Who takes the penalty? Hazard or Costa?

[Strike 6,961]

Good question actually.

There was that miss vs Charlton in 2006 and then the FA Cup final vs Pompey, if there wasn't one in between then yeah.

Then again Didier was almost flawless from the spot for us, apart from WHL (which ironically he took instead of Frank) I can't recall him missing one.

Frank gave this one up because he was returning from injury or something.

[manpe 10,855]

The poll shows that there really isn't a discussion.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I wouldn't go with "let them decide." One asking the designated other, okay, but not letting them decide who it will be. This creates confusion and could lead to arguments if such game tensions run high.

Eden for me.

[Stats 6,980]

I wouldn't go with "let them decide." One asking the designated other, okay, but not letting them decide who it will be. This creates confusion and could lead to arguments if such game tensions run high.

Eden for me.

With the "let them decide" I meant as in a situation like the game against Wigan. Drogba wanted to take it and they had a little discussion. Lampard could have allowed Drogba to take it during that discussion but rightfully refused to. So if it got to a similar situation I am saying should we leave it to them two to discuss it themselves. People seem to state Hazard over Costa because of Costa's penalty misses before. However what if Costa had a decent conversion rate for Atletico. For instance took 5/6 for them and converted them all. Is that a good enough reason to let him take the penalty over our no.1 penalty taker?

[Hutcho 8,443]

If the game is that important, unless its like 5-0 with 3 mins left then you always give it to your best penalty taker. Lampard was 100% correct.

[LAB 1,030]

Lampard did the right thing back then. Also Lampard wouldn't let Costa take it if he was here in place of Hazard.

Anyway Hazard is the pen taker.

[sutro 1,026]

but lamps let hazard take one against newcaste to complete his hatrick tough

[Dion 2,476]

I think there are two points here. Me, as a fan and outside viewer, would like to see the best taker doing it always or as often as he can, which is usually our designated one, Hazard. However, mentality plays a huge part in penalties, and who to know best their mental states than the players themselves?

Ultimately the designated penalty taker should have the last word in the matter, because at 100% he should be the best man to do it. But even the best players have those off-days, days when everything is going wrong and they're frustrated - dribbles don't seem to connect or they can't hit the right spot to score. Shouldn't the players, knowing best their own situation, be able to assess and decide whether they're in good conditions to take it or not? That's what I meant when I voted for letting the players themselves decide it. And that's just the objective analysis of the situation. Subjectively I think denying it to a teammate who is almost as good as you at the task but has an important goal to accomplish (be it individual glory or not) is a bit selfish and may create an awkward and bad situation between the players which I would prefer to avoid if I could, imo it's like saying you don't trust their ability or their judgement that they're able to do it, also I believe Eden is not the kind of person to do that, especially in a game when he'd be winning, even if by one goal only.

[Tomo 21,681]

If Hazard's on the pitch it should always be him unless there's mitigating circumstances, that's the beggining, the middle and the end of it.

Jose should tell the squad that under no uncertain terms aswell, cause Eden seems like he would give the penalty up if he is pressured enough, he's already done it with Didier.

[SouthKorea 38]

Hazard doesnt seem to care about stuff like this like Lampard and Cristiano does.

I remember specifically hazard letting other players hit pks when he was still in the game.. However, I doubt the other 2 would ever do that..

There was a similar situation, which Tevez was going to get a hattrick and cristiano refused to let tevez shoot the pks...

[Stats 6,980]

Hazard doesnt seem to care about stuff like this like Lampard and Cristiano does.

I remember specifically hazard letting other players hit pks when he was still in the game.. However, I doubt the other 2 would ever do that..

There was a similar situation, which Tevez was going to get a hattrick and cristiano refused to let tevez shoot the pks...

Lampard let Drogba take the penalty against Wigan however then he had already scored. It would have been interesting to see if he had not scored because you are right there are players like Ronaldo who will want to take the penalty no matter what. I remember Real had a game last season and Bale scored 2 and was on a hattrick but Penaldo took the penalty because he wanted to score. Really he could have just let Bale take the penalty but his individual needs came first.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

With the "let them decide" I meant as in a situation like the game against Wigan. Drogba wanted to take it and they had a little discussion. Lampard could have allowed Drogba to take it during that discussion but rightfully refused to. So if it got to a similar situation I am saying should we leave it to them two to discuss it themselves. People seem to state Hazard over Costa because of Costa's penalty misses before. However what if Costa had a decent conversion rate for Atletico. For instance took 5/6 for them and converted them all. Is that a good enough reason to let him take the penalty over our no.1 penalty taker?

I get this, but then what does that say about the confidence in Hazard? If Costa asks Hazard if he was on a hat-trick for example, then I would get it, but just for the sake of it isn't a great idea imo. You can't really compare Drogba-Lampard v Wigan to this sort of thing.. That match was a must-win and Drogba was thinking about the golden boot ahead of the team (he probably did think about the team too).

The old line 'if it ain't broken, why fix it?' is applicable here.

[GIBBO3000 20]

I dont think it should be either of them. Hazard is too nonchalant when he is taking penalties, also he is predictable and they are not powerful enough. I think he has jus been luck so far.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Frank was absolutely right to take the first pen at 1-0 himself. Even if Frank's conversion rate is better by a 1%, the team ALWAYS comes first. If anything, it's Didier who was being selfish. Luckily it was all irrelevant at the end of the match.

[bethos1 802]

I dont think it should be either of them. Hazard is too nonchalant when he is taking penalties, also he is predictable and they are not powerful enough. I think he has jus been luck so far.

Are you serious? You're joking right? You don't score that many penalties with just luck wtf

[Jase 43,479]

but lamps let hazard take one against newcaste to complete his hatrick tough

That's because we were 2-0 up then and in a comfortable position. Had that occurred at 0-0 or 1-0, doubt Lampard would have given Hazard the opportunity to take the spot-kick.

[sutro 1,026]

That's because we were 2-0 up then and in a comfortable position. Had that occured at 0-0 or 1-0, doubt Lampard would have given Hazard the opportunity to get his hat-trick.

if it was 0-0 or 1-0 it would be quite hard to complete a hat-trick

[Jase 43,479]

if it was 0-0 or 1-0 it would be quite hard to complete a hat-trick

But you get the point.