The penalty for lack of practice

[NogoodBoyo]

PENALTIES. 
The British Lions are taking three players to New Zealand all of whom have an 80% success rate at penalties and conversions this season.  That's the only area where we wipe the floor with the All Blacks, as their leading place kicker, Beauden Barrett has hit around 60 % from memory.
The key is extra practice.  All the British place-kickers spend hours each week practicing kicks.  HOURS!  Usually after training too. It's the same with golfers and putting.  All that extra practice takes nerves out of the equation, not completely, but enough to make muscle memory win over the lack of confidence and nervousness that is evidently afflicting Fulham in this area.
That is the task for the Fulham coaching staff.  And as penalties might be the difference between success and failure this season, it might be a good idea to start on Monday.
Nogood "kick on, isit" Boyo

[Woolly Mammoth]

I was astonished when Tom hit the ball the same side as he had converted the last two pens. I reckon every man and his dog this side of the Equator knew where he was going to place the pen. So I find it a little surprising that he did not change sides, and basically telegraphed it for an eternally grateful Dan Bentley.

[Fulham1959]

Me too, Woolly.

I had been dreading the next penalty.  It's no good having a one-trick pony as your penalty taker, especially when the penalties come in fairly quick succession.

[Holders]

I was astonished when Tom hit the ball the same side as he had converted the last two pens. I reckon every man and his dog this side of the Equator new where he was going to place the pen. So I find it a little surprising that he did not change sides, and basically telegraphed it for an eternally grateful Dan Bentley.

It may have been a double bluff. If he takes another one he should place it that side as well.

[westcliff white]

its not so much he went the same side, its the fact he doesn't put them right in the corner or have a lot of pace on the strike. His run up is the issue is very angled so he cant open himself up and go the other side so he is telegraphing it every time. only way he scores is if he varies up on the side he goes, such as higher up the goal, more power, along the floor or even down the middle.

thankfully didn't cost us yesterday.

[grandad]

Unless you are a Berbatov or Helgusson net busters are the answer. Most of our misses have been weak daisy cutters.
I hope that this weeks training sessions are solely penalty practice. They need to have confidence not fear in taking them.

[toshes mate]

As NogoodBoyo says, the art of doing anything well is practice. Although rugby doesn't have the extra problem of a defending goalkeeper perhaps the successful penalty takers in football ignore the existence of the keeper because, in reality, and if you are truly confident, the goalkeeper does not matter.  A well struck shot from twelve yards if you know how to place the ball at pace anywhere between the posts and crossbar should be almost impossible to save, let's say nineteen times out of twenty.  Just like the RU penalty it is all in the mind and it gets there via the confidence obtained via practice.  And a by product of that practice is the added luxury of having the composure to do the same with the goal yawning at you during live play.

I would have five first team players all capable of twelve yard expertise. 

[Burt]

At risk of thinking way too far ahead, I just hope it doesn't get to a penalty shootout at Wembley...  :58:

[alfie]

At risk of thinking way too far ahead, I just hope it doesn't get to a penalty shootout at Wembley...  :58:

Aluko last night said they do practice pens, i think some of the problems nowadays is players try to be too clever, my view is the old way hit the dam ball as hard as you can and if the keeper saves it then fair play to him.

[Burt]

At risk of thinking way too far ahead, I just hope it doesn't get to a penalty shootout at Wembley...  :58:

Aluko last night said they do practice pens, i think some of the problems nowadays is players try to be too clever, my view is the old way hit the dam ball as hard as you can and if the keeper saves it then fair play to him.

Agree - hard and not at the same height that a diving keeper will be at...

[grandad]

Just seen the highlights. Their GK was 2 feet off the line when Cairney made contact with the ball. The refs seem to ignore this these days. I thought GK´s could now move their bodies but still must have feet on the line & not move them until kick taken. Massive advantage to them.

[bill taylors apprentice]

Its not a lack of practise, I'm sure of that!

Its a combination of Keepers being taller and more athletic, the rules now allowing them to move side ways and the refs NOT penalising forward movement.

Add in a lack of confidence and technique among a group of players and you get our record, simple!

[cmg]

Its not a lack of practise, I'm sure of that!

Its a combination of Keepers being taller and more athletic, the rules now allowing them to move side ways and the refs NOT penalising forward movement.

Add in a lack of confidence and technique among a group of players and you get our record, simple!

I'd say that is about the size of it.
The truth of the matter is that we do not have a decent penalty taker. Tom Cairney is a fairly weak penalty taker but, I guess, he takes them because there is no one else and he is captain (he is also a good striker of the ball).
If Martin returns to the team I presume he would be the first-choice taker, but the fact is that he isn't a very good penalty taker either (c. 60% in career).

The comparison with RU is hardly valid. Wheras a football team might get to take 10 penalties a season, a Rugby team would not be surprised to have ten penalty shots at goal in a single match. Scoring from penalties is fundamental to success in Rugby Union.
It is true that Northern hemisphere kickers seem, at present, to be more accurate that Southerners. But Beauden Barrett's %age is around 72 - Owen Farrell is nearer 82 (Johnny Wilkinson was 89%!). RU kickers spend so much time practising because kicking penalties is an enormous part of their job.

Our current record is abysmal. But these things tend to average out over time - our previous three regular takers missed 0 (McCormack), 0 (Berbatov) and 2 (Murphy, one rebound put in.)

[Carborundum]

Unless you are a Berbatov or Helgusson net busters are the answer. Most of our misses have been weak daisy cutters.

Agreed. 

Looking on the bright side, it struck me yesterday how good we have been at winning penalties.  We must have won far more than conceded in what is a zero sum game between the teams.

[westcliff white]

Its not a lack of practise, I'm sure of that!

Its a combination of Keepers being taller and more athletic, the rules now allowing them to move side ways and the refs NOT penalising forward movement.

Add in a lack of confidence and technique among a group of players and you get our record, simple!

I'd say that is about the size of it.
The truth of the matter is that we do not have a decent penalty taker. Tom Cairney is a fairly weak penalty taker but, I guess, he takes them because there is no one else and he is captain (he is also a good striker of the ball).
If Martin returns to the team I presume he would be the first-choice taker, but the fact is that he isn't a very good penalty taker either (c. 60% in career).

The comparison with RU is hardly valid. Wheras a football team might get to take 10 penalties a season, a Rugby team would not be surprised to have ten penalty shots at goal in a single match. Scoring from penalties is fundamental to success in Rugby Union.
It is true that Northern hemisphere kickers seem, at present, to be more accurate that Southerners. But Beauden Barrett's %age is around 72 - Owen Farrell is nearer 82 (Johnny Wilkinson was 89%!). RU kickers spend so much time practising because kicking penalties is an enormous part of their job.

Our current record is abysmal. But these things tend to average out over time - our previous three regular takers missed 0 (McCormack), 0 (Berbatov) and 2 (Murphy, one rebound put in.)

Doesn't help if you put the ball in the same place for every penalty, which is what Tom does, its ok if keeper goes the wrong way but its obvious. As I said earlier his run up doesn't help him, it limits his options, but even with that he has a whole half a goal to aim at, it should be possible to have a few options especially to get the ball half way up or so.

I have watched a lot of Bentley and he does save penalties due to his height if he goes the right way (play off final against wycombefor south end being one ), but the one yesterday didn't test him at all