Woodman outsmarts Derby with his penalty prediction

GOALKEEPER Freddie Woodman comes with a burgeoning reputation, a talent with hard yards still to do in order to add experience to the mix.

Crawley, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock have seen the beginnings of what experts predict will be a stellar career and now it is the turn of Swansea to offer further education to the 22-year-old on loan from Newcastle.

It appears he also does his homework. Against Derby he saved a first-half penalty from Martyn Waghorn thanks to studying the analysis of goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson. ‘Freddie saved the penalty and that’s justice for an average decision,’ said Swansea coach Steve Cooper. ‘Waghorn has gone that way four out of his last five attempts — we thought he would do it again.

‘We expected to save it when he went that way. There’s no better thing for a keeper than to save a penalty.’

It says everything about this match that the only real talking point was the penalty incident a few minutes before half-time. Swansea left-back Jake Bidwell was judged to have brought down Jayden Bogle with Australian referee Jarred Gillett pointing straight to the spot. Waghorn’s spot-kick lacked both accuracy and pace.

It added up to a frustrating first home match for Derby manager Phillip Cocu, who suggested his side were too slow and positioned too high up the pitch.

As for the Waghorn’s miss? ‘Next time he needs more power in the shot,’ said Cocu. ‘Waggy had the confidence to take it but it was a good save, so well done.’