Liverpool FC Forum

[Well Red]

Scenario: We draw a quality side in the next round of the champions league (take your pick) and get a decent enough result in the away leg. Then we bring them back to Anfield and they get a draw after extra time to take the tie to penalties.
Who do you think our first five takers would be? Assuming your first choice XI were fit and on the pitch.

and, in light of Arsenal's shoot out going to the 8th taker, who would be in like to take the later penalties if it goes past the first five?

For me it would have to be this:

GERRARD - without a shadow of a doubt. World class, cannot even remember the last time he missed from the spot.

TORRES - missed from the spot against Portsmouth in pre-season but a player of his world class ability would automatically get into the top takers. Would surely score.

AURELIO - he's got a reputation for being a free-kick specialist, and has got a decent strike on him from a dead ball situation. Bearing in mind his indirect free kick inside the area against Pompey he would have to be in the top five, I feel.

ALONSO - World class, so surely no problems from him. He missed in Istanbul but would simply have to pass the ball into the top corner.

RIERA - Never heard of him taking a pen before but he's got a decent strike of the ball on him - certainly the best out of the remaining lot of players, so he makes the cut.

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Now down to the next few, though I'd rather it didn't come down to them:

KUYT - Fair play, I'm not a Kuyt basher, I actually think he's a top lad and a decent footballer who plays his part. Futhermore he scored two pressure penalties against Everton last season and I could see Rafa putting him in the top five takers in this scenario. Not for me though - I can just envisage him missing it.

BENAYOUN - Clever player, no doubt, but a decent penalty taker? I'm not sure. He's probably taken a couple for Israel being captain so I'm sure he could handle the pressure, but I could see him placing it within reach of the keeper.

CARRAGHER - Top drawer penalty against Birmingham back in the day when we won the treble, but perhaps that was just a one off? I'm sure if asked he'd take one, and I doubt the pressure would get to him as he's hard as nails, but I could see him doing a John Terry a-la CL Final last season. No one wants that for the lad.

MASCHERANO - I can see him blazing it over the bar

BABEL - Would you trust him with a crucial penalty? So hit and miss...

what do you reckon? 

[mgabby]

yossi benayoun is israel's national team penalty taker. can't remember him missing...
i think he might even be one of the first 5 if he plays, instead of riera maybe.

[Almighty Red]

I'd have Gerrard, Torres, Alonso and Carragher without a doubt. I'd trust 100%. As for the other... definitely not Babel. He'd inevitably miss. I can feel that coming. I'd rather Reina than Babel! No, I'd go for Benayoun, though Riera or Kuyt maybe OK. Of course, there's always Dosseninho...

[Thingy]

Torres, Gerrard, Alonso, Kuyt And Aurellio for me. If it went past the 5, Yossi and aybe Carra, and Dossena. If it was in training , Babel would score 9 out of ten i'd think, but in a pressure scenario, nah, I think he would flap.

[Well Red]

maybe the penalty takers in our squad are a bit too predictable. That cannot be good if the oppo's keeper's done ANY sort of background research on where players tend to put them and how

[GYBS]

One thing about Torres is he never takes penalties as he doesnt like too and many times has refused to take them so i wouldnt have him in my Top 5 takers as shocking as that maybe with him being the world class finisher he is .

1.Gerrard
2.Aurelio
3.Kuyt
4.Carra
5.Xabi

Then

Masher
Sami
Yossi
and Finally Torres

[GRAHAM01]

maybe the penalty takers in our squad are a bit too predictable. That cannot be good if the oppo's keeper's done ANY sort of background research on where players tend to put them and how

how are they predictable?

case in point; the last 2 pens taken by gerrard
1) against real he went to the left
2) against scum he went to the right

??

[Boocity]

SG, XA, FT, YB & FA. However, I believe our best option is Reina who will save at least two of the oppostion penalties.

[Sabre]

My list wouldn't be much different to yours Well Red, but then, in a penalty shoot out, you have to bear in mind what's the physical and mental state of the player in min 120.

MASCHERANO - I can see him blazing it over the bar

I can't. Mascherano is not a thug technically and he's Argie international, which means good response when the pressure is high.

[Alex G.]

I remember Torres missed seven penalties in one season with Atletico de Madrid. Seven!!! But the supporters always backed him despite of it.

[Owzat]

GERRARD - without a shadow of a doubt. World class, cannot even remember the last time he missed from the spot.

According to this source he has missed five, I assume it excludes shootout misses :-
http://www.lfchistory.net/stats_missed_penalties_all.asp

THAT SOUTHGATE FEELING (MISSING PENS UNDER RAFA)

11/12/07 Gerrard vs Marseille
09/12/06 Gerrard vs Fulham
08/11/06 Bellamy vs Birmingham
12/02/06 Gerrard vs Arsenal
07/01/06 Cisse vs Luton
19/11/05 Crouch vs Portsmouth
19/07/05 Hamann vs TNS
25/05/05 Alonso vs AC Milan
16/04/05 Gerrard vs Tottenham
26/12/04 Baros vs WBA

Gerrard also missed against Fulham in Houllier's last season in charge. Surprisingly Heskey took a penalty and even more surprisingly Fowler missed six. I vaguely recall a bit of debate when Owen was missing pens, he is second behind all time leader Phil Neal (13) in the list of missed pens for Liverpool with TEN. According to that source Owen only scored 13 so he missed nearly as many as he scored. I see Gary Mac scored five penalties in his short time here, missing one.

I find it hard to credit that Jan Molby scored 42 penalties for us and never missed a single one, that is immense. And if that penalty missed by Aldridge is his only one with 17 converted, that too beggars belief - for a slightly different reason, the only miss such a crucial one.

10 pens have been missed under Rafa, only fair to put a figure to those scored in the same period : 29. So we miss 1 in 4, but none of the last eight and none since December 2007



Personally I would pick takers based on their scoring frequency, set-piece takers ("dead ball specialists") and those who take or have taken penalties during a normal 90 min game/extra time. I'd definitely have Torres and Gerrard take one, probably Alonso and Aurelio if on the pitch, and whoever the most attacking player is who fits my requirements still on the pitch.

[Sabre]

I remember Torres missed seven penalties in one season with Atletico de Madrid. Seven!!! But the supporters always backed him despite of it.

True mate, I remember myself giving stick to Torres for it here.

Would you agree that he has evolved a lot as a player with his English experience?

[JoeTerp]

only semi related to the thread, but youngster Nathan Eccleston takes a mean penalty. Almost always sends the keeper the wrong way with the Aldo Shuffle.

My order would be:

1. Alonso
2. Aurelio
3. Kuyt
4. Gerrard
5. Torres


6. Bennayoun
7. Mascherano
8. Carragher
9. Agger

for some reason I feel that that 2nd slot has the least amount of pressure of the first 5, if such a thing exists. The interesting thing is the later somebody takes the penalty the more pressure on them, but the latter you schedule someone to take, the less chance they will even get a chance to shoot.  I would put my best taker 3rd, 2nd best taker in the 4 slot and 3rd best taker in the 1 slot.

In a penalty shootout, would you rather be at home or away?

[DanAn]

1. Alonso - Safe as houses hammers it into the top left corner
2. Benayoun - Class finish into the top right
3. Kuyt - Slips over scuffing the ball which dribble into the bottom right as the keeper dives wrong way
4. Gerrard - cool finish into top right, keeper no chance
5. Aurelio - Hammers it into the bottom left

[Effes]

Gerrard was dodgey at pens a while ago, but he's much better now.

What's SG's record i.e. taken vs scored and missed.