Did Pavlyuchenko refuse to take the pen against Werder?

[nailsy]

I'm not sure what the problem is here. Pav wasn't convinced he would score so let someone else have a go. I'd rather he did that and look after the team than take one with no confidence and sky it.

 

[hoddle1987]

hummm all i know is that if defoe had passed up the pen for Bale Harry would have worded it differently in interview.

what he said.

no way on earth pav refused an opportunity to get another CL goal.

 

[brett.spurs]

Benny should take them.

 

[camaj]

hummm all i know is that if defoe had passed up the pen for Bale Harry would have worded it differently in interview. He doesn't like the bloke and it's a bit sad that it's so transparent.

You got that right. Also if Pav had taken it and missed you can bet there'd be people in here saying how crap Pav was, thank god Defoe is back etc. Bale misses and "oh well, he's human after all" and "Pav bottled it, didn't he?"

I don't know what happened, of course, but I'd rather a player who wasn't confident give it to someone who was than try to prove a point and miss. If it's true, good on Pav for putting the team before himself.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

You got that right. Also if Pav had taken it and missed you can bet there'd be people in here saying how crap Pav was, thank god Defoe is back etc. Bale misses and "oh well, he's human after all" and "Pav bottled it, didn't he?"

I don't know what happened, of course, but I'd rather a player who wasn't confident give it to someone who was than try to prove a point and miss. If it's true, good on Pav for putting the team before himself.

Indeed

 

[Viva la Tottenham]

Maybe Pav wanted Bale to take it as Bale is on fire in the CL and another goal for him would make him even more confident. Fact is nobody knows what the reasons were but from watching the match Bale looked like he really wanted to take the pen.

 

[Viva la Tottenham]

I have played plenty of football in my time, there's a major difference, i was never a professional, these players are. I would like to think the players would stand up to the plate, grab the bull by the horn and just get on with it.

I was at the UEFA cup final in 84, standing on the shelf biting my nails along with everyone else. Danny Thomas knew he had a responcibilty to take a pen, he didn't use confidence as a weak excuse to bottle out of it. He missed but we all knew what the players were going through. To a man everyone sang "there's only one Danny Thomas"

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Graham Roberts would have run through a brick wall for the club, came from non league football direct to spurs, he would never bottle taking a pen for spurs.

Just because they get paid to play the game doesn't mean they're all of a sudden not human. Football is an emotional game for the players too.

 

[jushin3]

Benny should take them.

Maybe Kaboul should have taken it, he's on fine goal scoring form. Just let him kick it as hard he can, he might send the goalie back into the net too.

 

[hybridsoldier]

nice to see alot of support from pav but i am on the other side here

i thought if your low on confidence and missed chances a pen is a nice chance to get one and boost your confidence. How any striker can refuse/not fancy it is beyond me? I thought strikers jobs were scoring, they live to score?

Its like a kicker in the nfl saying field goal? nah dont fancy it mate...

I think its a bit worrying if Pav is mentally that weak that a pen miss and a few missed chances/bad performances meant he would rather NOT take a pen?

I just find it baffling??!? Am I too old school? I know players are more emotionally sensitive now but turning down a pen is a bit weird

 

[Viva la Tottenham]

but what if Bale wanted the pen and basically asked Pav if it was ok and he said sure go ahead

point is we're making a mountain out of a mole hill as we don't know the circumstances at all