DECODING SHOOTOUTS

Penalty shootouts have been a curse for England, who have lost six out of their seven matches that went the distance in major tournaments. However, coach Gareth Southgate had prepared his wards

HARD YARDS

Southgate’s boys had begun preparing for shootouts in March. The players were told to take penalty kicks at the end of almost every training session, and that too by walking from the centre circle. Southgate said before the Colombia game, “Regular penaltytakers have their set routines and they’re used to being in that situation.”

LACK OF EXPOSURE

In Euro 1996 semi-finals against Germany, a young Southgate himself volunteered to take the final kick but missed. Southgate feels penalty shootouts weren’t as common back then in domestic meets and they had less exposure. “The depth of knowledge and understanding wasn’t so great and we didn’t have as much information as we do now,” he said according to a Guardian report.

TECHNOLOGICAL HELP

The Three Lions have had a team of video analysts who had been studying the opposition. In fact, two of these analysts, Mike Baker and Stephen O’Brien, were based in St Petersburg, with the squad. They had been studying the opposition penalty-takers as well as the diving patterns of the goalkeepers competing at the World Cup.

‘OWN THE PROCESS’

Southgate earmarked five penaltytakers and their back-up options well before the tournament began. The manager has even prepared a list of the staff allowed to go onto the pitch and others he wants to stay away. He says players should ‘own the process’ and have control. “We have to know who is in charge, who can speak with clarity to the players,” said Southgate.

MENTAL SIDE

England’s players had psychometric tests in the lead-up. The tests, done to study mental capabilities and behavioural style, were meant to help them get over nerves. “We wanted to ensure calmness — and it’s not decisions made on the spur of the moment. We have to ensure it doesn’t become too many voices in players’ heads,” he said.