Penalties

**Ziss** · 22-02-2005, 22:30

Anyone here a regular penalty taker for their team (also 5-a-side)? Curious to what technique you use, if you decide where you're going to place it before the match and if you're brave enough to cheakily slot it down the middle in the last minute when the game is tied?

Personally I decide before a game, although before the run up I change my mind about 8 times. Meaning to try what Mendieta used to do, watch the goalie and not look at the ball, although knowing me if he doesn't dive I'll just run into the ball :p

Stella Artois · 22-02-2005, 22:35

The last penalty I took cost us a place in the semi-final of a regional cup.

My tactic is to blast it hard and straight down the middle. Just remember not to lean back and hit the crossbar.

**Ziss** · 22-02-2005, 22:37

I like a hard side foot into the top right corner, although their is a huge chance you will put it wide or over. Therefore I place bottom left and hard. Scored one last Wednesday (5-a-side) and hopefully will pick one up tomorrow (might go down the middle :p)

LiamK · 22-02-2005, 22:54

Look one way while waiting to take your penalty. Look straight ahead as you run up, then hit it the other way you were looking.

Simple, but it works. All amateur goalies think they're some kind of penalty experts. They'll easily notice you looking one way before you run up, which you want them to notice and they'll go that way because they 'got a read' on you.

Chances are, low and into the bottom corner will go in anyway. Amateur goalkeepers can't spring low and to their side very well. Just don't hit it chest-height slightly to the side of the goalkeeper, worst penalty possible.

Cray · 22-02-2005, 23:02

i just dont think much and hit it as hard as i could either left or right, never middle.

**Ziss** · 22-02-2005, 23:05

Problem with 5-a-side is if you don't place it well enough, and the goalie guesses correctly, he's odds on to save it. I've been playing down there for years, only ever missed two. Dragged one wide, the other I came up from goal to take it and blasted it over the top left corner. Nowadays I never feel as though I'm going to miss.

**50!** · 22-02-2005, 23:37

I find that that when playing 5-a-side, the keeper thinks that they can watch the direction of the ball and dive in that direction and save the ball and save becuase when the kicker is running up they feel that the goals are smaller than they actaully are. By simply sticking it right in the corner going more for accuracy than pace I usually find it works better. I don't think putting it straight down the middle is that clever as the keeper usually stays in the middle if they get confused and theres more chance they will just save it.

As for LiamK's idea, I think that it only works on people who are just having a laugh in goals. For really serious keepers, I tend to find that it dosent work.

PES4KING05 · 23-02-2005, 00:29

I played in goal for a five a side tournament in school. Nearly every game went to pens which i saved all of (yes i am that good) It seemed to that most time players go the bottom corner of their stronger foot.

Zoidberg · 23-02-2005, 01:09

I used to take penalties with great ease, I'd just decide on the walk-up whether to go left or right then drill it hard and low into the corner. I'd pick something distinctive behind the goal and pretend I was passing to it, made it easier somehow. The key was not to get the ball off the floor otherwise the 'keeper would have the ball at perfect saving height, if it was kept on the ground I could get away with the odd scuff.

I stopped taking them now though because I missed three in a row...I missed the first one (my first ever) in a shoot-out and it would have been the winning penalty. I made the mistake of assuming I'd score and was already thinking about what I'd do when it went in...I ended up skying it. After that I completely lost the thinking pattern I'd had, I was thinking too much on the run-ups. The next one went very wide and at the third I'd resorted to side-footing, didn't get enough power that way though and it was easily saved.

I think I'll have a go at them again soon, I probably need to be forced into action in a shoot-out and bang one in that way to get the rhythm going again. As for the advice, my opening paragraph is a good method. In professional football there's nothing wrong with a blast down the middle as 'keepers will dive one way or the other...however in amateur football a 'keeper is much more likely not to dive so it's a lot more risky hitting them down the middle.

Gunplay · 23-02-2005, 01:31

I go for power over accuracy. I have a trademark penalty target, which i'm not revealing

. If you have been aiming penalties in the same direction for ages, then keepers will have no chance, due to your experience in perfecting the technique.
It isn't even the outcome sometimes, it's how you run up, i've seen guys rabona penalties and skip before kicking it, keepers get fooled and are left standing, just cause of the distraction it gives.

Cray · 23-02-2005, 05:28

when i run-up the ball, i usually look at the keeper, and the keeper would usually look back at me, then i blast the ball as hard as i could to either left or right, and sometimes, some keeper still looking at me as if nothing had happened...

fattyronaldo · 23-02-2005, 05:52

i borrow the penalty technique from zidane. curl it into the bottom left.

Cray · 23-02-2005, 06:13

but u cant really curl the ball when u play 5 a side...well, u can, but the keeper would save it, i guess

AgentZero · 23-02-2005, 07:45

im not the regular pen kicker in me team, but last season i had to step in and take one.
my technique is to look in the keepers eyes and try to intimidate him, i usually run up and put it bottom right, looking like im gonna put it top left.........if ye get what i mean

**Mohanned** · 23-02-2005, 10:08

last penalty I took cost us a place in the final but i missed it but we still wont on penalties.