Stuttering Nani needs to smash it

Manchester United winger Nani continued his indifferent early season form with a penalty miss last night at Old Trafford. Isn't it time we saw the end of these such penalties and just got back to smashing it into the net?

It’s a pretty straightforward scenario. The ball is placed on a spot, 12 yards from the goal, just the keeper to beat. At your own pace, step up to the ball and put it in the back of the net. Right?

Not good enough for Nani, apparently. Last night’s stutter step penalty against Galatasaray failed miserably. Decent save I suppose. Not even that bad a penalty really but it’s the principle of the thing. What I’m trying to say is that I’m sick of football players trying to be flashy when they’re failing to accomplish the simple things.

It’s like if I tried to cook myself a nice Lobster Mornay for dinner tonight. I’d more than likely fail, ruin it all and have to resort to Weetabix for dinner again.

But last night, United’s cupboards were empty. Carrick’s 7th minute entrée was the only thing fit for consumption, and, luckily for Nani, it was filling enough.

Now it’s not a huge deal, it just annoys me. I was actually hoping Fergie would back me up a bit in the post-match interview, but he didn’t even seem bothered.

Strange considering United should have lost the match. For me, the Turks had three clear-cut penalties denied them, as well as two peachy curlers rattle the woodwork.

United were on the back foot for a lot of that match and with a penalty awarded just five minutes after the restart, you need to bury it. You want a Bergkamp or a Le Tissier to just slot it in the corner, no problems. Or a Stevie Gerrard or an Alan Shearer to smash it in.

I’d have a team of Shearer’s. I’d have one in every position. No flashy rubbish, no whingeing, no moaning, no diving, just good, strong, fast, classy football. HE knew how to take a penalty.

Don’t get me wrong, I can handle a bit of flashy rubbish if there’s an end product.

I could watch King Cantona all day. I can manage to watch Ronaldo these days, too, but I still struggle with the whingeing and the finger wagging. These guys did/do the flashy stuff on a regular basis and it worked/works out more often than not.

Messi, does it too of course, and without the attitude of a spoilt child. It’s the ones that fail to find the end product that annoy me.

And for God' sake, look happy when you score a goal.

Have a look at this clip of Djibril Cisse taking a penalty. He’s got the first half right at least.