With the aid of high definition cameras behind the goals Professor Tim Cable at Liverpool John Moores University has studied all penalties in the CL last season and the PL this season to pinpoint the perfect technique for taking winning spot-kicks.
His findings are, well, less than sensational. To ensure a 100% scoring rate you need to follow these guidelines:
-The ball needs to cross the goal line at exactly 0,5m below the crossbar and 0,5m inside the post.
-The ball needs to be kicked at a speed greater than 65mph.
-This requires a run-up of 5/6 steps.
-The striker needs to commence his run-up from the edge of the 18-yard line with an angle of approach of 20-30 degrees to the ball.
If I understand this correctly, the professor has found that you’re likely to score if you hit the ball hard into the top corner. Which makes sense, I suppose. But I don’t comprehend why he needed high definition cameras to find this out.
But professor Cable certainly has some sound advice for penalty takers looking to improve: practice.
