Tony Cascarino's football lessons: No 3, how to score penalties - Everton and Tottenham Hotspur take note...

I got good at penalties towards the end of my career - in my last year in France, I scored six out of six. It’s about practice and judgment. Forget hit and hope - you can really enhance your chances if you’re prepared to work at it, and the confidence that comes from taking kicks in training and running up with a plan will really add to the likelihood of beating the goalkeeper.

First, I don’t recommend a short run-up. Jermaine Jenas missed like this for Tottenham yesterday. You can’t get enough power, so if a ’keeper sees where you’re placing the kick, he’ll save it.

There isn’t one ideal place to aim for, no “right answer”. I varied my kicks - sometimes down the middle, sometimes high, sometimes low. I made my decision by looking at the ’keeper. If he was very tall I would go low because I figured it would be harder for him to throw his big frame to the ground.

If he was agile, I went for power, figuring that he would be able to save the shot if it wasn’t struck fiercely even if it was placed in the corner. If you’re the number five taker in a shoot-out, look at what the goalkeeper has done for the previous four kicks.

The absolute key is to stick to what you’ve decided and shoot with conviction. The old cliche, don’t change your mind on the run-up, is absolutely right. Sometimes doubts creep in as you’re about to strike the ball. As you run up it’s almost like an out-of-body experience, you find your body acting independently of your mind, your foot not doing what you’ve told it to. This happens when you don’t have confidence, perhaps the ’keeper’s made a movement that has out-psyched you at the last.

It’s funny: when golfers are about to take a putt but suddenly feel something’s wrong, they stop. Penalty-takers never abort the kick. Perhaps they should rather than risk the consequences of striking the ball in a confused and doubt-filled mental state. If your mind’s not clear, usually the kick will be weak and central, easy meat for the ’keeper.

So: practise in training - have penalty competitions - develop confidence in your ability and combine that with mental toughness and, when it comes to the match, a quick assessment of the goalkeeper you’re up against. And for managers deciding who to select as a penalty-taker: remember that sometimes the unlikeliest candidates can be the most reliable scorers from the spot. Some defenders are better at it than most strikers.

Comments

[Colman]

In retort to Eric, the goalie went the right way for Tony's spot kick in 1990, it slid under his elbow. It was by no means a thing of beauty, the jerseys were a bit tight and the haircuts a bit scouser, but any Irishman would give his first born for another summer like it....

[minty]

true declan, but explain why almost every penalty by a 'skilled' player these days sees them virtual stop during the run up, without the ref doing anything.

this is also on the borders of legality/illegality, a 'grey' area.

[Malcolm Ward]

Tony,to avoid games being decided by penalty shootout, what's your opinion on this:

At the end of 90 minutes, have the penalty shootout. The winning team is then 1-0 up. THEN play extra time, with each goal counting double.

That way the game is decided by playing football, not the lottery of a shootout, and no single player bears the responsibility for the result.

[madgooner]

low and in the corner..

[Erik]

Tony Cascarino giving advice on how to take penalties! I only saw him take one, for Ireland against Romania in Italia 1990. He kicked a lump out of the pitch before his foot even struck the ball and was lucky the keeper went the wrong way. I note Tony wisely omits kicking the pitch before the ball from his advice

[rob]

get rid of the penalty shootout altogether. if level at full time, each team withdraws 3 players, then one player every 5 minutes of extra time, until the golden goal. simple,quick, and easy. (and very exciting i should think)

rob

[rob]

dear tony, ive always believed that in the shootout, each player should be ordered by the manager to strike with power and accuracy, left or right or centre. that way theres no reason for a player to doubt, especially the ones who arent used to taking penalties, and the responsibility of the keeper guessing right falls onto the manager, thus relieving some of the pressure on the player.

what do you think?

rob

[Sims]

Tony,

I've got my own theory on how to score a penalty every time. I want your opinion on this theory please. I played non-league for 16 years, never missed a pen. Practice is essential of course. But once on the pitch do the following simple steps:
1. Imagine a goal a yard smaller in dimensions (we'll call it a virtual goal)within the goal.
2. Now take a longish run-up.
3. And aim for the top left hand or right hand corner of your virtual goal.
4. Run up and strike the ball firmly in any of those areas.
5. Wheel away in delight.
Never fails.

Sims

[declan seachoy]

The reason they dont abort the penalty during their run up is that it is against the rules, without proper reason, e.g the referee hadnt blown his whistle.

[bill]

your foot not doing what you’ve told it to, eh? Is that what happened in Genoa in 1990? I think the divot hit the back of the net before the ball did. Still, who cared? ;)