Spur of the moment
Frederic Kanoute
Before you all scream Harry Kane! - pause a moment. Because maybe it's just a tad more complicated than that?
Watching Barcelona last night it was hard not to be struck by the supreme nonchalance, indeed the outright arrogance with which Messi and Neymar picked their way through the City defence and calmly took their chances.
Of course you can argue that City made it ridiculously easy for them through sloppy defending and that three of the goals came after the Manchester club had gone down to ten. Besides, the Barcelona strikers are among the world's best so what else do you expect? And even we managed two against City only a fortnight ago so what's the big deal?
All of which, granted. But then when you reflect on the way we keep snatching at our chances these days and compare it to the Barcelona approach there is one particular difference that jumps right out at you. No not just ability, not just class, not even time but -
COMPOSURE!
A big part of why the Catalan club score so many is because they KNOW they can. No doubt when Janssen was banging them in for AZ Alkmaar (edit) last season that was a good part of why they were going in for him too. Same for Kane probably.
But this season a collective uncertainty in front of goal seems to have taken hold, a lack of conviction that's leading to us snatching at chances more and more. In our increasing desperation to score we're either hitting the post or the corner flag, smacking it straight at the keeper or way over the stand.
Of course there's a huge difference between the EPL and La Liga. Defences in the Prem are much more organised and generally of a higher standard than in La Liga. And it's much harder to score when four defenders throw themselves at you as though their lives depended on it every time you're about to pull the trigger.
But even allowing for all of that, it does seem we are increasingly snatching at our chances when that extra little bit of composure might make all the difference.
Thoughts?
Watching Barcelona last night it was hard not to be struck by the supreme nonchalance, indeed the outright arrogance with which Messi and Neymar picked their way through the City defence and calmly took their chances.
Of course you can argue that City made it ridiculously easy for them through sloppy defending and that three of the goals came after the Manchester club had gone down to ten. Besides, the Barcelona strikers are among the world's best so what else do you expect? And even we managed two against City only a fortnight ago so what's the big deal?
All of which, granted. But then when you reflect on the way we keep snatching at our chances these days and compare it to the Barcelona approach there is one particular difference that jumps right out at you. No not just ability, not just class, not even time but -
COMPOSURE!
A big part of why the Catalan club score so many is because they KNOW they can. No doubt when Janssen was banging them in for AZ Alkmaar (edit) last season that was a good part of why they were going in for him too. Same for Kane probably.
But this season a collective uncertainty in front of goal seems to have taken hold, a lack of conviction that's leading to us snatching at chances more and more. In our increasing desperation to score we're either hitting the post or the corner flag, smacking it straight at the keeper or way over the stand.
Of course there's a huge difference between the EPL and La Liga. Defences in the Prem are much more organised and generally of a higher standard than in La Liga. And it's much harder to score when four defenders throw themselves at you as though their lives depended on it every time you're about to pull the trigger.
But even allowing for all of that, it does seem we are increasingly snatching at our chances when that extra little bit of composure might make all the difference.
Thoughts?
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