Barnet, some thoughts...

[STFC_Chris]

Brez- looked shakey, second half in particular. From where I was he looked to be at fault for their goal. They should have had another but for Comminges clearing it off the line, after Brez had flapped and got nowhere near the ball.

Zaaboub- was superb first half, ran at the full-back and put some decent balls in... didn't notice him quite so much in the second half.

Comminges- didn't get forward as much as he has done recently.

Ifil- well below what we've come to expect from him.

Pook- considering he's not had much football recently he must have been absolutely knackered after 120 minutes.

Paynter- good to see him on the score sheet again, seemed to get a bit over-confident and started shooting from anywhere.

As for the pens,
Paynter- as he went up to take his, me and my mate agreed he seems the sort to blast it over the bar.
Roberts- let the crowd get to him with their "wanker" chants, smashed it wide.
Aljofree- what were you thinking?
Comminges- irrelevant really by this stage.

In hindsight, the highlight of the evening probably came before we even got in the ground. Walking upto the turnstiles about 7.30ish a steward called us over...

Steward: "Hang on a minute lads, what's this blokes name?" (points to man stood in front of him, grinning madly as he realises his genius plan to root out this imposter) "He reckons he plays for your lot."
Us: Err, Craig Easton
Steward: Ah, right...well... ok then
Easton: Cheers lads

Cue one red-faced steward and one happy scotsman.

[neville w]

I don't think practicing pens would make a blind bit of difference. A pro footballer at any level should at least be able to hit the target from 12 yards. The atmosphere and the adreneline of a penalty shoot out cannot be recreated in a field at Wanborough. It's all about holding their nerve.

"It matters more when there's money on it".......

[Jamiesfuturewife]

what pissed me off was that at work last night - after linking a series of extension leads together across the sports centre to enable me to rig up a horrid 80's radio I found in the cleaning cupboard on poolside so I could listen to the second half whilst I scrubbed down the poolside - They went and lost  :x

[Spencer_White]

Practising penalties does pay off. Were not at the level where goalies will know which way players will go. We average a penalty shoot out about every 4 years. If youve got a spot you like striking then go for that, takes away all the doubt in your mind.

Agree with all of the first post.

Have to say if Barnets 15 year olds can sing in time and support their team like that, why cant our 15 year olds?

[Power to people]

So what if we get to the play-off final or semi final and it goes to penalties and they all miss again, will you still be sugesting there is no need to practise.

Agreed there is no need to do it every session, but once every few weeks at the end of training does not hurt, and of course it gives the keepers a chance ot save a few and get's their confidence up for shootout's

[Melksham Red]

So what if we get to the play-off final or semi final and it goes to penalties and they all miss again, will you still be sugesting there is no need to practise.

Yep. It just means they bottled it again. Same as England always do. We could have practised penalties and still missed four last night. It's all in the mind. It's why England always bottle big games. No mental strength.

[ST_INC]

Bet Bristol Rovers practiced there penalties

they didnt miss one.

[lebowski]

i remember brighton's penalties in the play-off semi final... bottom left, bottom right, top left, top right, middle.

not in that order, but definitely to a plan, and they went through.

[ReadingRed]

The scum who chucked a brick through my car window after the game ast night were a darn sight more accurate with their bricks than we were with the pens.

A freezing cold drive home with broken glass all over the car just about finished off a perfect evening! Anyone else see any car windows smashed?

[Arnold.J.Rimmer]

It's all in the mind. It's why England always bottle big games. No mental strength.

and in my mind i'd be a lot more confident when taking a penalty if I knew I could convert 9 out 10 in training than I would be if i'd never taken one and had no idea what side I was most accurate on.

[figgis]

england v portugal. you could see that portugal were happy for it to go to penalties and were very confident to the point it was obvious they had practiced taking them to a point of utter confidence. there is no tried and tested method for pens but as in all sports practice makes perfect.

[DV]

So what if we get to the play-off final or semi final and it goes to penalties and they all miss again, will you still be sugesting there is no need to practise.

Yep. It just means they bottled it again. Same as England always do. We could have practised penalties and still missed four last night. It's all in the mind. It's why England always bottle big games. No mental strength.

Id say they are worth practising.

What with one of my mates being a handy goal keeper in my youth i've wasted hours taking penalties against him....

I've taken so many with the same run up, the same look, hitting them with the same part of my body in the same side....that its almost perfect.

He knows which way I'm going and he still cant save it because its into the side netting.

Plus, if our players did the same and Brez knew where they were going, they'd mix it around a bit and be comfortable placing a penalty anyway.

[Spencer_White]

The scum who chucked a brick through my car window after the game ast night were a darn sight more accurate with their bricks than we were with the pens.

A freezing cold drive home with broken glass all over the car just about finished off a perfect evening! Anyone else see any car windows smashed?

No I didnt.

But there was a bloke thrown out for chucking coins in their end in the first half. And putting 2+2 together it was probably him, or at least another Barnet fan who was thrown out.

[donkey]

Id say they are worth practising.

What with one of my mates being a handy goal keeper in my youth i've wasted hours taking penalties against him....

I've taken so many with the same run up, the same look, hitting them with the same part of my body in the same side....that its almost perfect.

He knows which way I'm going and he still cant save it because its into the side netting.

Plus, if our players did the same and Brez knew where they were going, they'd mix it around a bit and be comfortable placing a penalty anyway.

This is how to practice penalties (for the takers, rather than the goalie).

1.  Take them from the 18 yard line - this will make you feel really close to the goal when you take a real one.

2.  Get everyone you can ti turn up and shout abuse at you as you prepare, run up and take the penalty - this will help you deal with the pressure.

That is all.

[Melksham Red]

The missed penalties are not a major issue for me. The bigger issue is that a team that beat Forest so convincingly on Saturday failed to beat the shit that is Barnet within 90 minutes. But hey, fuck it. It's done now and time to move on.