You've both seen Donovan take penalties for the US right? He's pretty good at converting. He was fouled after a pretty long run, that's why he didn't take it.
Landon's successful PK rate in MLS I believe is 94%. MLS Analyst posted this when Keane took the PK in LA a few weeks ago. I know it's over 90% for sure, just can't remember where in the 94-96% range. Don't know if he's missed for the USMNT, but with that rate, he's about as money as you can get. I know two of his misses are against Nick Rimando - once in the MLS Cup. Another miss came in the SuperLiga final. Both were skied over the bar. With that rate, and I bet his USMNT rate is similar, NO ONE should be interfering with him picking up that ball and taking it to the spot unless he's asking somebody else to do it. Which is what I believe happened against A&B as everyone else has said - hard foul, to Clint. If Jozy is in, he might take it instead. Honestly, with Clint's record, that might be my preference. Landon and Jozy don't seem to have a pattern when it comes to PKs. It is fun to surmise who would be our 5 PK takers on this team: 1. LD 2. Jozy 3. Clint (think I'd still insert him here) 4. Bradley 5. Gomez (if he's on the pitch), otherwise, Jones/Torres????? Johnson might be another option
Donovan gave it to Dempsey for 2 reasons: 1. for Clint's confidence 2. He didn't want his 50th goal to be a PK. Nothing more, nothing less.
All I know is when Landon walked to the spot vs. Ghana in South Africa, (the most recent pk of importance) there was little doubt in my mind he was gonna bury it. I'll stick with that feeling for now.
Nope. The one he ever did miss was vs. El Salvador in the 2007 Gold Cup, but the goalkeeper jumped before Donovan kicked so it was re-taken and Donovan converted.
I'd like to see Howard score a PK in the World Cup and become the first goalkeeper ever to score in such tournament.
1. Donovan 2. Johnson 3. Dempsey 4. Altidore 5. Bradley 6. Torres 7. Jones 8. Gomez 9. Beckerman 10. Cherundolo
Interesting note: the World Cup 2010 video game, iirc, had Michael Bradley as our 2nd-best PK taker, behind Donovan. Dempsey was something like 5th or 6th.
History doesn't provide much guide here; I believe the last USA penalty shootout was in the final of the 2005 (intercalated; no Confederations Cup berth at stake) Gold Cup. Of the players available at the end of extra time, only Donovan and Onyewu are still with the team; Dempsey (and Beasley, for that matter) had already been substituted out. Donovan took a PK; Onyewu did not, though the USA only needed four penalty kicks, and I don't recall who the fifth penalty taker would have been (my uninformed guess is John O'Brien).
I would move Dempsey way down this list he is not good at penalties. More like this: 1. Donovan 2. Johnson 3. Altidore 4. Bradley 5. Torres 6. Jones 7. Gomez 8. Dempsey 9. Beckerman 10. Cherundolo Whether he converts or not he seems to shoot them in the same place every time:
Dempsey gets confused if the ball isn't moving. I'm one of his biggest fans here, and it has to be said: Dead balls have never been his forte. It's his strength and his curse - when everything is in motion and chaotic, he is the best in our pool at just 'feeling' how to strike it (Bradley and Adu are the contenders in my mind). That said I get the feeling he has been pushing himself to improve in this recently (since those big flubs). I think he has taken more free-kicks and penalties recently, and even scored his first (and second?) free-kick goals in his career - can anyone confirm? I wouldn't be surprised if he identified that as an area to work on, and decided to practice those in particular.
This is spot on. Dempsey has clearly worked on his dead ball skills and it is paying off. By the end of the season with Fulham he had clearly become their free kick specialist in direct situations. Having said that, his track record with penalties is sub par and Donovan's is A+.
I'm not sure Jozy is such a great penalty taker either. You need players with confidence and guts, not just skill. Here are my top 5: Donovan Bradley Johnson Jones Altidore
Dempsey said after the game that he wanted a goal to get himself going. So i'm sure that was a factor. Some players also don't like to take the kick if they were the one to draw it. Not sure if LD has done this in the past. In general, Dempsey seems shaky, and I prefer it not be him. But in a right footed direct kick situation outside the box, he's improved to the point where i think he should be #1.
Good thing most teams don't scout Dempsey and Donovan's PK tendencies (or maybe Cech does). If they did, they'd be stopped everytime.
The reason I would have a problem with Dempsey taking a PK is that, historically, he's bad at it. It's not about attitude. It's about putting the ********ing ball in the ********ing net. I know Landon's routine of kissing his wrists is, um, unmanly, but I don't care because he makes his PKs. Some of y'all need to start following figure skating or gymnastics. Some sport where judges decide the winner based on esthetics.
I want the guy who can consistently put the ball in the upper corner everytime, even if the goal keeper guesses correctly. But than again, so would every other team.
It's not about attitude. It's about putting the ********ing ball in the ********ing net. I know Landon's routine of kissing his wrists is, um, unmanly, but I don't care because he makes his PKs. Some of y'all need to start following figure skating or gymnastics. Some sport where judges decide the winner based on esthetics.[/quote] Pretty judgemental. If you knew why I doubt you'd think it was "unmanly". Engage brain, - post.
This. When he was with New England, I rememebered being shocked that he was not in the top 5 takers in shootouts for some pretty important games. That had to be on him.
Van Persie, Rooney and Aguero all would've finished with more goals than Clint by some margin even if you discounted pks. Also, I would point out that Jozy's pk v. Slovenia looked very good. I remember him missing one versus the Galaxy for NYRB. Bradley missed one or 2 for BMG a few years back. That said, I'd still be ok with him stepping up. Torres did convert his pk in the 2009 Interliga finals when Pachuca won and qualified for Libertadores.