Caoimhín Kelleher GK Brentford b.1998

[EalingGreen]

i thought it was a big mistake to rest everyone good except Kelleher for the game against Arsenal (Collins, Henderson, Damsgaard, Thiago). As we saw with Sunderland, Arsenal can be got at by playing the type of football Brentford play and a point or three against Arsenal would have been huge for momentum, like it was vs Liverpool, United, Chelsea, Newcastle, Villa. Resting those players and foregoing the result puts huge pressure to get a result the next game (against the old manager) and a 2-0 loss to Spurs was the result.Maybe. With the benefit of hindsight at any rate.

Otoh, they played Arsenal as well as any team has done at the Emirates, only failing to get a draw by virtue of a stunning, world-class save by Raya and an injury-time second goal by Saka. Had that draw been achieved, everyone would have been piling in on Arteta for picking a below-strength team, and hailing KA as a genius.

All of which tends to reinforce Matthew Benham's contention that whatever the "Sacked in the Morning" mob would tell you, managers actually have surprisingly little influence on individual matches, with work on the training ground over a season or three being FAR more important.

[elatedscum]

Maybe. With the benefit of hindsight at any rate.

Otoh, they played Arsenal as well as any team has done at the Emirates, only failing to get a draw by virtue of a stunning, world-class save by Raya and an injury-time second goal by Saka. Had that draw been achieved, everyone would have been piling in on Arteta for picking a below-strength team, and hailing KA as a genius.


Genuinely felt it as soon as the team was announced. And I think had they started the 4 lads they left out, they probably would have taken points from the game.

[EalingGreen]

Genuinely felt it as soon as the team was announced. And I think had they started the 4 lads they left out, they probably would have taken points from the game.By your use of "points" (plural), you think they "probably" would have won, do you?

Before the Brentford game, Arsenal had played 10 games unbeaten at home (6 x PL, 1 x LC, 3 x CL), winning 9 and drawing just the once (vs Man City). Their GF total was 27 and their GA was 3.

I wouldn't mind being your bookie. :)

[pineapple stu]

Another game, another penalty save...

[rebelmusic]

That is the worst penalty I've ever seen and absolute kudos to Kelleher for reading it. Comes across like he does his homework before every game. I guess if Kelleher dives then it looks like a classy penalty so his read makes it all the better

[Eirambler]

It's years since I've seen a keeper successfully hold his ground for a panenka/straight down the middle effort. I remember Bruce Grobelaar doing it about 30 years ago and it stuck in my head ever since because it was so comically unusual. Great read form Kelleher - 99 times out of 100 the keeper dives out of the way of those.

[elatedscum]

He must have read something either in his run up or some kind of tell from the striker. Kelleher did really well to both read it and not to give it away, he gave enough fake movement to make it look like he was diving.

I remember reading an article once that said that Sergio Ramos just kept scoring panenka after panenka. Reality is a little different. Just found 18 of his 43 career penalties and he does seem to to do it about 50% of the time which is kind of crazy.

Also not gonna bother looking for the Szoboszlai penalty shootout data before Liverpool but 20 of 23 penalties he’s taken have all been in the exact same side and his only ever miss came hitting the inside of that post. The other 3 basically involved a panenka and two other clipped to the right - but it’s 18 in a row to the left and they can’t be saved.

Very unusual:

https://youtu.be/mgST7nzouAQ?si=uTE5_v6w7iWBOoxB

[elatedscum]

Some Ramos penalties: https://youtu.be/MVjh62h4Em4?si=dtL8-uNuvnrKFgvE

[Eirambler]

https://youtu.be/W7sLC1lak9E?si=mjBEbpCHwnbtJQo6

FWIW the Grobbelaar one is three minutes into that video. 34 years ago, amazing the stuff you remember - I'm not even a Liverpool supporter!

[pineapple stu]

That's everything you'd imagine an early 90s English Panenka effort would be! No technique or delicacy, just booted down the middle - and, of course, missed

[Kingdom]

That's not a Panenka.

[pineapple stu]

I mean, you're right - it's a toe bog. But for early 90s English football (especially second tier), it probably counted.

[Kingdom]

I mean, you're right - it's a toe bog. But for early 90s English football (especially second tier), it probably counted.

no....


I mean, you're right - it's a toe bog.

...there you go. :)