STARE AWAY TO HEAVEN
‘I cannot believe it, it is crazy’ – England stars left in awe of Ivan Toney’s no-look penalty technique
Team-mates reveal they watch the deadeye hero do the same in training but still can't believe it
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BUKAYO SAKA says the England players are “in awe” of Ivan Toney’s no-look penalty technique.
Toney fired home the fourth spot-kick in Saturday’s shootout win over Switzerland without even glancing at the ball.
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Hero Saka, whose 80th-minute equaliser took the quarter-final to extra-time before he also netted third in the shootout, said: “It’s crazy. We’re all just in awe, I don’t know how you cannot look at the ball.
“When we see him practising in training, he does the same thing.”
Left-back Luke Shaw added: “I cannot believe it. It is crazy, especially when you watch back the video. There’s one just showing his face and it’s mad.”
Toney, 28, also practises penalties from 13 yards instead of 12 so that when he takes one in a match the goal looks bigger.
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He has missed only one of his last 31 and vowed to continue his no-look approach.
Toney said: “Some people may see it as crazy but it is just my routine and I’ll stick to it. It’s been working and it can work whenever it is needed.”
Toney was one of five perfect takers for The Three Lions along with Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Saka and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Keeper Jordan Pickford saved Switzerland’s first effort — from Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji — as England won the shootout 5-3 with the game ending 1-1 after extra-time.
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England's five-point penalty shootout plan
EXPERT football psychologist Professor Geir Jordet has told Gareth Southgate and his players what they can do to give themselves the best chance of victory in any shootouts.
And he has even thrown in a rogue, bold suggestion for the Three Lions manager...
1. START PLANNING LAST YEAR
“It's about planning for the opposition's penalty takers but also ‘how do we win the psychological game against each opponent?’
2. SMART SOUTHGATE LEADERSHIP
"Southgate will have two minutes to influence his players as effectively as possible, show he has a plan and get confidence across."
3. DICTATE AS A TEAM
"A shootout is really a team performance. Have the goalkeeper walk with the penalty taker into the penalty area to basically create a two-versus-one against the other goalkeeper. Dominate the centre circle, support the players who missed."
4. ‘BULLETPROOF’ INDIVIDUAL ROUTINES
"Have really good, individualised and rehearsed pre-shot routines that are bulletproof and polished so they're more likely to be able to resist the stress and more likely to score.”
5. SHOOT YOUR SHOT
"Practise the shot itself, trying to simulate penalty shootouts in training. Even recreating 20 per cent of a Euros final penalty shootout is going to have a benefit for your performance.”
AND A JOR DROPPING IDEA…
Jordan Pickford is the No1 but Dean Henderson actually has a far better penalty record - saving 8/22 (36 per cent) compared to Pickford's 8/62 (13 per cent).
Jordet said: "One could consider making a late substitution for a penalty shootout. I doubt that they dare to do it in case it fails and the pressure is even higher but it would be a very ballsy move."
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Pickford, whose side now face Holland in Wednesday’s semi-final, had direction advice for all the Swiss takers printed on his water bottle.
But Shaw revealed Kyle Walker, a City team-mate of Akanji’s, also helped by pointing to Pickford’s left.
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Meanwhile, Declan Rice was “calming everyone down” and telling people “to do their breathing techniques” ahead of the end-of-game showdown.
Shaw, who saw his first action since February, paid tribute to boss Gareth Southgate for naming him in the squad despite his long-term injury issues.
He said: “We all thought I’d have been back a bit sooner but unfortunately there were a couple of setbacks along the way.
“It made me want it even more, to get back out there. I owe Gareth a lot for the faith he’s shown me.”
Shaw joked that Prince William had become “part of the squad” too as the future king was again there to cheer on the team.
But it was the support of football royalty that had Saka swooning — after England icon David Beckham’s Instagram post.
With a pic of a beaming Saka, Goldenballs wrote: “That’s the smile we all needed to see. Courage & happiness @bukayosaka87, well done to the lads.”
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Shaw teased that Saka had been going on about Becks’ message all day.
Saka backed him up, adding: “I was buzzing when I saw it.”
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