Out on pens! A left bk taking a pen?

[Skip]

Why is Ashley Cole taking a pen? Take my hat of to him for having the bottle but please why not Carroll? Walcott?
Even in an interview Cole admits he probably would never score for England...hardly confident.

Although we were lucky to get to pens!!

[Geoff]

Scapegoat hunting? Cole and Terry were probably our best players tonight in what was otherwise shambolic and embarrassing performance. We got what we deserved.

Side note: Cole scored a pen in the European Champions League final.

[Eric Openshaw]

Take that Chelsea/Brighton/England/eastpreston/dog and duck/ or whoever you support hat off Geoff. Don't think the original poster was trying to make a scapegoat out of anyone. As a country we are crap at pens, and Cashly is one of the worst. Can you imagine any of our players at 3-1 down in a shootout having the confidence to take a pen like Pirlo?

[Skip]

Certainly wasn't looking for a scapegoat and certainly
Wouldn't be Cole.
In my opinion best left bk there is! And was one of Englands better players in Euro 2012.

My point was more why didn't one of the attacking players set up? Who get paid to put the ball in the net, that was more my point.

Though I don't think England deserved it overall and in my opinion they were set up too negative and looked very tired.

Still we got Wimbeldon, Olympics, and .........start of preseason tomorrow!!

[Geoff]

Think the initial fallout out from Facebook and Twitter was to find their scapegoats, which was happening in abundance and I thought it might be being brought here. As I sad Cole did score a penalty in the Champions League Final so I'd have been happy for him to take it. At least his was on target but guessed correctly by the keeper. As for Ashley Young, throughout the tournament, the less said the better!

Chill out @Eric Openshaw! Would you deny Terry and Cole weren't our better players? I wish I could have said Gerrard, Rooney, et al.. but as we witnessed last night, I can't! We were quite simply embarrassing. Ah well, nothing new there then.

[Mystery]

Bit harsh on Gerrard Geoff, thought he was our best player throughout the tournament. But carrying us for 3 games caught up with him last night. Cole was the same player we have come to depend on and didnt let us down, and Terry had a good tournament but i think that should be his last. We need to bring in the younger defenders now who have pace and can play a key role in Brazil (hopefully) and beyond. Also i thought Lescott had a very good tournament, he and Terry seemed to play well together. Even Johnson must of surprised a few.

Note they are all defenders that are being mentioned, says it all about our 4 games! Rooney, Young and Milner shouldnt of lasted half hour in last nights game.

[Eric Openshaw]

Have to agree with mystery. For me Gerrard was our best player in this tournament although maybe not at his best last night. Cole and Terry have certainly done well but Gerrard has been the stand out performer for me.

[The Tye]

To answer the original question...Ashley Cole took one in the 2012 Champions League Final, 2008 Champions League Final and 2005 FA Cup Final, 2004 Euro 1/4 Final, and scored them all. I dont see how being a left back wouldnt make him a suitable candidate to take a pen.

[Geoff]

Sorry I was referring to last nights game and am also of the belief Gerrard was immense leading up to Italy. My take was on last nights game only.

[Mystery]

Some of the best penalty takers have been defenders. In England Irwin, Dicks, Harte, were all regular penalty takers for their club. Also, Baines who was on the bench for England last night. I am sure people could name others.

Its not a question of postiton, just the bottle to stick that ball in the net from the spot. Joe Hart could of taken it for all i care, as long as he scored!

[lilyhammer]

Reference to Ashley youngs penalty, if it was 4 inches lower and screamed into the net everyone would of said " that's how you take a penalty"
Penalties are a lottery and it's all about who's got the bottle and nerve to take them,
As people I don't particularly like Terry or Cole, but @!#& me you can't fault there commitment to England and the team!
And how many on here would have tried what Pirlo did now that was class

[Geoff]

Reference to Ashley youngs penalty, if it was 4 inches lower and screamed into the net everyone would of said " that's how you take a penalty"
And how many on here would have tried what Pirlo did now that was class

Unless of course... the keeper stayed down the middle then it would have been hilarious!

[Sidney]

LIke hodgson said you can't recreate the pressure of taking a pen at the end of 120 mins of hard work. The only reason I would question a defender taking a pen in that instance was the fact that they had worked hardest over the 120 and have every right to feel a bit tired.
On a performance note, I'd just like to say we defended suberbly throughout the tournament and like it or not that is the way hodgson wants to play, can't say it's not effective. The only time we slightly deviated from it we conceded 2 against Sweden. I fully belive if Rooney, Wellbeck and Young could've reproduced their club form on the National stage we would be looking forward to a semi-final against the Germanys with a chance of beating them, as we rarely concede more than 1, we just need our attacking players to create and take their chances as they do week-in week-out throughout the season in the "best league in the world"
However you look at it we are still unbeaten under Roy and now some of the younger players have had a taste of tournament football. Easy to see what went wrong and knock peoples confidence, so much harder to find the good points and boost your players. How's your glass? Mines always half-full