They are designated.

Read posts before starting new threads and duplicate threads discussing what's already been discussed mins ago. Grrrrr.

Merge thread please.

COYP

I thought this had all been ironed out after he missed the last one, but, in the dying seconds of a hard fought game where 3 points would take us out of the bottom 3 someone should have stood up to him & said 'No' appreciate he wanted to score after such a lengthy dry spell but that was not the time to pull rank. Blokes a selfish fool.

Red & Blue since 73'

Too small, his wages will probably cover that with some to spare.

“ [T]here are known knowns; there are things we know that we know.There are known unknowns; that is to say there are things that, we now know we don't know.But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know. ”
—United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld

chosen penalty takers...

1. luka
2. dann
3. zaha
4. the tea lady
5. the toilet cleaners

and never Benteke

Kayla did Anfield & Old Trafford

All this talk about 'designated penalty takers' and 'why didn't Luka just grab it off him' and 'why didn't the captain/ the bench tell Benteke to walk away' is (almost) annoying me as much as what actually happened.

Firstly, we clearly do have a designated taker. It is Luka. How can anyone think different. It is the reason why he bloody took the first one despite Benteke being on the pitch.

Secondly, as Roy said in one post match interview I have seen, the bench cannot walk onto the pitch and tell the players what to do ... they have already done that in training before the match where they have already designated Luka as our penalty taker.

So that leaves the players on the pitch. I was at the game. Luka looked almost inconsolable about what was happening. He stood in the box for ages, pleading with Benteke. He was pulling his shirt up almost over his head in panicked frustration. But Benteke simply stood there, not looking at Luka, blinkers on, refusing to move.

So think about what you are saying by stating that Luka/ Dann/ whoever else simply shouldn't have let Benteke take it. Given how it played out, they would have had no option but to PHYSICALLY drag Benteke out of the box.

Think about what that would have looked like. A penalty in the last minute, prefaced by a physical altercation involving our players. It would have had to have been that, Benteke was going nowehere. Think about what effect on morale that would have had, how it would have looked in the press. It is simply inconceivable that one professional would wrestle another one out of the box over a penalty.

Further, think about the effect it would have had on Luka! The pressure that would have been on him having just physically dragged a team mate out of the box (or alternatively watched someone else do it to Benteke).

Even if Benteke had relented to Luka's constant pressure without a physical confrontation (and it was constant pressure -- he demonstratively did not simply acquiesce to Benteke), think about the pressure that would have left on his shoulders. Pressure that would already have been extraordinary given the match situation.

Therefore, it is ENTIRELY Benteke's fault as to what happened. Not anyone else's. As I mentioned, even if he had relented, the damage would have been done (in terms of added pressure to Luka).

It is the most selfish act I have ever witnessed at Selhurst.

I only hope that the journalists and pundits who discuss the incident think about ( a ) the fact that we DO have a penalty taker and not blame it on a false 'confusion'. And ( b ) what they actually mean by saying 'someone should have told Benteke to back off'.

They did. He refused. Would they advocate a wrestling match? surely not, the ramifications are so awful.

One might think, well, the ramifications would be worth it for Luka to score the penalty for the three points. But, of course, he was not guaranteed to score, and especially not if he was taken it after such a furore. So by the time Benteke took it, I can understand the players thinking 'right ... he's got it now ... so let's back him. It's a penalty so he should score.'

I make clear that none of this changes my ultimate view, that how dare Benteke put his own selfish desire to end his drought before his teammates, the club, and the fans. Particularly when he is famously awful at taking bloody penalties in any event.

I am beyond angry. But let's direct it in the right, informed, logical place.

Edited by LegalEagle2010 (09 Dec 2017 8.13pm)

They are Luca is our penalty taker Benteke muscled in. Benteke has only scored 2 out of 5 pens time to say you will never take another penalty.