This pic shows JJ as he is about to kick the ball, now if you were the goalie which way would you dive?
David Unsworth on BBC London in his summarising had it right. He said when there's a delay in taking a penalty, like when a guy's been sent off controversially, best thing to do is put your foot through it. Delay often works against taker and he can have too much time to think about it, and more often than not sacrifices pace for accuracy by going to base instincts. Keeper also has time to watch the taker in the pre-amble, remember his last couple of kicks etc, etc. Pace of kick is critical apparently - even when it's near the keeper, being too quick for them gives taker a huge advantage. Of course, all this could just be bobbins, but it seemed to make sense to me in the middle of my profanities at 3.16pm last Saturday.
Keeper has already commenced his dive to the right in that picture - pushing off with his left foot - so he had already made up his mind which way he was going.
If Jackson was looking up, he'd have spotted that & put it in the other corner. That's what the class players do.
The best penalty takers can react to this. I don't think managers work enough on penalties. If I was a manager I'd do this exercise.
I'd give my players a chance to show what they can do - this doesn't mean them putting the penalty where they want but where I tell them. By doing this I'll see how many different penalties they have in them and how comfortable they are following my instructions. The results of 9 or 10 penalties under these conditions will tell you your best takers. Wish the England managers past or present followed this advice- I know it would work.
I'd also do penalty drills after the odd game - asking the crowd to help by trying to put the takers off. And accept that sometimes a player can be confident and otehr times not - so that is when you change takers.
If Jackson was looking up, he'd have spotted that & put it in the other corner. That's what the class players do.
The best penalty takers can react to this. I don't think managers work enough on penalties. If I was a manager I'd do this exercise.
I'd give my players a chance to show what they can do - this doesn't mean them putting the penalty where they want but where I tell them. By doing this I'll see how many different penalties they have in them and how comfortable they are following my instructions. The results of 9 or 10 penalties under these conditions will tell you your best takers. Wish the England managers past or present followed this advice- I know it would work.
I'd also do penalty drills after the odd game - asking the crowd to help by trying to put the takers off. And accept that sometimes a player can be confident and otehr times not - so that is when you change takers.
Excellent post. Couldn't agree more. And what a sight that last suggestion would be to see.
The problem with this thread is now we've spent lots of time debating and deciding on who should take out next penalty only one thing can happen: we're not going to get another penalty.
I feel as though some are being quite reactionary with this. None of our current team have taken a penalty in a match for us (apart from in shootouts), so not really sure who else would be qualified enough to do it.
I would keep JJ (taking penalties and keep him in the side).
Though I do believe Danny Green was a penalty taker for Dagenham, scored at our place once as well.
I would give it to a striker personally, or Stephens if I could pick any midfielder. Was Wilson not penalty taker at a former club also? JJ should stay in the side and gets first dibs on short-range/direct free-kicks, still the best taker we have if you ask me. That said, three penalties, three misses and none of them you can say he was particularly unlucky rather than poor to the best of my recollection. Still can do a job for the team, its just not the penalty taker!
I would give it to a striker personally, or Stephens if I could pick any midfielder. Was Wilson not penalty taker at a former club also? JJ should stay in the side and gets first dibs on short-range/direct free-kicks, still the best taker we have if you ask me. That said, three penalties, three misses and none of them you can say he was particularly unlucky rather than poor to the best of my recollection. Still can do a job for the team, its just not the penalty taker!
I would give it to a striker personally, or Stephens if I could pick any midfielder. Was Wilson not penalty taker at a former club also? JJ should stay in the side and gets first dibs on short-range/direct free-kicks, still the best taker we have if you ask me. That said, three penalties, three misses and none of them you can say he was particularly unlucky rather than poor to the best of my recollection. Still can do a job for the team, its just not the penalty taker!
The keepers are better in this division?
Maybe, but I still think the odds would be in the favour of the penalty taker (otherwise what would be the point of giving penalties at all?). Probably most of the top half 'keepers in League One at least would have saved JJ's latest effort with ease and though my memory may be coloured by a particularly poor effort I don't remember any of his misses being due to lightning reflexes/incredible saves by the keeper.
Yhey should change the rule that the last person (for the attacking team) to touch it, has to take it, unless that player has been injured in the event of the penalty.
Comments
Hamer, anyone ?
I'd give my players a chance to show what they can do - this doesn't mean them putting the penalty where they want but where I tell them. By doing this I'll see how many different penalties they have in them and how comfortable they are following my instructions. The results of 9 or 10 penalties under these conditions will tell you your best takers. Wish the England managers past or present followed this advice- I know it would work.
I'd also do penalty drills after the odd game - asking the crowd to help by trying to put the takers off. And accept that sometimes a player can be confident and otehr times not - so that is when you change takers.
On facebookmanager I score every mum!
I would keep JJ (taking penalties and keep him in the side).
Though I do believe Danny Green was a penalty taker for Dagenham, scored at our place once as well.
Solly would've banged it home...................