Against Fleetwood JJ took his 'normal' pen as a left footer. Oxford will have done their research and known this hence the keeper's dive. Wycombe will also have known this and planned the straight kick. Full marks to all involved. Game Theory aced.
It's strange how for someone with such a good record from penalties they never look the most convincing even when they go in. Never smashed with unstoppable power, never placed perfectly in the corner or no little stutter in the run up to disrupt the timing. Just winning the mental battle with the keeper more often than not.
I was screaming at the TV "PUT IT DOWN THE MIDDLE ". So glad I was right!. Like the linos that I like to give the benefit of my advice, so glad JJ did!
JJ said that the club analyst had looked at where Eastwood had dived for the last 30 penalties taken against him. Such great level of detailed research that goes on behind the scenes.
The best pen takers seem to wait for the keeper to dive then slot it the other side. Rather than the old school know where you're shooting before you step up.
Fraught with risk that the keeper doesn't move and you have to suddenly almost do a one step lead up that reduces your movements.
Thank goodness he put it away.
Miss that and lose and we'd be the bitter set of fans moaning that the keeper could have been sent off and have a miserable sense of regret.
Instead...pure glory.
I keep watching that Bayo interview.
WAIT..the people at the back didn't hear me.
Wycombe are in the championship!
Still doesn't feel real.
I was pretty confident. He has faith in his ability and was asked before the match whether he'd take one given his miss at Fleetwood to which he replied of course.
Mark West would often seem to scuff his pens, but they always seem to go in.
Favourite penalty taker was Howard Kennedy, absolutely blasting them into the roof of the net.
Going back to the 2015 play-off final and the penalty shoot-out, and JJ didn't even take one of the first five. Back then Paul Hayes was on penalties, and he took the third kick. Murphy and Mawson took the first two, with Blooms taking the fourth, and Beano the fifth. JJ was the first to take one in sudden death, followed by AAH and Sam Wood. The only players still on the pitch not to take one were Lynch, Pierre and Craig (I assume he was injured as he took the penalties in the previous season)
Thank goodness he put it away.
Miss that and lose and we'd be the bitter set of fans moaning that the keeper could have been sent off and have a miserable sense of regret.
Instead...pure glory.
I keep watching that Bayo interview.
WAIT..the people at the back didn't hear me.
Wycombe are in the championship!
Still doesn't feel real.
This.
These players combining to get us over the line. No stepping up to take the ball by Bayo, full confidence and respect. Fred winning it... What. A. Team.
@ChasHarps@eric_plant Interesting. I always felt really confident when Rendell and Hayes were taking our penalties. A bit less so with Joe, though his record is pretty good.
I do remember a game where Rendell missed one. It was his second of the game, though, so the 'keeper smartly waited while he went through the stutter in his run-up and I think it threw Rendell.
@ChasHarps will correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember 'big' John Delaney used to take our pens in the early 70s... Bit of a 'master blaster' IIRC. I bet he had a good record.
@eric_plant said:
Scott Rendell must be the best I've seen for Wycombe. Had the brilliant ability to always wait for the keeper to move and then stick it the other way
Not only the other way, but pee takingly, with only just enough force to barely dribble over the line!
Garry Thompson took the worse penalty I can remember for Wycombe must have been 15/16 season when things started to go downhill. Just tamely rolled into the keeper's arms down in front of the terrace.
At the time, when JJ missed the penalty at Fleetwood, I feared we might end up losing the tie and wondering what if - for surely, I thought, Fleetwood would come back all blazing to score goals at AP.
As it turned out that was quite possibly the absolute best penalty to miss because it eventually lead JJ to discuss with the keeper's coach and plant the one at Wembley down the middle.
The rest, as they say, is history ...
Pens are always a funny old thing...more pressure on the taker than the goalie as any professional worth his salt should score from the spot and a missed pen or a save is a kick in the underparts and often galvanises the opposition.
Comments
OK just seen JJ's post match interview now and he's said this already lol
I dare say all of us were thinking of both the Fleetwood pen and the last min miss away at Ipswich.
But he was cool as anything and what better player to score the decisive goal.
