Manchester United have played two Premier League games thus far and have won two penalties.

They scored one in their opening weekend win over Chelsea and then missed the other last night.

Forward Marcus Rashford scored his, while midfielder Paul Pogba saw his effort saved.

It transpired that on each occasion both players had a discussion and the player that had won the penalty was given the responsibility of putting it away.

After last night’s draw with Wolves (The Guardian), United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer cleared up the situation by stating it was between the two players who would take a penalty as and when they occurred:

“Not at all, the two of them are confident and good penalty takers,”

“And I’ve been in that situation myself and missed a penalty for Norway, and when there are two names there it’s the one who’s the most confident.”

“It doesn’t have to be [one designated taker], no. Because sometimes in a game you do grow in confidence, sometimes ‘I don’t want to take it today because I had a bad day’. Absolutely no problem with players walking up and saying, ‘this is mine’.”

Via Manchester Evening News

Personally I don’t think Ole is doing his job properly here. You need to have a designated number one penalty taker.

The two minute confab between players leading up to a penalty just adds confusion and tension to an already tense occasion.

A player should know before he goes on to the field that he’s the one that will take the spot kick if one is given. It clears that player’s mind and that of his teammates.

By all means have a number two and even a number three in case of injuries or substitutions. Also if your number one guy doesn’t feel confident then he knows who to turn to if doesn’t fancy taking it.

I really don’t get leaving it to the person that feels the most confident. Both players are supremely confident young men and both love getting on the scoresheet. So it actually looks as though the first to the ball gets the call.

I also think that Solskjaer has to assert his authority. I seriously doubt Sir Alex Ferguson would leave such a big decision to be made by the players on the park.

It’s crazy to think that so much of football is now detailed to the last iota and that it’s become a science as well as a sport, yet a big club like Man United don’t have a preferred penalty kick taker.

For me, it’s obvious that Marcus Rashford should be the man to take United’s penalties.

The twenty-one year old has taken three penalties in senior football and scored all three. He scored his first against PSG in the Champions League under immense pressure and smashed it (Watch it on ManUtd.com). That proves he’s got the right mindset to step up and put away a huge penalty!

Why make him fight for an opportunity that he’s clearly earned?

Paul Pogba on the other hand has missed four in the last year!

To be fair to the Frenchman his penalty against Wolves wasn’t bad and Rui Patricio deserves credit for the save but Paul still failed to score and that cost his side a victory last night.

I really think it’s time Solskjaer sits the two down and says from now on Rashford will be the main man for penalties. If he misses one, then Pogba will get his chance again.

Make the players aware up front as that will best prepare them for the event and then make them responsible for keeping the duty. It’s really that simple!

Posted on August 20th, 2019 by scott
Filed under: Article