[Albion] Joao Pedro Brazilian Maestro

[Jimmy Grimble]

I can't quite work out how he contrives to send the keeper the wrong way every time, and have watched him quite closely. When he starts his run-up, he's got his head up staring at the keeper while taking all those steps without really moving. Then when he does move towards the ball, he puts his head down to focus on the ball.

I’ve been trying to work out the same but can’t fathom it. I hope it’s not just luck! He doesn’t strike it particularly hard or right in the corner either, so if a keeper ever does go the the right way it’ll be a comfortable save.

 

[Weststander]

Quality player.

Our midfield in the first half wasn’t right, fixed at HT.

 

[Machiavelli]

I can't quite work out how he contrives to send the keeper the wrong way every time, and have watched him quite closely. When he starts his run-up, he's got his head up staring at the keeper while taking all those steps without really moving. Then when he does move towards the ball, he puts his head down to focus on the ball.

Might as well my own post

 

[Machiavelli]

Quality player.

Our midfield in the first half wasn’t right, fixed at HT.

We were dire in the first half. And he was the worst of the lot -- so many fancy flicks none of which paid off. We needed the ball to stick with our forwards to relieve some pressure, and JP just didn't help. Then he picks up the ball in the second half, drives, gets in front of their daft defender, and calmly slots it home.
I absolutely love Joao Pedro.

 

[SeagullsoverLondon]

Might as well my own post

My son said to me Pedro takes awful penalties but always scores, i.e if the goalie guesses the right way he will easily save it.
But I think his technique as you say is to wait until he knows where the goalie is going and roll it in the other side.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

What a dreadful performance from Joao Pedro tonight....... and then he wins us the game

 

[Stat Brother]

At no point should he ever been allowed to face our goal.

The most Jekyll and Hyde footballer I've ever seen.

At least others have thr ability to put in good then bad performances, João is completely dependent on what direction he's facing.

 

[The Fits]

At no point should he ever been allowed to face our goal.

The most Jekyll and Hyde footballer I've ever seen.

At least others have thr ability to put in good then bad performances, João is completely dependent on what direction he's facing.

It's a waste of his talent. Give him the chance to run with the ball or run into space and he WILL make things happen.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I love him!

In dreamland again, I love this club! Thanks Roberto, thanks Tony and thanks to all of us who kept us going through all that crap for so long in the 90's especially. This would have been unthinkable then and I can scarcely believe it now!

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

It's a waste of his talent. Give him the chance to run with the ball or run into space and he WILL make things happen.

I think you may be getting your ends mixed up!

 

[Machiavelli]

My son said to me Pedro takes awful penalties but always scores, i.e if the goalie guesses the right way he will easily save it.
But I think his technique as you say is to wait until he knows where the goalie is going and roll it in the other side.

I'm not sure I did say that. I can't fathom it all out. The best I can offer is that maybe he's telepathic and, when staring at the keeper, he convinces him that he's going the other way than he does.

 

[SeagullsoverLondon]

I'm not sure I did say that. I can't fathom it all out. The best I can offer is that maybe he's telepathic and, when staring at the keeper, he convinces him that he's going the other way than he does.

Either that or he plays a lot of poker with Tony!
But one thing's for sure, he's not going to blaze one over the bar.
Hopefully Solly is watching carefully for when he returns and has to take one next season

 

[Cotton Socks]

I'm not sure I did say that. I can't fathom it all out. The best I can offer is that maybe he's telepathic and, when staring at the keeper, he convinces him that he's going the other way than he does.

I said something similar to Jnr earlier. He doesn't look at the goal, he stares out the keeper whilst shimmying, looks at the ball and hits the back of the net. He gives no clue to where he's going to place it,

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

My son said to me Pedro takes awful penalties but always scores, i.e if the goalie guesses the right way he will easily save it.
But I think his technique as you say is to wait until he knows where the goalie is going and roll it in the other side.

I wondered that this evening. The keeper was clearly already diving before JP calmly stroked the ball the other way.

 

[Bodian]

I said something similar to Jnr earlier. He doesn't look at the goal, he stares out the keeper whilst shimmying, looks at the ball and hits the back of the net. He gives no clue to where he's going to place it,

Having seen his shooting from open play - maybe he doesn't himself know where he's going to place it, it could go anywhere. And that's what fools the keeper.

 

[smillie's garden]

I hope he's okay for Sunday; he was hobbling after the match. Probably a massive bruise on his buttock!

 

[Seagull27]

I'm with @Machiavelli on this - on the surface it seems like he's waiting for the keeper to dive and chooses the other way. But when you watch closely, at the point João Pedro puts his head down to the ball, there's barely a hint (that I can see) of where the keeper is going. What is he seeing?

And surely if a keeper does his homework, he could just feint one direction and then dive the other? Or not move at all until JP puts his head down?

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Bobby’s position as my all time favourite Albion player is under threat!

I LOVE this kid! Stunning player!

 

[AstroSloth]

I'm not sure I did say that. I can't fathom it all out. The best I can offer is that maybe he's telepathic and, when staring at the keeper, he convinces him that he's going the other way than he does.

Either that or he plays a lot of poker with Tony!
But one thing's for sure, he's not going to blaze one over the bar.
Hopefully Solly is watching carefully for when he returns and has to take one next season

Coincidentally the only time I've seen him take a "good" penalty was when the keeper went the right way.

Against Chelsea in pre season he put it hard into the corner and the keeper got a hand on it but not enough.

 

[Whitechapel]

Having seen his shooting from open play - maybe he doesn't himself know where he's going to place it, it could go anywhere. And that's what fools the keeper.

This was pretty much my tactic when I used to play in Westows 4 aside league… I used to toe punt it as hard as I could with the theory that the keeper couldn’t predict where I was placing it if I didn’t know myself. I scored every one I took.

I’m sure Pedro has a slightly more sophisticated system than that, but it’s a solid theory.