Pedro Rodriguez

[lessthanjake]

We should be more worried about absolute goal counts than accuracy ratios. If Villa scores more because he takes more shots, that should be totally fine. The fact that Pedro has taken only 32 shots is pretty illuminating. Either he's not putting himself in the scoring positions like he used to or the system dictates that most of the shots should come through another player.

It's a psychological game though. If a player hasn't scored in a long time (notice how minutes and games played are actually important), will he able to take chances with the same confidence and panache as he would were he taking more shots (hence in case of a good player scoring more goals) in general? In your example, those 38 shots for Ronaldo probably came in 2-3 games and with shots that come from all over the place and from free-kicks. They wouldn't affect his confidence in the same way. Hardly comparable to Pedro.

In addition, he isn't making those dangerous runs that would drag defenders like he used to, nor is he attacking his man like he used to.

I'm not complaining right now - because our results are close to perfection - but I wonder how we would react in the latter stages of say CL, when things are different.

I don't disagree with you. I certainly think the number of matches Pedro hasn't scored in likely hurts his confidence a lot despite the fact that the number of shots missed is not actually insanely high. It is definitely a concern. I was more just arguing that he hasn't been playing as badly as people are making it sound when they say "22 matches without a goal."

Obviously there's something to be said for the idea that a player might not be taking shots because his movement is awful so he is never in a position to get a pass to score. However, in truth, Pedro never really has taken many shots. In 2010-2011, he only took 1.57 shots a match. Interestingly, this season he is taking 1.57 shots a match too. I don't think he's actually getting himself in a position to score a whole lot less than before; he just was insanely clinical in past years, whereas he's in a pretty long drought now. I really think that's pretty much the only difference in his play now.

I don't think absolute goal counts are everything. The team can only create so many chances. The system is designed, more than ever, to manufacture those chances for Messi (and rightfully so). Pedro has always been a player to whom only the occasional chance will fall to, by design. In the past he has been really clinical with those chances. Currently, he has not been. That's the only difference. And I think it bears noting that this drought in his clinical-ness might be long in terms of matches and might really be hurting his confidence, but it's not THAT long in terms of shots missed in a row. As a result, I think it's hard to say he's hurting the team THAT much. He's not just missing endlessly, nor has he actually become more afraid to shoot than before.

 

[footyfan]

In 2010-2011, he only took 1.57 shots a match. Interestingly, this season he is taking 1.57 shots a match too.

I am genuinely surprised by that stat. Thanks for the info. Puts things in perspective. He's not really hurting the team at all per se. It just seems like he doesn't have the same influence he used to. For example like this (quoting myself):

In addition, he isn't making those dangerous runs that would drag defenders like he used to, nor is he attacking his man like he used to.

Hence the suggestions that he can be benched a few times for other players who have things to prove.

 

[lessthanjake]

I am genuinely surprised by that stat. Thanks for the info. Puts things in perspective. He's not really hurting the team at all per se. It just seems like he doesn't have the same influence he used to. For example like this (quoting myself):



Hence the suggestions that he can be benched a few times for other players who have things to prove.

Oh I certainly think there's reason to bench him. He pretty much has an undisputed spot in the starting XI now, which I think may not be warranted. Even though I don't think he's playing way worse than before overall, I don't think a forward in a 32 shot goalless drought should still be an undisputed starter unless they are FANTASTIC in other ways (I mean, like Messi or something; this would not include Pedro).

With that said, every player should be dealt with differently. Some players respond really badly to being benched. Some respond really well to the competition. At his best, Pedro should be our starting RW. Tito must think that continuing to give him playing time is more likely to get him to his best than benching him would be. And if in the meantime, he is not hurting the team THAT much, maybe that's the right decision.

 

[barcanuck]

Pedro needs to just bust out of his scoring slump. The rest of his game is better than it was last year where he suffered from injuries and struggled to regain form.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Respect where respect is due. Pedro worked his ass off today and played a pretty decent game. It wasn't his workrate, but his winning mentality that got him back in the game, won him some good position, and made some fluid tiki taka connections. He wasn't at his best, but he did much better than recent weeks.

 

[xaviniesta]

damn that was sexy piece of play.

[video=metacafe;9597214/pedro/]http://www.metacafe.com/watch/9597214/pedro/[/video]

 

[evilhita666]

Pedro had a good match overall... Aside from scoring, he is lacking some consistency throughout the 90 mins, because one minute he was wonderful touch and the next he can't control the ball...

 

[Meitux]

man really now, he just cant score this time the header got in the post.... apart from doing it he needs also a bit of luck....

 

[CatalinR10]

24 games so far for Barca and not a single goal

 

[putogusiluz8]

He's saving them for the better half of the season. Hopefully.

 

[impeh]

have a feeling he'll start the new year with a goal

 

[xaviniesta]

the third goal is one of the goals of the season so far definately. fantastic movement from pedro, something that we all wanted to see more often. still shows he is very lethal in front of goal. hope he starts to score now regulary as well.

 

[Yannick03]

the third goal is one of the goals of the season so far definately. fantastic movement from pedro, something that we all wanted to see more often. still shows he is very lethal in front of goal. hope he starts to score now regulary as well.

I agree, the movement of Pedro, the movement of Xavi creating a gap between the central midfielders and the pass from Busi. Very similar to the 2010-2011 goal from Messi on pas from Xavi against Pannithinaikos.

 

[Leo10]

have a feeling he'll start the new year with 4 goals

Fixed

 

[Flavia]

A brace after a drought