How to Take a Penalty and Score
The key to whether you are successul in taking penalties is if you score consistently !!
To achieve this you need to have a tried and tested method of taking penalties, a regular and fixed routine
There are lots of ways of scoring a penalty
blasting it as hard as you can down the centre of the goal
trying to be clever placing it in one corner
hitting it high into the roof of the net
What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for everyone. You need to be confident in your own technique and believe that you will score - not hope that the goal keeper goes the wrong way.
although I am left footed the best penalties I ever took was with a short run up (only 2 steps) with my right foot and sweeping the ball towards the corner of the goal to the goalkeepers right. By hitting it with my right foot enabled the ball to swing away from the goalkeeper making it harder for him to stop. As I had a short run up the goalkeeper had little chance to read my run up and guess where I was going to put the ball. He also had little opprtunity to move before I hit the ball which helped me further.
A common technique used by professional footballers is to use their eyes. They may have the intention of hitting the ball to the goal keeper right but will always look to the goalkeepers left to give him the impression that it where he intends to kick the ball.
The doesn't always work on its own but when the penaly kicker also 'shapes' to kick the ball to the goalkeepers left it often results in seeing the goalkeeper going the wrong way.
This technique is difficult to master without mis-hitting the ball and takes a lot of practice.
The most foolproof way to take a penaly is as follows:
pick your spot before you even place the ball on the penaly spot
under no circumstances change your mind after this point. this uncertainty will invariable result in you missing your penalty.
either hit the ball high towards the roof of the net or low along the ground. At these heights it is much more difficult for the goalkeeper to reach it.
Do not have a long run up. although against the rules goalkeepers often (if not always) move before you strike the ball. This will reduce the chance of them doing this.
Hit the ball firmly. Even if the goalkeeper reads your penalty, by hitting it firmly will reduce the goalkeepers chances of keeping the ball out. If he parrys the penalty there is a good chance that you can get to the follow up before him or the defence and score.
Emergency Technique !
99% of goalkeepers pick which side of the goal they are going to dive before the penalty is taken. If you aren't confident about taking penalties, or feel nervous. This is a great fallback tecnique.
Hit the ball as hard as you can towards the centre of the goal (at about head height). As all goalkeepers dive to one side of the goal, they willinvariably dive out of the way of your shot. If you hit the ball at head or chest height, the goalkeepers trailing legs will not be able to reach the ball. I use this technique in a penalty shoot out, or for a last minute penalty.
