Just watched Bobby on Onside, usual lovable self.

He clearly still struggles with the Germany penalty defeat. He was asked what he could have done differently and couldn't come up with anything.

Well I could, and if I had one question to ask him it would be whether he had considered, or should have considered a substitution in the last minute of extra time. Peter Shilton never saved penalties, too big and bulky to get down, on the bench was a penalty saver in the shape of Dave Beasant. Beasant wasn't fit to lace Peter Shiltons boots as a goalie (no one was in my opinion) but he was a better penalty stopper. Discuss.

-- Anonymous, March 26, 2001

Answers

Mac, If that`s an originial well done, never thought of it before, the ideas good but the mental scar which Shilton would have to bear in future matches at club level would have been too much , imagine the jibes of opposition fans if they were awarded a penalty

-- Anonymous, March 26, 2001

Mac.....I might be wrong, but I've got a feeling that Robson had already used all his substitutes by then so couldn't have made the change.

I stand to be corrected and will try and look into it on Tuesday, but if memory serves and all that.......

-- Anonymous, March 26, 2001

Very good point. I thought prior to the pens, that Shilton, aged 40 simply could not possibly have the speed of reaction required to stand a ghost of a chance of saving a pen. I always felt that the German goal could have been saved by someone with a better reaction time. I'm sure Shilton was too old for the competition from the word go. I agree with Macbeth that Shilton was a great keeper but his best days were some way behind him aged 40.

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001

I remember watching the game in the pub, we all said the same thing "get Shilton off" but I'm not sure Beasant was the man on the bench.

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001

Bliddy fantastic pens by the Gormans as I recall.

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001

An excellent point though I've definitely had this discussion before.

I liked his answer when asked if Shearer would take over....:
"possibly, a good choice.... but I want him to play for another 3 years first"
Bobby around for another 3 yrs?

Also loved the bit where he states he can't stand cheating ...e.g. Shearer(not mentioned by name) diving.

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001

I really can't see Bobby doing the full job for the next three years.

It is more and more likely that Wadsworth will have an increased role. I think Robson's reference to Shearer's three years was really only related to the number of years left on his contract and Bobby would like, for Shearer's sake, for him to play that long.

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001

There'd only been one sub, Steven for Butcher (?!) so Beasant could have come on. I'd forgotten what the team was .. Shilton, Parker, Pearce, Walker, Wright, Butcher, Platt, Gazza, Waddle, Beardsley, Lineker pretty special as far as England teams go

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001