Silly subby time! wrote:

Ok peeps best examples of sportsmen improving their sporting psych?

Novak Djokovic.

Tim wrote:

Ricky1985 wrote:

Come on mate, it's Gervinho we're talking about.

He lacks the technique required to put it where he wants to when striking a football, the knowledge that he can't makes him nervous when he tries.

From 12 yards he can put it on a sixpence Ricky. Dont doubt it. I've played with plenty of good standard non league players who train once a week and can ping a ball in to the top corner at decent pace from 12, 18 even 25 yards, pretty much at will. Gervinho trains 2 hours a day 300+ days a year and is a £10 million footballer. His technique is absolutely good enough to strike a good dead ball. It's when you add in a 6ft 3 supremely athletic goalkeeper, 50'000 fans, the world's press, the hopes of a nation and 5 TV crews that he struggles.

Did you see the Zambia 'keeper, mate?

Jokes aside, I agree all of those things play their part, of course they do, Drogba showed that earlier in the match, but I beg to differ on Gervinho's shooting ability.

Just because he's a top level footballer does not mean every aspect of his game is top level. He's a horrendously poor striker of the ball, and has obviously done very little since he started playing football to improve it - unless you believe he was born with a handicap of not being able to put his foot through a ball?

If he trains all those hours a day and dedicates a significant portion of it to improving his ball striking, then his ball striking gets better. It's that simple. If his ball striking gets better, and his confidence in it naturally goes up with it, then when he's faced with a one-on-one or a pressure penalty, he will handle the pressure better than if he knows he can't strike a ball for toffee.

Ron Burgundy wrote:

Captain wrote:

Is that a serious question?

You are a nonsense

I know you're WUM-ing (as usual), but my point is that just because Bergkamp did it, doesn't mean it's right.

I'm not "WUM-ing". My point is perfectly clear and perfectly legitimate.

Klaus wrote:

Ricky1985 wrote:

No such thing, in my opinion.

There are people who figure it out right from the start and then there are those who have a hard time trying to get it, just like in other aspects of football. Half of what people refer to as "technique" is just body balance. Same thing applies to shooting. It's the other half that separates a Henry or a Bergkamp from a Jermaine Defoe.

Gervinho could learn to strike the ball fantastically if he dedicated enough time and effort to it. We both agree on that, I think. There is no defect in his brain that stops him from hitting a ball properly, it's a lack of ability at that particular aspect of playing football.

Silly subby time! wrote:

Ok peeps best examples of sportsmen improving their sporting psych?

Djokovic was a bit of a quitter and bottler not too long ago. And McIlroy completely blew the Masters and then went on to win the US Open easily.

Riky u look like Owen Farrell

Proficiency at something is worth more than all the bravado in the world.

It's really both. For some people just one is problematic, you can (sometimes) isolate it, work on it and improve it separately. But with some, the issues are connected, and then the effect is multiplied. Gervinho has confidence issues in general, I agree with those who say it. But it is at least as important that he has shooting problems, and that returns to the mental issue as a vicious cycle.
The claim that "it is a final, 50000 fans, etc." could really be used in the opposite direction: it was all that, and he played well in general (or not worse than his average). He did have the balls to run into the area, try to dribble through a forest of defenders - all the things he trusts he can do - he had no problem doing. It's the pen no that killed him.

Ricky, I have to ask, do you think you're a better finisher than Gervinho?

Captain wrote:

My point is perfectly clear and perfectly legitimate.

As is mine. I've thoroughly enjoyed this exchange.

Silly subby time! wrote:

Ok peeps best examples of sportsmen improving their sporting psych?

It's not really a sporting issue, in my opinion. It's overcoming a mental block or a phobia that people can do by getting some perspective and just forcing themselves to deal with it. There are no magic fixes and nobody can do it for them. They just have to realise they are being irrational.

I don't doubt that Gervinho's ability in front of goal isn't as good as Henry's. And if he ever gets on a run of confidence, I don't expect him to start scoring as regularly as Van Persie. But I believe if he was less of a pussy in front of goal and more confident, he would do a lot better than he is. Personally, I don't think we're demanding anything that is out of his reach. That is the frustrating thing.

Ricky1985 wrote:

Klaus wrote:

There are people who figure it out right from the start and then there are those who have a hard time trying to get it, just like in other aspects of football. Half of what people refer to as "technique" is just body balance. Same thing applies to shooting. It's the other half that separates a Henry or a Bergkamp from a Jermaine Defoe.

Gervinho could learn to strike the ball fantastically if he dedicated enough time and effort to it. We both agree on that, I think. There is no defect in his brain that stops him from hitting a ball properly, it's a lack of ability at that particular aspect of playing football.

I honestly don't think he'd ever become a clean striker of a ball. It's like how some people never get good at golf owen

Ron Burgundy wrote:

Captain wrote:

My point is perfectly clear and perfectly legitimate.

As is mine. I've thoroughly enjoyed this exchange.

No it isn't, it's nonsense.

Silly subby time! wrote:

Riky u look like Owen Farrell

He looks like a beefed up Aaron Ramsey.

Who knew taking a penalty could be so complex?

Silly subby time! wrote:

Ricky1985 wrote:

Gervinho could learn to strike the ball fantastically if he dedicated enough time and effort to it. We both agree on that, I think. There is no defect in his brain that stops him from hitting a ball properly, it's a lack of ability at that particular aspect of playing football.

I honestly don't think he'd ever become a clean striker of a ball. It's like how some people never get good at golf owen

General Mirth wrote:

Ricky, I have to ask, do you think you're a better finisher than Gervinho?

GM, I think you're a better finisher than Gervinho, and you said the other day that you've never played a game of football in your life.

Who knew taking a penalty could be so complex?

gervinho.

Armor wrote:

Who knew taking a penalty could be so complex?

These are important issues.

Can't just be that a bloke doesn't fancy taking a penalty. No sir.

yuv wrote:

gervinho.