Sigurdsson misses penalty in Iceland defeat

£45 million for a fading midfielder, we must have wasted about £250 million over the last 2 years on tripe.

Usual no idea about football fans watching the game and voting.

The player can't do much about his price-tag but that's what Everton paid for him and he hasn't lived up to that price tag but I disagree about him being part of the tripe that Everton have signed in the last couple of years, and I'm hoping he does well for Everton FC next season.

Iceland as a team, however, were a shadow of recent times. Nigeria made them look slow and unfit, and pulled them out of shape at will. The Nigeria vs Argentina game will be interesting.

Iceland has no pace, creativity or finishing around him - let's not let the fun underdog story cover that up. Hopefully he plays in the engine role once he comes back to Everton, will have a ton of assists feeding Walcott, Lookman and Tosun.

At least he's not a sissy "actor" like a certain Brazilian (whose name escapes me at the moment...)

2.) He was hardly gash. The penalty miss was unfortunate (and uncharacteristic), but he put plenty of quality balls into the box. Iceland had their chances.

3.) I see no evidence of him being on the wane. His game isn't predicated on extreme athleticism or pace. There's no reason he can't play at a high level into his 30s. If anything, Iceland show what he can do when he's actually utilized properly.

So Sigurdsson got a knock, that happens. But from that first half, I'd think he'd shame more than half our team from last season...

ps: It was all so low intensity that I started playing CM 03-04 instead before the first half had finished (only switching at raised voices...), so I can not really say anything insightful about the second half...

I have to believe there's more effort, desire... dare I say passion in there somewhere. [Icelandic passion... oxymoron?] Can Marco bring it out of him? That is a question for next season.

Can't wait to see him in our new attacking formation, maybe as a Number 10.

£45million for a fading midfielder, we must have wasted about £250 million over the last 2 years on tripe."

Open stupidity.

Outside of his teammate whose hustle created the penalty, every good opportunity Iceland had in the attack, Siggy caused. Even that neat build-up leading to the pen.

"Ask any Icelander..."

Dolt.

I've thought about this for a while now. You have some valid points, and what I think might work for us is that if he can convert the same passion he has for Iceland into a passion for Everton, then I think he'll be a very good nucleus for our next team! But he must be central for that effort from Silva.

I only occasionally watch this World Cup competition if Evertonians are involved, I'm sorry/happy to say...

I've stated before, but it is pretty dire when Salah and Firmino were a lot cheaper than Sigurdsson, but also Rooney is earning £60k a week more than Salah. The club is a shambles.

Ridiculous comment, Jeff. The lad has only just come back from injury and is still carrying his team.

He didn't look to be fully fit to me, as in match fitness, and it showed in his penalty miss.

He is a blue and I will be happy if he comes home after three games – helps his fitness levels and he is home in good time for the new season.

Oh well... if it wasn't me, someone else would have trumped in with it; where's me coat?

When we eventually got money to spend, we frittered it away on daft wages and transfer deals that no one else would have considered.

Oh, and a series of compensation deals to managers who dictated their own terms.

Hopefully someone else takes the penalties next season.

He missed a pressure penalty for his country, when the decision took an age to come through. If he scores it; he's golden.

Seriously how many Icelandic players can you name? Yet they made it to the World Cup?

It's not a fuckin coincidence.

As a matter of fact, you can look through the history of just about any great player and find instances where they didn't succeed. Don't be a prisoner of the moment and let one false step blind you from all the other positive aspects. The guy is a quality player, period.

What I think might work for us is that if he can convert the same passion he has for Iceland into a passion for Everton

This is true of a LOT of footballers. Many (and I'd argue most) play with more heart, desire, and commitment for their country than they do for their club.

That's a reality in my opinion. The club gig is their day job. They live to play for their country.

A certain Mexican winger springs to mind. One that many on these pages have clamored to have Everton sign. And I fear if we did, Lozano would not match his performances in a Mexican shirt.

Gylfi would give an arm and a leg to see Iceland to a World Cup final or European Championship. He'd give his all for Everton, and he does in my opinion. But winning with Iceland means more to him.

As it does most footballers for their country.

That was more like a Jordan Pickford goal kick than a penalty.

My sympathy lies with those who travelled from Iceland, particularly the two guys who were left to explain to their heartbroken kids why their hero acted like a knob.

It might be worth reminding your Icelandic mate that Everton supporters (in my 50 odd years of support) are also some of the most knowledgeable football fans around who have seen and can judge a quality footballer. Sadly this chap will not feature too highly in any reckoning of such talent.

I agree, his transfer fee was out of his hands, and he is by no means the worst of the current meagre offerings on show to us, but he draws a good wage and we are entitled to judge on what we see.

