I just read this thread, then watched the penalties on youtube. I agree that stepping forward first is a waste, if you then have to step to the side. However, if you look at the penalties, particularly Benfica's second penalty, the keeper was way off his line before the ball was struck. Surely this is an advantage, as for the sake of a fraction of a second in reaction time, the keeper gains a foot or more in distance he doesn't have to move. Also, nice to see QPR get a mention due to Mbia. [video=youtube;F5lQNTrq80E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5lQNTrq80E[/video]
Its advantage if you do it so early you can dive as he kicks the ball but it should be called back every time.
With the rule changes you are correct about the angles, when you used to be able to get 4 ft or so off the line it wasn't true, you could really narrow things down, and a large man jumping towards is slightly off putting, you see some refs still allowing which is clearly incorrect. However that is not why they do it, jumping forward puts you on the balls of your feet and makes it easier to re-act and your are taught to do this, in fact a lot of sport you are trained to do this Tennis, cricket etc. At this level keepers tend to do what works for them, some try to distract some try watching the players eyes etc but as a keeper you need to make a decision before the taker else you are simply out paced by the ball hence the massive weighting in favor of the taker. At the end of the day it's mind games and handling the pressure, hence Jens Lehmanns notes in the socks incident.
TBH it doesn't matter if you go first or second as long as you don't miss......score 5 and you greatly increase your chances of winning.....not many go to sudden death....
It matters a big amount, theres a difference between taking a one and knowing you are still in if you miss and knowing you're going to cost your team £120m if you don't score. That's why your chances go up 10% if you go first.
If it gets to it (and let's hope it doesn't) if QPR fans behind goal should everyone jump up and down whilst Derby taking their pens to try and distract or is that unsporting and not very English!
Go first. Regular penalty taker first, then next best, etc. It's this assertive approach that is apparently the most successful. Though I do hope we avoid PKs.
Some teams save their best one for last but often they dont get to take it. Id take austin first and barton last.
Yeah don't leave the best to last it may be too late, put the pressure on the opposition from the start.
Sevilla did, Rakitic was their fifth. IF we go up he would be my first choice signing. We suffered last time in the Prem without a set piece expert. Where the margins are smaller set pieces become more crucial.
A Our FKs and corners have been terrible for years, they have I proved in recent weeks though. I still haven't see a set piece where its been clever or obvious it was worked on in training.
