Source: Daily_Mail
How spot checks help Premier League keepers foil hot-shots like Lampard, Defoe and Fabregas
Penalties have been the curse of England in major tournaments, and the sight of Frank Lampard and Jermain Defoe failing from 12 yards for their clubs at the weekend did not inspire confidence that it will be any different in South Africa next summer. [LNB]But they were not alone. Cesc Fabregas and Aruna Dindane were also denied from the spot, with all four players seeing their efforts saved by the goalkeeper. [LNB]Only one penalty in the Barclays Premier League was successfully converted, by John Carew for Aston Villa.[LNB] Saving a point: Tim Howard's stop from Jermain Defoe (left) gave Everton a draw[LNB] Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given thanked his coach Kevin Hitchcock for information on the usually dependable Lampard after his late save sent Chelsea to defeat, and Louis Saha relayed advice from Everton goalkeeper coach Chris Woods to Tim Howard before the American denied Defoe an even later winner for Tottenham at Goodison Park. [LNB]It has become common in football, from Jens Lehmann tucking a scribbled note from team-mate Oliver Khan into his glove before emerging as the Germany hero against Argentina in a quarter-final shoot-out at the 2006 World Cup, to Ben Foster studying video footage on an iPod to help Manchester United beat Spurs on penalties in last season's Carling Cup final. [LNB]So, was last weekend a one-off, or are goalkeepers clawing back an advantage that has rested with the penalty taker for so long? [LNB]'It's not a one-off at all,' says Nigel Spink, the former Villa goalkeeper now a coach at Sunderland. 'The takers know we have the advantage of technology. They know the keeper might go their favourite way. It helps to get inside their heads. [LNB]'We quite enjoy sitting down and trying to work it out. There is more information these days to psych out the taker, and it's evened it up slightly.[LNB] 'Each week we do our homework before the game and look at footage of the opposition's penalty takers. Then we print out a sheet showing where each one puts his penalties.[LNB] 'At Sunderland the keepers are happy to remember it, but at Wigan Chris Kirkland would look over to me and I'd point which way I thought it was going to go.'[LNB] Under the spotlight: Cesc Fabregas misses a penalty against Stoke (above) while Manchester City keeper Shay Given saves from Chelsea's Frank Lampard (below)[LNB] [LNB]Technology can only help so much, however. Nigel Martyn, Howard's predecessor at Everton and now helping out as a goalkeeper coach at Bradford, remembers coming on for his debut in place of Richard Wright against Newcastle and having no chance with two Alan Shearer penalties. [LNB]Martyn believes studying the player's run-up before the kick is as important as knowing which part of the goal he usually chooses.[LNB] 'It's all well and good looking where he's taken them before but it's a preference rather than a guarantee,' said Martyn. 'If a right-footed player is going to place it to the right, the left arm will be lifted. If he's going to the left, the left arm will be tucked in and lower. Another thing we look for is the angle of the run-up.[LNB] That's how to do it: John Carew of Aston Villa scores against Hull[LNB] 'Video footage isn't new, though when I started there wasn't coverage of all the games like now. [LNB]'In the Tottenham and Chelsea games, the delay for the injuries made it harder for Lampard and Defoe. But if you look back, it's happened before. It will to and fro on any given day. The odds are still in the taker's favour.' [LNB] GRAHAM POLL: Penalty kickers get a raw deal if refs allow the likes of Given and Jensen off their goal linesChelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti defends his star men Petr Cech and Frank Lampard despite second successive defeatEXCLUSIVE: Given's lowdown on life inside Man City, Newcastle and IrelandJamie Redknapp's weekend watch: Chelsea's petulant side resurfaces[LNB] Explore more:People:John Carew, Cesc Fabregas, Shay Given, Alan Shearer, Jermain Defoe, Louis Saha, Ben Foster, Nigel Martyn, Frank LampardPlaces:South Africa, Argentina, United Kingdom, Germany, Goodison Park