His pace counts against him but put quicker players around him and he’ll make the right pass more often than not.

The credentials of 'grand old judges' (like yourself presumably) to judge the Grand Old Team is a given.

A valuable and developing member of the Everton squad missed a pen in a World Cup. I suspect the odd fan might not see this as time to be at him with the apparent delight of a terrier on a rat. Our Icelandic mates included.

Spot on Mate. I often have to do a double take when I see people like you being attacked for calling it exactly how it is by people taking umbrage to the fact that you are not demonstrating some sort of "sniverly" sycophancy towards somebody who is only here because we were prepared to pay him more than anybody else.

The Iceland supporters have every right to feel let down and Evertonians have no business trying to apologise for an effort any professional footballer should be embarrassed by.

"One of our own" ... 'kin'ell!!!

The whole point is he didn't score, and Darren (#29) nails exactly why he didn't score. Sigurdsson deserves a bit of heat for it because it really does come down to attitude.

And your next gem: "How many Icelandic players can you name?" Seriously? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

A Hind on a charger –there's something I thought I'd never see.

Fans know how football works. But the idea that fans don't identify with and support players of their club is in Darren's world – not the real one. As are hordes of Siggy-aggrieved Icelandic supporters, apparently.

I'm also getting fed up watching teams more than half-way into the opposition's half and then passing back almost to the edge of their own penalty area or to the goalie.

If there is one positive it is that keepers seem to be sliding around on their knees a lot less.

Players who grew up as Evertonians are considered one of our own. Players who have come to the club and given heart and soul for season after season are rightly considered one of our own.

Players who have blown hot and cold for the 5 minutes they have been at the club are little more than professional footballers on the Everton books... especially when they are not even playing for us.

It's only natural for people to want players from their club to do well (Pickford is the only reason I started watching England) but that won't blind them to the truth.

Maybe in Dave Evans world, any Tom, Dick or Harry who has signed for the big bucks to play for Everton should be afforded some sort of immunity from criticism when they play for their country... but guess what? >Whether you like it or not, most people will call it as they see it.

Whatta crock o' crapola.

I've just had another look at the penalty and my reaction is exactly the same as it was watching it in the alehouse.

Most players wait until they have actually put the penalty away before milking the moment, but even after all the usual shenanigans, Sigurdsson still stood posturing. He knew the cameras were focused on him and he seemed very keen to show the world how cool he was. Where he tried to put the shot merely confirmed this for me.

No PhD at a specialist behavioural institute, just the good fortune of growing up in an environment where just about everyone could spot the difference between the sort of unshakeable belief which Ronaldo exuded from the brittle cockiness Sigurdsson was trying to pass off as self-belief.

I kid you not, Mike. I thought he would miss it, when the camera zoomed in on him, but as he took his two-step approach, two people in the group said at exactly the same time – "This is going over the bar!"

But I'm not buying one teeny-tiny bit of the psychoanalysis or his "posturing" attitude. None of it. The only childhood environment I know of that offers the power to read minds, especially off a TV screen, is Hogwarts.

And just as an aside, I think he'll be an excellent #10 this year, and I'm willing to bet you the dinner check when I come over.

Sigurdsson just missed one. Happens from time to time.

Our championship winning teams had players like Gylfi. Unlike him though they also had a proper defence behind them and players in front who knew what it was all about in terms of posing a genuine threat on goal. That to me is the measure of the task we face in the next season or two, or three.

Football is like life, it's all about learning, and compared to Ronaldo, I don't reckon Sigurdson has even played one real high-pressure game. If he was feeling the pressure, that's only natural. If he was trying to hide feeling the pressure, then he failed, but that doesn't make him bad.

it's just something he's got to learn from, because dealing with the pressure is what sorts out the men from the boys. But it's also something you won't learn from, unless you get another chance to redeem yourself.

Never my favourite person but Stuart Pearce is a great example of what I'm trying to say.

Matt Le Tissier and Davor Suker were both 98%.

It occasionally happens to even the best (like Messi currently for instance) but the criticism of Gylfi on this thread on account of a mere missed spot-kick is uncalled for in my opinion.

Sure, skill and fitness still play a big part but the ''park the bus'' mentality and endless passing routines call for a lot more patience and discipline but makes the game so much more boring.

There have only been 3 or 4 games really decent to watch so far in Russia with the VAR system only partially successful as so many blatant incidents are still going unchecked in the penalty area.

There have been all the usual cynical tackles, especially the clever stepping on the opponents metatarsels and the Hollywood play acting.

Out for months with the knee, played in parts of two friendlies before the World Cup, no way he could have been fully game fit before he went 90 mins against Argentina, covering more ground than any other player on the pitch. Then back at it six days later and again ran the most of any Iceland player.

I'd be surprised if he could even feel his legs when he took that pen.

