WPM R21 vs Sydney FC | Sat 16th Mar | 5:30pm | Eden Park / Sky Sport 3 | Pre Game: Morningside Tavern

number8

coochiee

I'm guessing as a RB, where you are mostly looking forwards communication is a bit easier, especially with Salas having limited English?? But in midfield where you more often have your back to goal (ie unsighted) you more often need to hear what your team mates are saying, clearly & fast??

It wasn't until near the end of last year's winter season here in QLD, that my shyest Peruvian nephew (a 6 or 8) asked me 'what does man on' mean?!

Salas did not had a problem with his english when he passed this perfectly weighted ball to Kosta that lead to the 2nd goal. Pure poetry!

Not to mention his cheeky little backheel in our own half that set Pennington free to provide the crucial crossfield ball for the first goal.

Incidentally, having just watched the game again, not only did Pennington not have a bad game he had an excellent game!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350209862/wellington-phoenix-forward-kosta-barbarouses-fifth-league-men-all-time-goalscorers

A-League Men ‒ all-time top goalscorers

152: Jamie Maclaren (Australia)

142: Besart Berisha (Kosovo)

104: Bruno Fornaroli (Australia)

92: Shane Smeltz (New Zealand)

91: Kosta Barbarouses (New Zealand)

kungfu panda

I was foolish enough to give some credit to what Marto was saying. More fool me. Mainland and the Prof got it much more accurately. 
I've just rewatched the game and counted Pennington's misplaced passes, it totaled (1). It looked spectacular but he had his ankle clipped as he made the pass, so ended way short of the intended target.
I counted 15 duels won by him, and that's me counting. And the equaliser started with his ball... etc etc

I also think the referees have a predisposition to think that Pennington is a diver because of his Italian background. Rufer would have been given the free kick for the 1st goal. Pennington- fudge off...

We really didn't watch the same game.  Maybe you need to take off the Pennington Coloured glasses Kungfu. As we've both pointed out, there were many other guilty parties too.

I don't agree that referees ping Pennington due to his background any more then Ninkovic, Khelifi, Mak, Kraev, Rufer, Wootten, or other A League players by background generally, that's just clinging at straws. Some I've mentioned came from leagues far worse then Italy for "playing up/being dirty".

I do think though that when he makes mistakes (unsure if more or less then others in the team), they are often at bad times so they are amplified e.g the first goal.

Marto

kungfu panda

I was foolish enough to give some credit to what Marto was saying. More fool me. Mainland and the Prof got it much more accurately. 
I've just rewatched the game and counted Pennington's misplaced passes, it totaled (1). It looked spectacular but he had his ankle clipped as he made the pass, so ended way short of the intended target.
I counted 15 duels won by him, and that's me counting. And the equaliser started with his ball... etc etc

I also think the referees have a predisposition to think that Pennington is a diver because of his Italian background. Rufer would have been given the free kick for the 1st goal. Pennington- fudge off...

We really didn't watch the same game.  Maybe you need to take off the Pennington Coloured glasses Kungfu. As we've both pointed out, there were many other guilty parties too.

I don't agree that referees ping Pennington due to his background any more then Ninkovic, Khelifi, Mak, Kraev, Rufer, Wootten, or other A League players by background generally, that's just clinging at straws. Some I've mentioned came from leagues far worse then Italy for "playing up/being dirty".

I do think though that when he makes mistakes (unsure if more or less then others in the team), they are often at bad times so they are amplified e.g the first goal.

I do not have Pennington coloured glasses. I just look at the stats. Or I did when I had them. Wyscout and I had a falling out.
I'm watching the game right now. Tell me the minutes where Pennington made these mistakes that you describe and I'll look at them.
18 minutes, I know about, a pass that looked genuinely awful but I'm certain that his ankle was tapped as he played the ball. 

As for the foul for the first goal. You could say that he should have tried harder to stay on his feet but whether it was a soft foul or a hard foul, a push in the back is a foul. The commentators were wrong. You can't just let all fouls go. There isn't any argument to be had, these are the rules. You can't say that he's a good referee because he doesn't blow his whistle. His job is to blow his whistle appropriately. 

kungfu panda

Marto

kungfu panda

I was foolish enough to give some credit to what Marto was saying. More fool me. Mainland and the Prof got it much more accurately. 
I've just rewatched the game and counted Pennington's misplaced passes, it totaled (1). It looked spectacular but he had his ankle clipped as he made the pass, so ended way short of the intended target.
I counted 15 duels won by him, and that's me counting. And the equaliser started with his ball... etc etc

I also think the referees have a predisposition to think that Pennington is a diver because of his Italian background. Rufer would have been given the free kick for the 1st goal. Pennington- fudge off...

We really didn't watch the same game.  Maybe you need to take off the Pennington Coloured glasses Kungfu. As we've both pointed out, there were many other guilty parties too.

I don't agree that referees ping Pennington due to his background any more then Ninkovic, Khelifi, Mak, Kraev, Rufer, Wootten, or other A League players by background generally, that's just clinging at straws. Some I've mentioned came from leagues far worse then Italy for "playing up/being dirty".

I do think though that when he makes mistakes (unsure if more or less then others in the team), they are often at bad times so they are amplified e.g the first goal.

I do not have Pennington coloured glasses. I just look at the stats. Or I did when I had them. Wyscout and I had a falling out.
I'm watching the game right now. Tell me the minutes where Pennington made these mistakes that you describe and I'll look at them.
18 minutes, I know about, a pass that looked genuinely awful but I'm certain that his ankle was tapped as he played the ball. 

As for the foul for the first goal. You could say that he should have tried harder to stay on his feet but whether it was a soft foul or a hard foul, a push in the back is a foul. The commentators were wrong. You can't just let all fouls go. There isn't any argument to be had, these are the rules. You can't say that he's a good referee because he doesn't blow his whistle. His job is to blow his whistle appropriately. 

Pennington is a great midfielder, always was, he looks not as elegant as A-Taay or industrious as Rufer but he’s a good fighter and a good passer. Not sure why all the criticism, there is probably a good stat that we lose less when he plays.

Thank Goodness that you posted that "number 8". That is exactly my opinion. No more, no less.

There are no bad players this year. The team is playing well and the tactics are spot on.

Some of the criticism of Pennington comes from previous seasons where he has made some poor decisions that have cost us - this year, he seems to have largely solved that part of his game.

kungfu panda

Thank Goodness that you posted that "number 8". That is exactly my opinion. No more, no less.

To be fair and probably more accurate KP, your love for Pennington is well known.

MetalLegNZ

There are no bad players this year. The team is playing well and the tactics are spot on.

Some of the criticism of Pennington comes from previous seasons where he has made some poor decisions that have cost us - this year, he seems to have largely solved that part of his game.

Agreed.  And the same goes for a few more players (largely defence and midfield).  Makes me think this is where Italiano and Adam Griffiths have strongly influenced individual decision making.
I mean, who knew that Payne or Rufer could score goals?  We did not see them taking the shots much before, let alone scoring from them.

theprof

kungfu panda

Thank Goodness that you posted that "number 8". That is exactly my opinion. No more, no less.

To be fair and probably more accurate KP, your love for Pennington is well known.

Yes. This is the story that we like. The reality is that I don't love anybody. I love football. I love the fact that I adopted the Nix when I retired to New Zealand. 
I defended the horrendous attacks on Pennington that came in the previous 2 seasons because he's an Aussie from Italy which is where I've been for the 20 years before coming to NZ. +
He's a good player, he's been a good player from the start. Despite "funny" errors.