Penalties

Since when has it become so difficult for professional footballers to hit the target from 12 yards with only one man to beat?. Have we now got an even lighter ball? Or is it just a matter of time before someone starts investigating? Puncheon's miss against Sunderland was simply awful. But the look on his face was one of genuine misery that he failed so miserably. It was genuine shame United's players, I'm not so sure. There seemed to be an attitude there. Moyes was the only one who looked upset and shell shocked by what he'd just seen. It may just be plain shocking or something more sinister. I simply cannot fathom how it could conceivably happen that 4 out of 5 penalty takers fail to score most of them spectacularly missing the target altogether. Let's not forget that this is a side used to playing at the highest level under the highest pressure and winning penalty shootouts with something to spare. I assume that most clubs do have short practice sessions each week, if only for fun on penalty taking

If there are many more like this I can see the FA starting an enquiry into match fixing.

If it was fixed who set it up? The Far eastern betting syndicates or the extremists among Man Ure supporters who have been clamouring for Moyes' head on a plate since before the season started.

At least we don't need to worry. We hardly ever get them.

 

There is no training for the pressure of taking a penalty in a semi final shoot out, I didn't care who won and even my heart was racing, the pressure on the taker is immense. Most of the Utd players taking weren't their normal kick takers and wouldn't generally be amoungst the first five. I would take the silver foil off your head and accept it for what it was, poor pressurised penalties and good keeping!

 

pressure does funny things to people, rather than let your subconscious take care of it, the players have to concentrate which is something they don't normally do.

also their keeper did what every keeper should do and he looked at the eyes and every man u player looked at the spot where it was going to go.

bet your car on a game of darts or pool and then you'll see what its like!

 

One word.....pressure.

They are under huge pressure at the moment (all relevant I know) and that shoot-out was massive for them. I don't see any conspiracy here and I thought the Utd players that missed looked gutted, especially Wellback who seemed to have tears in his eyes!

 

That's an original thought, or it was when Claridge (or was it Rosenior?) said it on the telly last night. Credit your sources please.

 

They just require the Heidar Helguson "iceman" deft touch:-

[video=youtube;gok6b-oraJg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gok6b-oraJg&feature=youtu.be&a[/video]

[video=youtube;B5uWrndRGeE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5uWrndRGeE&feature=youtu.be&a[/video]

This one against Chelsea though was unusually powerful for him:-

[video=youtube;-b5x_ZB5lNA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b5x_ZB5lNA&feature=youtu.be&a[/video]

Not penalties, but here's a few cracking goals against Norwich, including Helguson.

[video=youtube;fL6Y-bYg5uI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL6Y-bYg5uI&feature=youtu.be&a[/video]

 

He also said "Goalkeepers should have bouncier stances". If he got that one off Claridge aswell, you guys are being mugged for your licence fee.

 

Yorkshire......have you ever seen the Ronny Rosental miss from 12 cm's (liverpool v Vanilla I believe back in the day)!!
Penalties should be practiced...after all, they are part of the beautiful game

 

ah but england managers say its not worth it as you can't replicate the pressure, what you can do is do itso much that it becomes second nature and you don't think about it, funnily enough those who practice win them.

 

The more I practice, the luckier I get.

 

tell swords that, he practice's five times a day and still can't get lucky with women!

 

And there was me thinking that the reason the players got paid such ridiculous wages was because they could deal with pressure at the highest level..?

 

ahh
the premiership
the pinnacle of English football

 

Exactly. All the apologists on here should be ashamed of themselves. I am only going back to the situation as it was up to a few months ago. When you consider how many finals have been decided by penalty shootouts and how many times England have been knocked out because one possibly two players missed. They largely coped with the pressure. On Wednesday apparently 4 out of 5 Manchester United players couldn't. That includes a fair few internationals. Look at Ricky Lambert and our own Clive Wilson. Pressure does not begin to excuse abject failure.

 

Precisely. This 'pressure' excuse is completely lame. A lot of people on here face real pressure every single day, making decisions and doing jobs that have a genuine impact on the lives of others, and I bet most of us don't even think about it, we just get on with it. If you can't kick a ball accurately in front of an audience, consider another career.

 

Whilst I "get" where you're coming from, I think this over-simplifies the situation.

Anyone who's played sport at a reasonable level knows that there are moments of extreme pressure. You don't want to let your team mates down, your supporters and yourself. IMO it makes no difference how much you're paid to play or who for, pressure can make anyone do things that they wouldn't normally do.
For instance, Murray said that, even though he was two sets up and playing the best tennis of his life, he could barely hold on to the racket during his match points to win Wimbledon. Top cricketers look imperious as they construct a fantastic innings and then, as they get into the 90s they can suddenly look like village green players!
Snooker players have talked of shaking so much that they can barely hold onto the cue as they approach a match winning total or near a maximum break etc. All these people have practised and practised. The practised technique helps, but pressure can almost cancel it out at times.
Even the most well practised muscular movement, that an athlete has honed for hours and hours on the training field, can turn to jelly when under huge pressure.

 

All of that may be true, but none of it generates any sympathy from me. When Stainsey has an irate passenger screaming at him over a lost bag, or an elderly lady in tears because she fears she has lost something precious to her, that I would regard as pressure, but I bet he doesn't, its just his job and he gets on with it.

 

Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka both missed in the shoot out against Bayern and you don't have better penalties takers than them

 

That doesn't include muscle memory though does it?
Some people are undoubtedly better suited to cope with pressure situations that others, but the muscles are very hard to control when body and mind are under duress.

Dancers practice routines until they know them almost without thinking. They call this muscle memory and it helps to repeat movements whilst under pressure.
IMO there is a lot more science involved than you are possibly recognising with your criticisms of our over-paid prima donnas.

 

and I bet Man U were too arrogant to even consider having an hours practice in their last training session as well.