He's still a good footballer.

Bally missed a few as did Joe Royle. Trevor Steven missed. Baines as well. Messi, Rinaldo, Le Tissier... all missed. I don't see any of them being bad players.

It's a case on here of certain people who didn't want Sigurdsson to come to us trying to score points with an "I told you so" attitude.

At the moment, he's probably the best quality player we've got. And with better players around him he'll be fine for us.

I love a bet, but I make a policy of not betting against Evertonians as essentially, we want the same horse to win. I have though, in a debate with Steve Ferns, committed myself to a charity donation if Sigurdsson makes a success of paying at No 10. Nobody will be happier than me if I have to fork out.

Silva has already told us he wants to play 4-3-3 and the chances of him trying to shoe-horn a not particularly mobile No 10 into that formation are nil. The only way Siggy plays there is if Brands can't land the players Silva wants.

BTW, let's just kick the straw man argument about people criticising Sigurdsson for missing a spot kick into touch. Nobody is criticising him for not scoring a penalty, that can happen to anybody. The criticism is about his desire to try (unconvincingly and unnecessarily) to show the world how cool he was and the fact that a guy renowned for his skill with a dead ball didn't even work the fucking keeper. That, under the circumstances, is inexcusable.

I don't care how many players have done this down the years, a thousands wrongs will not make a right. They all deserve criticism.

I remember Jack Charlton talking about walking around his Irish team as they decided who would take the penalties after a World Cup deadlock. He didn't bother asking Kevin Sheedy if he would take one; he simply asked which corner he was going for. He was shocked when Sheedy told him he believed the goalie was thinking the same thing and would definitely go for one, so he was going to "smash it over his head"... Bang!

Unshakable belief or shallow bravado... see the difference?

Thing is, I'm firmly convinced that Siggy's so-called "desire to try (unconvincingly and unnecessarily) to show the world how cool he was" is strictly a figment of your imagination. There is nothing that can persuade me that you or anyone else could read something like that off a few seconds of TV closeup. Of a man you don't know.

You have your "unshakable belief" – and that's mine.

Re the bet, no problem, we'll split the check.

Sycophancy, as it appears to some, may be folk just looking at an isolated incident but putting in the wider context of how how he plays for 90 mins. To some he usually works hard and is very committed to their cause, so they see this penalty in that context.

That bigger picture about his skill and pace is a more interesting debate.

Do think he is slowish but think he could have a place in team. But that depends on who else is in team come start of season.

It is that irritating bigger picture again..

Seeing we have signed nobody yet, guess it is pretty much impossible to decide if he fits.

"The criticism is about his desire to try (unconvincingly and unnecessarily) to show the world how cool he was".

Seems like that's pure guesswork and fabrication. Unshakable and shallow.

He’s missed a penalty! Must be a slow news day!

He’s got my 100% support for next season! One of our few better than average players!

I don't know if you do pub quizzes, or at least the sort that I do, but they're sticklers for detail to put it mildly and that's what I meant to convey. Cheers.

I wasn't trying to persuade you of anything. I based my opinion on body language, something every intelligent person does on an almost daily basis.

When I see a guy take an inordinately long time to take a penalty, especially one he knows has a huge worldwide audience, I suspect he is milking it.

When I see somebody take the old two-step "look-how-cool-I-am" shuffle. I suspect he has too much bravado and not enough belief.

When I see somebody lean back and aim for the postage stamp, I suspect he has traded the basics for fuckaroundary.

When I see somebody tick all of the above boxes, my "show pony" alert goes off. So I suspect would yours if this was a Liverpool player.

You see I'm kinda wired up like that. I believe the evidence of my own eyes. If I come down in the middle of the night and saw somebody shoving my stuff in a bag marked 'swag' I conclude he is a tea leaf.

I know there will be some beauts out there who tell me my conclusion would be "guesswork and fabrication" but I live in the real world – not one inhabited by fairies.

You put your reason for your interpretation but there is always that last line.

Of course it is bloody interpretation, just like Mike's is.

Interpretation does not equal fact... even if you say-it-as-you-see-it.

Try seeing through the eyes of others too.

Despite long and concerted attempts to break his concentration, he kept his composure, kept his professionalism (none of this two-step shuffle lark) and, more importantly, he stayed over the ball rather than lean back which enabled him to keep the ball (rather crucially) UNDER the bar.

Chalk and Cheese

Oh! Hang on!

One is down to another player's skill and therefore excusable; the other is just plain sloppy and isn't.

I think most people would know the difference... although I accept, not all

CR7 international penalty record – 8 scored, 6 missed.

I'm putting CR7's miss today down to him patting his hair into place a few times before running up to strike the ball.

D'ya think the other misses were down to him giving his goofy grin look to the cameras..?

