Did we miss a trick?

[Jam_Man]

Should we (and indeed would we have been allowed to) have arranged a post-match penalty shoot out with Port Vale to replicate taking penalties in front of a large crowd? I know the pressure wouldn't have been anywhere near the same, but I'm sure Vale would have said yes to such an opportunity.

It still wouldnt replicate the pressure of the real thing so not much point.

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Can you imagine Port Vales players being up for that after a really really poor season, I would imagine all they wanted to do was to get out, get home and forget about footie for a few weeks.

Mind you, all 22 people out there on Saturday looked liked they wanted to be at home :-)

So did the crowd as well.

 

[Jam_Man]

Mind you, all 22 people out there on Saturday looked liked they wanted to be at home :-)

So did the crowd as well.

Very true, it didnt look like players or supporters actually cared if we won the game so a penalty shoot out would had have even less "pressure".

 

[toellandback]

That's all we needd. Bloody Sting deciding. He has got a farcically small knob , and thus, will have issues. So he's bound to go against us as he is a northerner.

You clearly have thought too much into this :D , i wouldn't be surprised if you'd been watching every move he makes

 

[londonblue]

It still wouldnt replicate the pressure of the real thing so not much point.

You're correct that it wouldn't recreate the pressure, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't practice.

To use golf as an example, it's no surprise that Tiger Woods (and most top pros for that matter) manage to pull off the most amazing shots under pressure, and the reason for that is that they practice day after day after day.

When the pressure is on, you naturally resort to what you know, and are comfortable with, and the more you have practised, the more likely you are to succeed.

Going back to penalty taking, someone who has practised will know where they intend to put the ball and what will happen if they are made to retake it. All the thinking has been taken out of the equation, so all they are left with is actually doing it.

 

[Jam_Man]

You're correct that it wouldn't recreate the pressure, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't practice.

..and you dont need an uninterested 20% full stadium to do so.

To use golf as an example, it's no surprise that Tiger Woods (and most top pros for that matter) manage to pull off the most amazing shots under pressure, and the reason for that is that they practice day after day after day.

...which he does with out a crowd watching him.


This idea gets bandied around every time England lose a shootout and the reality is nothing prepares a player for having to take a penalty kick with 50 million people watching him and a nations expectations on his shoulders.

Not quite the same pressure for Southend players but the same applies.
By all means lets ensure we practice them so technically we knw players can score them in training but theres no more preparation thats worthwhile.

 

[londonblue]

..and you dont need an uninterested 20% full stadium to do so.



...which he does with out a crowd watching him.


This idea gets bandied around every time England lose a shootout and the reality is nothing prepares a player for having to take a penalty kick with 50 million people watching him and a nations expectations on his shoulders.

Not quite the same pressure for Southend players but the same applies.
By all means lets ensure we practice them so technically we knw players can score them in training but theres no more preparation thats worthwhile.

But I would see this as a "half way house"; as a chance to put their practice to the test in front of a crowd when it doesn't matter.

However, i'm not sure the FL would be happy with the idea. And given that I had to rush off after the game on Saturday I wouldn't have been there to watch anyway...!

 

[Forever A Shrimper]

Are you sure that always happens for high profile matches? Quite often the end has already been decided in advance, now I'm not sure if that always involves the toss of a coin or if the ref & police have some input as well?

Yes. Yes, I am.

 

[sufcintheprem]

Good point. When Manu had a penalty given against them against Chelsea last week it was the 1st penalty given against them all season.
Its strange how the big clubs don't seem to concede many penalties.

To be fair, they do spend a lot more time attacking than other teams and tend to have better defenders.

That said, I think that it's harder for refs to give penalties at more intimidating venues

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

I cant remember any of the top 4 clubs in the prem conceding many penalties, mainly because they have better defenders.