and the match finished 6-0 instead because other players contributed with what is important in football, to score more goals than your opponent.

 

But this is always the problem with your argument. Pennant delivered quality into the box, it's hardly his fault the strikers didn't capitalize

[Guest Kaizer]

  lawrie said:

But this is always the problem with your argument. Pennant delivered quality into the box, it's hardly his fault the strikers didn't capitalize

 

Like I have said, on two occasions the easy and best option would have been to go on the inside and taken a shot himself so to go on the outside and put a cross in is a wasted opportunity even if Kuyt should have scored on one occasion, but we also know some of our strikers have a tendency to miss dont we.

 

I think Pennant had a good game on Saturday, but I dont think he had a brilliant game because of things like these and before he sorts this roblem out he will never be able to have brilliant games either in my eyes because he lacks a major part of an attacking footballers game in his game.

 

Maybe its a weird way of seeing things, but I dont think so since its only his own mindset that lessen his game this way.

[Redwire]

  Kaizer said:

I think Pennant had a good game on Saturday, but I dont think he had a brilliant game because of things like these and before he sorts this roblem out he will never be able to have brilliant games either in my eyes

 

I'm surprised he can sleep at night.

[Gary Gekkaloys]

  Kaizer said:

Like I have said, on two occasions the easy and best option would have been to go on the inside and taken a shot himself so to go on the outside and put a cross in is a wasted opportunity even if Kuyt should have scored on one occasion, but we also know some of our strikers have a tendency to miss dont we.

 

I'm not Pennant's biggest fan, but that's exactly what I want to see him doing more often - getting into dangerous positions and creating chances for our forwards. It was hardly his fault Kuyt didn't score. He's been putting defenders on the back foot in every game he's played this season and it he keeps that up I won't have a problem with him. Goals would be a bonus.

[Guest rudedog]

  Kaizer said:

Yes it does, something he should have done twice on Saturday at least and it would have given him a golden opportunity to score two goals, but he did not do it because its not a part of his game.

 

Before he can be seen as a great player this is something he needs to start doing on regular basis from both sides.

 

Of course your entitled to your opinion but I'd really like to hear you talk about something else - this constant harping on about Pennant not scoring enough goals is getting boring. I thought he had another excellent game, always looked dangerous, stretching the defence and creating chances for others.

Edited September 3, 2007 by rudedog

[downunder]

Kaizer,

 

When Rush was at his best, another forward, Kenny, was making most of his goals. Kenny didn't score much at that time, he was a forward who didnt score, I assume you would have been annoyed about that?

 

JP is playing well, we are playing well, we are top of the league. That should be enough.