Ok, I understand your perspective, but still struggling to understand your response. Are you suggesting that it is their success with the approach previously (the right outcome despite being the wrong decision) that made him do it again here? If so, that isnt it. It is simply that from their work together Kepa is acknowledged as the better penalty stopper. And Im sure they have data on it, beyond the limited use cases of actual competition, that backs that up.
With that said, I agree in something like this you cannot think only of the data but of the emotional and psychological inputs. I think the points you raise are reasonable. The counter to that though is that for the 20 minutes prior, while the actual keeper was working to keep Chelsea in the tie, Kepa was studying data with their analysis supposedly preparing him for the penalty takers he was about to face. The issue is Liverpool said fuck you to their data.
My thoughts. Virgil and Lukaku were technically fouls or offsides. But both were no advantage. In an ideal footballing referring world or however you put it the game is a 1-1 game. Iām not a fan of the nitpicking in those decisions.
Re-watching the penalties, I really hate the Wembleyās mobile camera at such low positions behind the penalty takers and without different angles replays.
Whether the world club cup was the wrong decision with the right outcome or last night was the right decision with the wrong outcome (from their point of view) I think is not really the point (not to mention disprovable either way).
I think using a sub to bring an alternate keeper on for the pens is the wrong thing to do for a variety of reasons - the tactical (Tuchel denying himself a potentially game changing fifth outfield sub), the wrong thing for Mendy (basically not trusting him on the shoot-out) and the wrong thing for Kepa (putting him under immense pressure). Iām sure the data supports that decision, but the skill of management is when to follow the data, and when to look beyond it. The data last night
Sometimes it might look like genius, and sometimes it might blow up in your face, but it doesnāt make a lot of sense to read too much into the result, since a shoot out is about the closer you can get in modern football to a coin toss anyway.
If you want a comparison, you only need to look at Jurgen. The result oriented sensible thing to do is to play Alisson. Iām sure thatās what the data says. But Kloppās decision is bigger picture and longer term. He recognised that this was really Kelleherās cup and irrespective of the final result he had earned the right to have that game. He says as much in his post match interview. He was vindicated last night, but on another day Kelleher could have been overawed by the occasion and made a mistake. But I think Jurgen would still take that decision. Iām not sure Tuchel would stand by his.
Really hate the plastic fans not having good songs of their own and kept using Stevie Gās song. Guess we should make one for Kepaās goal-kick style penalty.
Oh, and the āno respectā. Haa! Just love re-watching this over and over
He is still a good keeper, just not the elite keeper they paid for. Chelsea will take a huge loss on him, and likely have to loan him for a year because of his wages. But I donāt see a way back for him after that kind of performance - and especially that kind of moment. Van Dijk takes up an awful lot of room when he is living rent-free in your head, heās a big lad.
You can see the Boss turned away and not watching the pen. Afterwards, a fist pump and walked over to Tuchel.
Who are the 3 huddling together ? Taki, Naby and Diaz? I canāt tell.
? Taki, Naby and Diaz? I canāt tell.