It's strange how for someone with such a good record from penalties they never look the most convincing even when they go in. Never smashed with unstoppable power, never placed perfectly in the corner or no little stutter in the run up to disrupt the timing. Just winning the mental battle with the keeper more often than not.
I'm never confident when he steps up I must confess.
I was screaming at the TV "PUT IT DOWN THE MIDDLE ". So glad I was right!. Like the linos that I like to give the benefit of my advice, so glad JJ did!
JJ said that the club analyst had looked at where Eastwood had dived for the last 30 penalties taken against him. Such great level of detailed research that goes on behind the scenes.
The best pen takers seem to wait for the keeper to dive then slot it the other side. Rather than the old school know where you're shooting before you step up.
Fraught with risk that the keeper doesn't move and you have to suddenly almost do a one step lead up that reduces your movements.
Thank goodness he put it away.
Miss that and lose and we'd be the bitter set of fans moaning that the keeper could have been sent off and have a miserable sense of regret.
Instead...pure glory.
I keep watching that Bayo interview.
WAIT..the people at the back didn't hear me.
Wycombe are in the championship!
Still doesn't feel real.
I was pretty confident. He has faith in his ability and was asked before the match whether he'd take one given his miss at Fleetwood to which he replied of course.
Mark West would often seem to scuff his pens, but they always seem to go in.
Favourite penalty taker was Howard Kennedy, absolutely blasting them into the roof of the net.
Scott Rendell must be the best I've seen for Wycombe. Had the brilliant ability to always wait for the keeper to move and then stick it the other way
Agree Ruth was an excellent penalty taker, not so keen on the rest of his game.
Going back to the 2015 play-off final and the penalty shoot-out, and JJ didn't even take one of the first five. Back then Paul Hayes was on penalties, and he took the third kick. Murphy and Mawson took the first two, with Blooms taking the fourth, and Beano the fifth. JJ was the first to take one in sudden death, followed by AAH and Sam Wood. The only players still on the pitch not to take one were Lynch, Pierre and Craig (I assume he was injured as he took the penalties in the previous season)
I shouted 'Leave it!' which I think put the keeper off.
This.
These players combining to get us over the line. No stepping up to take the ball by Bayo, full confidence and respect. Fred winning it... What. A. Team.
@ChasHarps @eric_plant Interesting. I always felt really confident when Rendell and Hayes were taking our penalties. A bit less so with Joe, though his record is pretty good.
I do remember a game where Rendell missed one. It was his second of the game, though, so the 'keeper smartly waited while he went through the stutter in his run-up and I think it threw Rendell.
It might just be involuntary, but if you watch Joe's run-up closely, he always does a little stutter/hop about two steps in.
@ChasHarps will correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember 'big' John Delaney used to take our pens in the early 70s... Bit of a 'master blaster' IIRC. I bet he had a good record.
Not only the other way, but pee takingly, with only just enough force to barely dribble over the line!
Garry Thompson took the worse penalty I can remember for Wycombe must have been 15/16 season when things started to go downhill. Just tamely rolled into the keeper's arms down in front of the terrace.
Keith Scott's in the shoot out we lost to Basingstoke would take a lot of beating if we're talking worst ever
Stapes at Fulham in the Autowindscreens ...
Actually, ironically, JJ at Oxford last season was abysmal
Side footed it wide
Funny old game!!
Bringing us back to the discussion topic.
At the time, when JJ missed the penalty at Fleetwood, I feared we might end up losing the tie and wondering what if - for surely, I thought, Fleetwood would come back all blazing to score goals at AP.
As it turned out that was quite possibly the absolute best penalty to miss because it eventually lead JJ to discuss with the keeper's coach and plant the one at Wembley down the middle.
The rest, as they say, is history ...
WE ARE CHAMPIONSHIP!
Pens are always a funny old thing...more pressure on the taker than the goalie as any professional worth his salt should score from the spot and a missed pen or a save is a kick in the underparts and often galvanises the opposition.
He must be the only player in history that's better at sticking it in the top corner from a corner than from the penalty spot
@eric_plant I can't believe we've got a thread this long about penalties and you've not yet mentioned Sam Parkin
One of the all time greats. Bulman's an underrated beauty from that night as well