Football managers fine-tune everything in their game plans to minimise the instances of luck and variance in matches.
However, certain parts of the games are more down to chance than others.
Penalty shootouts could be compared to casino games like roulette because they are notoriously hard to predict.
Managers can devise strategies to improve their chances of winning, but they also need luck.
Penalty Shootouts are Like Roulette
If you were to compare penalty shootouts to a casino game, it would have to be roulette.
As described at https://casino.betfair.com/game/european-roulette-cptn, the game is about predicting where a ball will land on a wheel of 36 numbers.
It could end up absolutely anywhere, and there’s no way to guess this based on knowledge or systems.
All players can do is go in with a betting strategy and hope that Lady Luck is shining down on them.
It’s similar in penalty shootouts when two teams have been so evenly matched all game that it comes right down to the wire.
Nobody wants a game to end in penalties, from the managers of the opposing sides to the fans.
However, coaches have to deal with this situation from time to time, so they need to have a plan of action for how they will approach it.
Strategies To Affect the Outcome
Although penalties are somewhat luck-based, managers can still incorporate strategies to try to gain the upper hand.
According to Reuters, Pep Guardiola has one of the best penalty shootout records in world football, with eight wins out of ten.
Therefore, as well as luck, there could be some tactics involved.
Choosing the correct sequence of penalty takers is probably the most important thing to consider.
Most managers opt for their strongest penalty taker first, perhaps to relieve some of the pressure of wanting to get off to a good start.
For instance, Harry Kane will always lead the way for England, setting an example as the senior penalty taker and captain.
However, saving some capable penalty takers for later is essential, as the pressure can be harder to cope with when it gets to sudden death.
Cunning Tricks
Many managers opt to prepare well in advance for these situations, teaching players about the cunning tricks involved and visualisation techniques that can help them through.
According to SoccerEco, England even employed an expert to help players visualise how to score their penalties in the big games.
On the day itself, many cunning games are involved between the players and the goalkeepers.
The goalkeeper usually tries to make the penalty taker nervous, and Argentina’s Emi Martinez is a master of this tactic.
Penalty shootouts can be a bit like gambling in the luck factor involved.
However, managers can still employ some strategies to try to give their players a better chance of prevailing.
