Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

[Eggchaser]

In normal play, why would you entrust anyone other than the person who's supposed to be the best goalscorer on the team with the duty of taking a penalty? I know there are a couple of exceptions (Le Tissier for one), but it seems weird that in the teams where they play tens of millions for a forward, they feel that a midfielder/full back is better qualified to score from 12 yards.

[Ball Comrade]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Norvalla FF's goalkeeper scored a penalty on Saturday, but his side was 9-0 up at the time.

[Spearmint Rhino]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Phil Neal is the example that leaps to mind for me (and, I expect, most people of my generation).

Doesn't answer your question, though.

[Max Payne]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Steve Tully got the winning penalty for Exeter in last year's play-off semi against Oxford and he's a right back.

[Max Payne]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

ah I see, normal play.

[Purves Grundy]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Alvin Martin was the first name that I thought of. And I guess the reason he took them was that as an agricultural centreback he'd just hoof the ball so much harder than any of his team-mates. Hard enough that even if the keeper got near there was no chance of keeping it out except at the cost of a handful of broken fingers. He really used to clobber them in.

[ursus arctos]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

They aren't completley analogous situations, though. Scoring from open play is often about positioning, reflexes and quickness (think Pippo Inzaghi or Gerd Mueller), none of which are particularly relevant to penalty taking. Successful free kicks require yet a third set of skills.

For an international analog to Neal, I would propose Andy Brehme. Rodrigo Ceni of Sao Paulo is a keeper who has very successfully taken penalties (and many free kicks) for much of his career. As a former keeper, I used to think that "we" had certain "natural" advantages as penalty takers, given our understanding of the opponent's thought process and practice in striking a dead ball. Though theoretically sound to at least a certain degree, such arguments tended not to convince coaches.

[Spearmint Rhino]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Also, you've got the Club Captain factor. You know, the Gerrard type who goes "Give me the ball, I'm in charge here."

[ursus arctos]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Doesn't even have to be the captain:

[Mumpo]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Realistically, from 12 yards any professional footballer should be able to slot home, so it shouldn't make any difference who takes the penalties.

[treibeis]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Alvin Martin was the first name that I thought of. And I guess the reason he took them was that as an agricultural centreback he'd just hoof the ball so much harder than any of his team-mates.

Wasn't Ray Stewart in the same West Ham team as Alvin Martin? He was just as good, if not better, at smashing the ball in a straight line as hard as possible.

[Rabbitoh]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Clive Wilson, our left back used to take QPR's penalties.

[anton pulisov]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Denis Irwin used to take them for Man Utd.

[Glass Half Empty]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

David Unsworth was a regular penalty taker, unfortunately, he missed for us early last season and then scored against us for Wigan in the last game - the git.

[Outside Agent]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

I posted on this topic last November, albeit as an angry response to Jermain Defoe's missed penalty in stoppage time at Upton Park. I stated that Defoe was automatic choice to take it as one of the strikers, although there were a number of players on the pitch who pass and accurately place the ball much more over 90minutes than him. Defoe just whacked it, with no technique applied, whereas a number of other players would have been better candidates.

I saw this as an example of the striker not being the best man for the job. I'm sure there's other examples.

[Ray de Galles]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

why would you entrust anyone other than the person who's supposed to be the best goalscorer on the team with the duty of taking a penalty?

Shudder

[EIM]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Steve fucking Bruce. He was a master goalscorer. He out scored Linkeker the season Lineker limped off to Japan. i think Bruce got 19. NINETEEN. What a hero.

[hobbes]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Doesn't that more demonstrate how many referees your lot had bought off to get 19 penos more than Brucies goalscoring ability?

[EIM]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Not all of them were pennos, smartie-pants.

[Etienne]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Yeah, the others he'd fouled his markers before scoring from set-pieces, awarded for non-existemt fouls.

[EIM]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Oh, you guys.

[Incandenza]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

If you're a goalkeeper taking a penalty, just be sure to get back in goal quickly...

Jorge Campos took penalties sometimes, but then he also occasionally played as a striker.

[Guest]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

David Peach for So'ton in the 70s - seem to remember him having some ridiculous run like 50 without missing....

[jefe]

Anyone other than strikers taking penalties

Matthew Taylor took them for Portsmouth, didn't he?

In MLS, Jose Burciaga took them for KC before his trade this year, and he's a left back.