Earnshaw's Penalty Nightmare
Baggie Boy
By Chris O'Brien
September 19 2004
Robert Earnshaw's home debut was a bit of a disaster for the forward, missing a penalty that could have given the Baggies that elusive first victory of the season. Walsall supporter Matt Long was at the Hawthorns as a neutral, and sent in his thoughts on Earnshaw's second appearance as a Throstle.
Now, unlike the South Wales Echo, I am not one
to dwell on the departure of Robert Earnshaw. He has gone now – a player of our
past and the team must get on without the pacey striker. However, the offer of a
brief summary of his home debut from a Walsall supporter who was at yesterday’s
Baggies v. Fulham clash was something the web-site couldn’t turn down!
In my mind the Earnshaw sale was good business. Although the current situation
at Ninian Park may suggest we need him, the fee taken for the Welsh
international was healthy and will hopefully be used to good affect on team
strengthening. He was never a team player and in my mind was vastly over-rated.
Earnshaw made a brief substitutes appearance at Anfield to make his debut, but
Gary Megson included the club’s record signing in the starting line-up for his
first home game as a West Brom forward. He lined up alongside Nwankwo Kanu as
the Midlands outfit chased their first home win of the season.
Walsall support Matthew Long, former editor of the Sportnetwork’s
TheSaddlersFC.com, gave us
the following words as he watched on from the Hawthorns terraces as a neutral.
Many thanks to Matt for his contribution.
I attended the West Bromwich Albion Vs Fulham
game as a neutral and had the pleasure of witnessing the debut of Mr Robert
Earnshaw. I’m usually a travelling Saddler, but decided on taking in a
Premiership game having become so disillusioned with my own teams recent
performances.
Earnie was given a warm reception by the Albion fans, many of whom seemed
genuinely pleased to see him in the starting XI. He was lining upfront with
Kanu, a partnership which in theory seems like it should work well. I suppose
you could call it them poor mans Bergkamp and Henry.
He started off well. He was willing to chase down lost causes and work the
channels, stretching the Fulham defence at every opportunity. He seemed keen to
get on the ball and try and beat his marker, something he frequently failed to
do throughout the game as he was dispossessed by the Fulham defence.
His first, and only real contribution came in the form of the penalty, which he
himself earned by directing the ball towards the arm of Maurice Volz. He wasted
no time in picking up the ball and getting ready to take the penalty. The only
problem was that Fulham wanted to make a real fuss. They spent a good 3 or 4
minutes trying to get the Ref to change his mind, before Van der Saar decided he
wanted to drink his bottle of Lucozade Sport while Earnie was waiting to take
the kick. The Fulham keeper was promptly booked – and you had to feel for Earnie
who was making his debut. As you probably know, he blazed the penalty high and
wide. This clearly knocked his confidence and that early spring in his step soon
disappeared. Then again, the ref should have ordered a re-take. Van der Saar was
standing a good 3 or 4 yards of his line when the penalty was taken. He didn’t
jump off his line. He was already standing in the middle of the 6 yard box.
Amazing !
Earnie tried to make amends by working hard, yet there was a distinct lack of
clear cut chances, something he will become accustomed to during Premier League
games. I know a fair few Albion fans and they want a striker who will bag them
15 goals this term. Is Earnie the man to do it? Only time will tell. On the
evidence of this performance, it won’t be for the want of trying. He will have
to learn fast and start to take the chances that come his way.