Ronaldo asked Bruno to take the penalty

I'm not sure why it matters. We didn't lose because Bruno missed a penalty - we lost because we're shit, lack character and are weak mentally. If Ronaldo felt mentally unprepared for the pressure because of his personal life, which it seems like he did, then Bruno is an obvious choice to take it.
 
Anyone can miss a penalty, he never looked confident to be fair but the rest of his game cost us big time and cost us a chance at top four. A penalty miss alone isn’t the end of the world but on top of THAT performance? Icing on the shitcake was his role in the third goal, again anyone can lose a ball but you’ve got to be a lot more careful than that on the edge of your own box. The worst part of his game was his attitude though. Half arsed and blaming other players for his own mistakes.

Hopefully a summer break and ETH working on a structure will help Bruno find his form from his first 6 months and not his last 18.
 
Im pretty sure jorginho and bruno have very similar conversion rates.

Both in the high 80's.

So unless you're bringing Thierry Henry back from retirement or manage to sign mo salah, we're not going to do much better.

Oh of course we could just sign mark noble and sub him on for the pens...oh WAIT.
That was nearly as Epic as Gerrards slip :drool:
 
This big name thing is a bit of a nonsense imo. It's the league so you want the person with the highest success rate on them and Arsenal away shouldn't be a big game anyway.

He was asked to take it at the last minute today which probably played into things.
Not necessary true. A footballer could only take 2 penalty in his career, scores both and get the highest success rate ever, doesn't mean he should take all of it. Of course the more you take, the lower success rate you will get.
 
Not necessary true. A footballer could only take 2 penalty in his career, scores both and get the highest success rate ever, doesn't mean he should take all of it. Of course the more you take, the lower success rate you will get.

Well, obviously you need a decent sample size. I didn't think that needed pointing out.
 
Bruno is normally one of the best penalty takers around, isn’t that only like the 2nd one he’s missed for us? Players are going to miss penalty’s all the time it’s wether your confident enough to take another.
 
Well, obviously you need a decent sample size. I didn't think that needed pointing out.
Still, take 20 penalties is easier to get higher success rate than taking 70 penalties. I don't think that needed pointing out.
 
Never seen Bruno look so nervous before taking a penalty, puffing and blowing.. he wasn’t his usual calm concocted penalty taking self. He bottled it.

2 massive misses from spot this season. Arguably cost 4 points, but certainly at least 2. Both were real pressure kicks
 
Still, take 20 penalties is easier to get higher success rate than taking 70 penalties. I don't think that needed pointing out.

Well that may be, but I'm not sure I follow or how it's relevant to Bruno/Ronaldo. Ronaldo shouldn't be on frees either given he can only hit a barn door once every two years.
 
So according to Transfermarkt, who only include in-match penalties, the following have such conversion rates:
  • Bruno 88.1%
  • Jorghino 86.3%
  • Kane 86.2%
  • Salah 84.4%
  • Ronaldo 83.2%

I don't trust Bruno when he is having a frustrating day.
 
Well that may be, but I'm not sure I follow or how it's relevant to Bruno/Ronaldo. Ronaldo shouldn't be on frees either given he can only hit a barn door once every two years.
Who would you put on free kicks ?
 
Who would you put on free kicks ?

Is this a trick question? Bruno was taking them before we signed Ronaldo and had a decent enough scoring rate. He also got a few assists iirc.

It's actually worse than I thought. Ronaldo scored his last free kick for Real in Dec 17, he scored one for Juventus and one for us recently. That's two in nearly 4.5 years. The worst part is they're rarely even on target.
 
Is this a trick question? Bruno was taking them before we signed Ronaldo and had a decent enough scoring rate. He also got a few assists iirc.

It's actually worse than I thought. Ronaldo scored his last free kick for Real in Dec 17, he scored one for Juventus and one for us recently. That's two in nearly 4.5 years. The worst part is they're rarely even on target.

Given he’s taken just about every free kick he’s been on the pitch for since about 2006 it really is incredible how little he’s improved at them. Absolutely abysmal.
 
Is this a trick question? Bruno was taking them before we signed Ronaldo and had a decent enough scoring rate. He also got a few assists iirc.

It's actually worse than I thought. Ronaldo scored his last free kick for Real in Dec 17, he scored one for Juventus and one for us recently. That's two in nearly 4.5 years. The worst part is they're rarely even on target.
No. Fair enough we don’t have many free kick specialists Bruno is decent from the edge of the box though about where Ronnie scored against Norwich is perfect Bruno range. Aside from him there’s probably only Telles but he shouldn’t be playing.
 
