FIVE TIPS FOR GETTING IT RIGHT

ENGLAND enter the knockout stages with the worst record of any major international team in penalty shoot-outs: played seven, one won and lost six.

While researching his book Twelve Yards: The Art and Psychology of the Perfect Penalty, Ben Lyttleton learned that the regular excuse of England coaches in the past – that penalties are a lottery and and that you can’t train for them – was nonsense. Here are five things he says England need to consider ...

1 KICK FIRST

The team who kick first are more likely to win, because the conversion rate for penalties ‘to stay in the shoot-out’ drops as pressure increases. The new ABBA format has levelled the playing field — the first 34 produced 17 winners from teams going first and 17 from those going second. But it is not in use at this World Cup.

2 TAKE YOUR TIME

England players rush their kicks — a sign of stress. Based on analysis of times from the referee blowing his whistle to the player beginning his runup, England players wait an average 0.28 seconds. When Cristiano Ronaldo scored his winning penalty against England in 2006, he took a deep breath and composed himself before his run-up.

3 BODY LANGUAGE

When a player scores his penalty and celebrates with one or two hands raised, his team is more likely to win the shoot-out. Psychologists believe that celebrating increases pressure on the next kicker. It’s also helps to hug a player who misses as it sends a message of unity to team-mates who might fear a negative reaction.

4 THE RIGHT ORDER

It is the coach’s responsibility to select the right players in the right order. If he lets the players decide how they feel and when to take a penalty, then he is abdicating his role. Studies show that it pays to put your best kickers first and fourth. The danger of going fifth is that, as Ronaldo found out to his cost at Euro 2012, the shoot-out might be over before then.

5 MASTER BLASTER

The hardest kick is the GK-dependent method, when the kicker waits for the goalkeeper to make the first move and then rolls the ball in the other direction. The more important a penalty is, the greater the probability that a player will pick his spot and hammer it there. The GK-dependent way is more successful but in World Cup matches more penalties are blasted than placed. Players must decide beforehand what penalty they plan to take and stick to it.