Ralls took them in Whitts absence last year
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Now Whitts has gone, I would've said Pilks, but not convinced he'll be a regular starter, if he stays at all.
So who's going to be taking the spot kicks/ free kicks?
Ralls took them in Whitts absence last year
Lily Tomlin
Ralls. And he's got a good record with it so far.
Its a very good question as is the free kick taker.
Many think WHitts wont be missed? But he will.
I'd have Big Ken doing an extra half hour after training taking penalties.
Not only does it do wonders for a striker's confidence, his goals tally will inflate his price tag.
Win win.
Maybe Tomlin will be able to find the net more often? Whittingham's record of scoring from free kicks over the last 5-6 seasons has been pretty poor, made all the more remarkable by the fact that, for 3-4 seasons earlier in his Cardiff career, he knocked them in with such regularity from such a wide variety of positions and situations that he could easily have been considered one of the best in the UK.
Yeah I'd like big Ken on pens so he has a 20 goal minimum season, we're due a player to do this. Who was the last? Whitts? Chopra?
Tomlin on free kicks please.
Whilst he may not have scored as many when shooting direct in the last 4 season, his delivery from corners and free kicks was still as good as it ever was. Noone was someone who took the corners and free kicks when Whitts wasnt on the field but he on his way out. Assuming Ralls is in the XI I assume he will be one to take corners.
Also, hazarding a guess, but I assume he had more attempts direct from free kicks under Jones with our attacking play and the likes of Bothroyd, Chops, Burkey winning more free kicks around the box.
I think he was a more confident attacking player under Jones, especially after he was given penalty duties. Malky tried to turn him into a more complete centre midfielder, which never suited him in my opinion.
As for his delivery from set pieces, it caused a dilemma. I think most City fans accept that, over the last few seasons, Whitts contribution from open play was not good enough, hence his fluctuation in and out of the first team. Should his set piece ability have meant he should be carried when he wasn't on form? I don't. It wasn't as if we didn't score from corners and free kicks when other players took them.
Ralls - still scoring and still looks awkward and uncomfortable.
I think we have to stick with him but jeez do I wish we could have Whitts back just for set pieces!
I don't, unless you mean wheeling him on and off solely to take set pieces.
I'm a little surprised to see that Whitts has no assists at all for Blackburn so far. Not sure if he is taking set pieces or not, but a surprising stat nonetheless, given that he assisted with 5 corners and 2 free kicks last season.
Neil Warnock has and that he doesn't normally allow the same player to take two penalties in a game, but had forgotten to mention it to the present squaq as that happens so rarely. Tomlin should have taken the 2nd one last night and hopefully will be the main man, if on the pitch. Ralls can only go the keeper's left with confidence.
Ralls doesnt look confident with his penalty kicks to me. On the second one last night he look lost as to where to put it and their keeper psyched him out easily by standing on the side opposite to where the first one went and then moving into the middle as Ralls ran up to take it. Ralls then hit it tamely down the middle. In the end it didn't matter but I would prefer Hoilett or Tomlin, as they both exude confidence on the ball and can go either side comfortably.