It’s Friday the 13th boys and girls. Stay away from black cats, do not even think about walking under a ladder, don’t you dare bet all that cash on that horse because your mate told you so.
But here at Football FanCast we talk about football and since today is a damned day we will remember ten of the most unlucky finishers in Premier League history and hope that the roof doesn’t fall on our heads.
CRISTIANO RONALDO
Bad things happen even to players like Cristiano Ronaldo. The Real Madrid forward had a very unlucky moment during his Manchester United days as he missed an absolutely certain goal against Sheffield United seven years ago.
A wonderful pass by Wayne Rooney to Ryan Giggs and the latter’s pass to Ronaldo led the Portuguese to miss a shot on open goal. The ball went ten meters up the air but don’t worry, no birds were harmed that night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5ZePItpHvs
DIEGO FORLAN
The best player of the 2010 World Cup also played for Manchester United and was no stranger to unlucky finishes. Thank God for the Uruguayan that this was just a friendly match against Juventus or Sir Alex Ferguson might have thrown that shoe a little earlier than that Chelsea match.
After a grand confusion at Juve’s defense and an unbelievable mistake by goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti the striker picked up the ball with an open goal ahead of him and missed right in front of it.
Perhaps the Uruguayan thought it would too easy for him.
ROBBIE KEANE
It is late in the match and the club needs the win and the three points to stay alive at the Premier League and avoid relegation. If that’s the case and your teammate has just laid the ball to you from the left and your standing just six yards away from open goal then make sure you don’t miss that chance.
Unfortunately Robbie Keane did miss that chance against Blackburn Rovers at Upton Park two years ago and that was very unusual for a striker of his caliber.
For the record, the Hammers did relegate.
DAVID BECKHAM
Undoubtedly Becks’s worse penalty kick. It was back in 2004 where an unbelievable European tournament was underway.
England were playing Portugal and after a tied score the two squads settled it at a penalty shoot-out. Beckham got the Three Lions into a bad start as his shot went way over the crossbar, in Roberto Baggio style only higher and wider, and led to Portugal progressing to the semi finals.
The same ball that the former Manchester United player kicked was later auctioned at eBay for £1.8 million.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXvGgb-P_7Y
NWANKWO KANU
Nwankwo Kanu had a very unlucky moment nine years ago back in his West Brom days. The Baggies were playing Middlesbrough at the Hawthorns and were losing 2-1.
At the 90th minute the Nigerian missed an absolutely golden chance to tie the score and give a point to his team. However, the former Arsenal forward missed a chance on open goal from two yards and sent the ball over the bar.
That was Bryan Robson’s first match as the West Brom manager and was caught on camera saying: “How did he miss that”.
Our answer: We don’t know.
ROBERT PIRES
In 2005 Arsenal were playing Manchester City at home and Robert Pires put the Gunners up front with a successful penalty kick.
Not long after Arsenal earned another penalty and the Frenchman had the chance to score another goal and double the score for the North London club. However, he and Thierry Henry tried to make it special.
Instead of shooting Pires tried to lay the ball to Henry who was coming from the back however the plan failed miserably and the referee called for a free kick.
Thankfully the Citizens never retaliated and the former Arsenal winger didn’t experience Arsene Wenger’s wrath at the locker room.
RONNY ROSENTHAL
The year of 1992 was very historical for English football as the Premier League was formed and some of the all-time greatest started to write their own legend. However, Liverpool’s Ronny Rosenthal started another tradition and that is of the worse finishers in the League.
The Reds were playing Aston Villa away and the Israeli striker picked up a wonderful long ball by David James, passed the goalkeeper and found himself in front of open goal. However, Rosenthal sent the ball straight to the bar which was very strange as he was under absolutely no pressure.
FERNANDO TORRES
Here is a man that experiences Friday the 13th almost every day. After Chelsea signed him on a record £50 million deal everybody expected the former Liverpool striker to make history at Stamford Bridge. However, up to this day, the Spain international has not written the kind of legend he wanted to.
It was September 2011 when the world started to really doubt that transfer as the Spaniard missed an unbelievable chance at Old Trafford against Manchester United.
A wonderful pass by Ramires found Torres who moved away from David De Gea and missed a sure cracker on open goal. Chelsea were down 3-1 against Manchester United but if the Spaniard scored at the 82nd minute then Chelsea would have had enough time to press for a third goal.
EMILE HESKEY
Big Emile has become quite an internet sensation from some naughty fans as ever since he left Liverpool he just couldn’t catch a break.
During his Aston Villa days the former England international had quite possibly the worse shot of his entire career. Two years ago the Claret and Blue were playing Manchester United at Villa Park and were down 1-0 but Heskey wouldn’t give up.
During the first minute of extra time Big Emile fired a shot from outside the box that went straight out for a free throw, which didn’t sit well with the fans at all.
Don’t worry Emile, we still love you here at Football Fan Cast.
PARK JI-SUNG
It was 2008 and Manchester United were playing Middlesbrough at home. Dimitar Berbatov put the Red Devils ahead on the 69th minute but Park Ji-Sung had a golden opportunity to double the score two minutes later.
Gary Neville found the South Korean with an excellent pass that went through every single Boro defender but Park missed it just two yards away from the post. The current PSV player sent the ball sky-high all the way to the cheapest seats. Perhaps he was gunning for someone…
An unlucky moment but the United fan’s expression afterwards is just priceless.