He's a decent enough player but we didn't overpay for him because we were in a bidding war from top six teams. We overpaid because those responsible for last summer's transfer dealings were guilty of ineptitude and negligence so appalling, that, in most other businesses they would be dismissed for gross incompetence. They would receive not a penny in compensation and never work again.

Only bankers seem to have it easier than those who run football clubs.

Sigurdsson's penalty was dogshit. doesn't matter how hard you try to argue with it. It was just about as bad as it gets.

In response to foolish attempts to hide that fact with smoke and mirrors by giving us the history of penalties Volumes 1-2-3-4-5. I simply refer back to the fourth paragraph on post 61.

Anybody is perfectly at liberty to put Ronaldo's penalty down to whatever they want. His saved penalty has nothing to do with Sigurdsson's missed one.

Sigurdsson's penalty was shite. It appears though, that some are having trouble accepting that which smacked them between the eyes.

I don't think Sigurdsson taking a bad penalty makes him any less of a player.

Live in game, I commented on here immediately "Oh Siggy". It was an abysmal effort.

What I'm giggling at is you continuing to make multi-posts on the subject, over several days, which promote the belief your interpretation – and only your interpretation – of Siggy's penalty miss – is the legitimate one.

To quote the post you conveniently point to, fourth paragraph, your post #61:

"Nobody is criticising him for not scoring a penalty, that can happen to anybody. The criticism is about his desire to try (unconvincingly and unnecessarily) to show the world how cool he was..." etc.

You said similar at #29: "Take a look at the concentration and focus of Ronaldo and Griezmann before their penalties and contrast that with the cocky "I'm-a-good-player" attitude of Sigurdsson."

Again at #45: "Most players wait until they have actually put the penalty away before milking the moment, but even after all the usual shenanigans, Sigurdsson still stood posturing. He knew the cameras were focused on him and he seemed very keen to show the world how cool he was."

What I have read in this thread is not people contesting the quality of Sigurdsson's penalty (contrary to your claims, I haven't seen anyone defending or excusing the paucity of it), but rather, your grandiose "guesswork and fabrication" (your words) on the very speculative reason and cause of the woeful miss.

Like a few others, I chuckle at your implied 'mentalist' powers and claims of knowing exactly what Sigurdsson was thinking and doing whilst waiting to take the penalty.

Just because you 'see' it and 'say' it 'as it is', doesn't make it actual and true. Nor does that place you as someone who uniquely and exclusively "lives in the real world", whereas any equally plausible alternatives offered by others means they live in a world "inhabited by fairies."

An acceptance and an admittance that it was an "abysmal penalty" — only up to now you have only offered a sympathetic "Oh Siggy".

I`m not trying to convince anybody of anything, I`ve simply responded to posts which have been addressed to me.

Now we have finally established that it was an abysmal penalty, I guess the only difference we have is, with what the editor of this site calls Siggy's attitude. I watched this match in a crowded alehouse. Even the RS wanted Iceland (and therefore Siggy) to score. The general question after the penalty was "WTF was all that about?" You see, everyone had seen what happened prior to the strike, they all wondered why he didn't even bother to take a run up, Ensure he got it on target.

Maybe they all have special mentalist powers too, but I suspect if you asked them they would modestly tell you they were only stating the blindingly obvious.

Opinions, eh.

These are the moments where you become unbearable on these pages. What exactly are you even trying to prove here? You’re being incredibly childish.

Simple really: If you don't want me to respond – don't address me. It's not compulsory.

Does the penalty miss mean he must be seen as forever crap or lacking some kind or footballing version of moral fibre or is it an isolated incident? Is his speed a bigger issue or his usual skills with a dead ball enough to justify a place?

Does one shitty post on here make a person a prat or is it consistent run of them that does that? (And of course that last question feeds you a simple joke!)

Thanks Michael, I've just spit my coffee all over the table.

I suppose some of you clowns would now turn your nose up at Messi joining the club because he missed a penalty. All you perfectionists must be highly paid and well thought of by your bosses for being 100% perfect in your jobs and never getting anything wrong.

Is there so little to discuss that we have to watch the Hind, Byrne, Barks and everyone else tag match? No wonder some of us have given ToffeeWeb a swerve just lately.

Roll on the season. Provided we've bought some defenders.

Not half.

Ding Ding Ding!!!

Round Two!

The Hind vs Woodinho

Can anyone do a psychoanalysis please.

I just hope he realises he's trashed the dreams of a couple of ToffeeWeb's finest. Now I know where Paul Whitehouse and 'Arry Enfield get their Old Gits material from.

"After that first penalty miss, only God knows what he was thinking."

Strewth Brent! Being overly sycophantic to Darren, aren't you..?