No. Fair enough we don’t have many free kick specialists Bruno is decent from the edge of the box though about where Ronnie scored against Norwich is perfect Bruno range. Aside from him there’s probably only Telles but he shouldn’t be playing.

Agreed on Telles. To be honest taking shots from free kicks probably isn't the way to go anyway. Ward-Prose is freakish but even his conversion rate is something like 13%.
 
Agreed on Telles. To be honest taking shots from free kicks probably isn't the way to go anyway. Ward-Prose is freakish but even his conversion rate is something like 13%.
Yeah I was surprised that Becks only scored 18 premier league free kicks.
 
I would hazard a guess that Bruno’s nerves had nothing to do with the game or his own form, rather, the pressure of doing it at Ronaldo’s behest and not wanting to let him down after what he’s gone through.

I would think that kind of pressure supersedes a generic game of football.
 
Maybe Ronaldo didn't feel up to it after what happened? That would be weird as he started today and looked on it all day.

The only thing I can think of is that they have some informal rotation system. Ronaldo started taking the pens after Bruno missed vs Villa (I think). Ronaldo missed vs Middlesborough so maybe it felt it was right to hand it back?
 
I just hope whoever takes them doesn’t do that stupid run up. It doesn’t work and it looks ridiculous.
It’s why Pogba stopped taking them.
 
I don't trust Bruno when he is having a frustrating day.
Agreed. Career percentage conversion rate isn’t everything. I trust Bruno more than Ronaldo when things are going well or the penalty isn’t a crucial one to finish a 3-0 win. His technique will generally see him hit the target more often and give the keeper no chance to save it.

I trust Bruno less than Ronaldo in tight matches, in key games, and when things are not going well the pressure is really on to score. I know Ronaldo has seen it all and has done the lot. His confidence is nigh on infallible. If he misses, he misses, but it won’t be because of the pressure.
 
Thought this deserved a thread if its own because not everybody’s aware of it.

French TV showed a replay where Ronaldo asked Bruno to take the penalty. I can understand him after the week he’s had, even though he was our best player today.

In my opinion this should have been decided before the game not during.
It doesn't. IMO.
 
I'm not sure why it matters. We didn't lose because Bruno missed a penalty - we lost because we're shit, lack character and are weak mentally. If Ronaldo felt mentally unprepared for the pressure because of his personal life, which it seems like he did, then Bruno is an obvious choice to take it.

I'm sure you can understand that when a player misses a pen at 1-2, when you've been in the ascendancy for 20mins, then it's a huge game changer.
 
Maybe Ronaldo didn't feel up to it after what happened? That would be weird as he started today and looked on it all day.

The only thing I can think of is that they have some informal rotation system. Ronaldo started taking the pens after Bruno missed vs Villa (I think). Ronaldo missed vs Middlesborough so maybe it felt it was right to hand it back?

That is what has come out since.
But it definitely feels odd having been up to starting, and taking a pen just a natural part of his game.

It's just such a frustrating one, as we've comfortably lost on paper, and all is woe on the forums.
But that goal goes in, we're already on top, and it's an absolutely different game.
 
That is what has come out since.
But it definitely feels odd having been up to starting, and taking a pen just a natural part of his game.

It's just such a frustrating one, as we've comfortably lost on paper, and all is woe on the forums.
But that goal goes in, we're already on top, and it's an absolutely different game.


I can only assume he felt that taking a penalty is different to the rest of the game and his play.

Perhaps he felt that if he missed people would say it was because of what had happened and he just didn't want that being said
 
So according to Transfermarkt, who only include in-match penalties, the following have such conversion rates:
  • Bruno 88.1%
  • Jorghino 86.3%
  • Kane 86.2%
  • Salah 84.4%
  • Ronaldo 83.2%
I think a filter for high pressure, level the score or take the lead etc is also needed. Jorginho hasn't missed much but the ones he did are pretty costly just like the 2 misses by Bruno this season.
 
I think it's understandable for Ronaldo to do that given the recent circumstances, I'm surprised he played to begin with. Normally he's the most competitive guy in field who wants to win more than the rest but maybe he can't focus and take all the pressure like he usually does because of what happened with his baby.
 
Ronaldo not wanting to take a penalty seems very unbelievable to me. The only thing that guy cares about is scoring goals.
 
I know, but surely if he was mentally well enough to start, he would have been fine to take a pen?
Things dont always work out that way pal. Anything could have happened, grief can hit in all sorts of ways. The fact Ronaldo is out there at all (and was easily our best player) is remarkable.
 
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I know, but surely if he was mentally well enough to start, he would have been fine to take a pen?


Taking a penalty is different than just going out to play.

Grief is a difficult thing to cope with and affects people differently.