Match Day Thread Japan v Croatia

At last, a side England could beat in a penalty shootout. Never seen such awful pens as Japan's, really disappointing after doing so well in their games.

 

I think Japan might need to develop a bit more aggression if they're going to compete at high levels. Their pens were a bit like apologies and apparently they are the only team in the competition to have been given no yellow cards. Fair play is fine but it doesn't always deliver.

 

Easily the weakest hit penalties I’ve ever seen

 

england haven't had any

 

Ok, the commentator got it wrong then. Doesn't really make much difference to what I've suggested though.

 

japan have had a yellow card

 

Still makes no material difference. Glad you've got time to check all these things.

 

Bet Shearer watched the penalties and shook his head.

 

People talk about the fancy runup penalties but these are the ones that get me. I appreciate there's tremendous pressure and it's a really difficult situation, but it baffles me that so many penalties in shootouts are those soft, not even very far from centre ones. Even if you're overcome with nerves and not confident in a particular kick, surely just putting your foot through it with little precision is still better than just softly putting slightly to one side. Saka and Sancho did similar last summer. What do they think is going to happen?

 

I'm old school in this respect, I like to see penalties leathered in hard. I'm sure more get scored that way... cue the site statisticians.

 

This post

 

I read somewhere that statistically, leathering it straight down the middle has the best chance of success, but players are wary of doing it because of how they'd look if the keeper didn't move and just stood and caught it.

 

Perhaps if it was hit hard enough the keeper might just fall over backwards. Goal!

 

Ron Atkinson did advocate a goalie staying in the middle of the goal and not diving, to nullify that option, and everyone knows that.

 

Goalies always dive, it's in their dna.

 

It could be right, but also like a double bluff now. Besides if a GK doesnt move in the first three pens its safe to presume he has been listening to Ron Atkinson, the daft racist.

 

That’s what Magennis did all throughout the league 1 season he had a 100% record until Peterborough at home last season.