“You might start worrying about it” – Aaron Ramsdale explains why England players are practicing penalties without goalkeepers in new tactic for 2022 FIFA World Cup
England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has revealed the unique method the Three Lions' players have applied to practice penalties ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Gareth Southgate's team is practicing taking spot kicks without a goalkeeper. Rather, the players are aiming to hit the top corner to earn skill points.
Speaking to The Sun, Ramsdale said (via Sport BIBLE):
"It can become detrimental if they are taking them against goalkeepers because we then start to know where they are going. If I know where you are going seven times out of ten and I start cheating and going early and start saving them, you might start worrying about it."
He added:
"We have something which is called a skills net where the corners are open. At the moment the lads are just working on technique. Everybody can take penalties, it is just those fine pressure margins which we can’t recreate out there, unfortunately."
Bukayo Saka will step up to take a World Cup penalty for England if called upon, according to his Arsenal team-mate Aaron Ramsdale. [Telegraph]
England's first win in a penalty shootout during the FIFA World Cup came against Colombia in the round of 16 in 2018.
They have previously lost shootouts in several major tournaments. Their recent loss came against Italy in the UEFA Euro final last year.
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka missed from the spot for the Three Lions. They were brutalized by fans across social media.
Gareth Southgate opined on the issue, saying:
"We’ve got 55 years of talking about penalties and everything else. So we’ve now got another layer that’s going to make it extremely difficult for us to win anything. But indirectly, we have created another layer of difficulty in overcoming a penalty shoot-out. I have got to take all of those things into consideration and it is incredibly complex."
England star Eric Dier reacted to alcohol being banned in stadium premises for the 2022 FIFA World Cup
The sale of beer and any kind of alcohol on stadium premises has been banned for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. England star Eric Dier has now said that alcohol is not needed to make great memories during the showpiece tournament.
He said (via BBC Sport):
"I'd like to think you can enjoy yourself with or without alcohol, It's up to us as a team and every team in the tournament to bring great football, exciting football and that's what is going to create a great atmosphere in the stadiums."