[Albion] João Pedro's Penalties to end 2023

[Papa Lazarou]

At the Spurs match the other night we were discussing that João Pedro always seems to send the keeper the other way. As the club published a video today of all of his goals, I decided to do some rudimentary analysis of where he aims and how often the keeper guesses right.

João Pedro has in fact taken 8 penalties for Brighton.

Premier League:

• Luton Home
• Nottingham Forest Away
• Spurs Home (2)

Europa League:

• AEK Athens Home (2)
• Marseilles Away
• AEK Athens Away

Of these, as the picture below shows, only 1 time has the keeper guessed right (12.5%), which was his first for us, against Luton, where the keeper actually got his hand to the shot.

All of the others, in green, the keeper went the wrong way (87.5%).

Where he's taken 2 in the same game, he's not gone the same way for the 2nd.

A lot of his penalties are kept along the ground too. Only the one v Luton and the 2nd v Spurs the other night were lifted at all.

So, does he wait for the keeper to move? He certainly seems to have a knack of sending the keeper the wrong way so far.

 

[raymondo]

At the Spurs match the other night we were discussing that João Pedro always seems to send the keeper the other way. As the club published a video today of all of his goals, I decided to do some rudimentary analysis of where he aims and how often the keeper guesses right.

João Pedro has in fact taken 8 penalties for Brighton.

Premier League:

• Luton Home
• Nottingham Forest Away
• Spurs Home (2)

Europa League:

• AEK Athens Home (2)
• Marseilles Away
• AEK Athens Home

Of these, as the picture below shows, only 1 time has the keeper guessed right (12.5%), which was his first for us, against Luton, where the keeper actually got his hand to the shot.

All of the others, in green, the keeper went the wrong way (87.5%).

Where he's taken 2 in the same game, he's not gone the same way for the 2nd.

A lot of his penalties are kept along the ground too. Only the one v Luton and the 2nd v Spurs the other night were lifted at all.

So, does he wait for the keeper to move? He certainly seems to have a knack of sending the keeper the wrong way so far.

View attachment 171956

It must be the eyes

 

[dazzer6666]

At the Spurs match the other night we were discussing that João Pedro always seems to send the keeper the other way. As the club published a video today of all of his goals, I decided to do some rudimentary analysis of where he aims and how often the keeper guesses right.

João Pedro has in fact taken 8 penalties for Brighton.

Premier League:

• Luton Home
• Nottingham Forest Away
• Spurs Home (2)

Europa League:

• AEK Athens Home (2)
• Marseilles Away
• AEK Athens Home

Of these, as the picture below shows, only 1 time has the keeper guessed right (12.5%), which was his first for us, against Luton, where the keeper actually got his hand to the shot.

All of the others, in green, the keeper went the wrong way (87.5%).

Where he's taken 2 in the same game, he's not gone the same way for the 2nd.

A lot of his penalties are kept along the ground too. Only the one v Luton and the 2nd v Spurs the other night were lifted at all.

So, does he wait for the keeper to move? He certainly seems to have a knack of sending the keeper the wrong way so far.

View attachment 171956

It’s almost unbelievable. It’s unlikely the keeper would have got to 4 of those if they’d gone the right way ! There’s nothing obvious (to me anyway) in his positioning, run up or eyes that give anything away but he’s def got some kind of secret magic.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

It must be the eyes

Interestingly he doesn't give the eyes as far as I can work out. At least not in the traditional sense. He appears to look quite clearly to his left/the keepers right and then puts the ball in either corner.

 

[bardo]

So psyching is all part of the game of penalty taking and saving. The giant of a goalkeeper Frank Swift always stood slightly to one side of middle to tempt the penalty taker into shooting towards the bigger gap, but Frank's height still allowed him to save to further away from his start position. Time wasting is a favourite of course but doesn't seem to faze Joao.

 

[Bakero]

He waits for the keeper then slots it the other side.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I saw highlights again on Football Focus today. Looking at his second penalty, he twisted his foot at the very last moment to change the direction. He has the confidence to know his kicks are powerful enough to get a goal, no matter what his foot shape is.

 

[kojak]

He's one of the best penalty takers I've ever seen

I know Le Tissier is up there

But this lad has nerves of steel

And what a player he is becoming

 

[Eeyore]

It's incredible to think he has never missed a penalty in England. At some stage he will, but I think it's only Ivan Toney who has a comparable record (29/31).

I wouldn't bet against either of them...

 

[Bakero]

It's incredible to think he has never missed a penalty in England. At some stage he will, but I think it's only Ivan Toney who has a comparable record (29/31).

I wouldn't bet against either of them...

The Athletic had a good piece on Toney's penalties last year, with a focus on his switch from a "goalkeeper independent" technique (picking a spot and going for it) to "goalkeeper dependent" (waiting for the GK to move). Since the switch, he hasn't missed.

No paywall- Toney's pens

 

[Seagull58]

He's one of the best penalty takers I've ever seen

I know Le Tissier is up there

But this lad has nerves of steel

And what a player he is becoming

Le Tissier's 47 out of 48 will never been beaten. Absolute genius with a tin foil hat on.

 

[Eeyore]

The Athletic had a good piece on Toney's penalties last year, with a focus on his switch from a "goalkeeper independent" technique (picking a spot and going for it) to "goalkeeper dependent" (waiting for the GK to move). Since the switch, he hasn't missed.

No paywall- Toney's pens

Yes, it's an incredible risk and reward technique as the penalty will never be as strong. It takes a great skill to master it as if the goalie does guess correctly there is a higher probability he will save it.

I think there is more to come from Pedro's wider game. But for £30m, in Premier League terms, he has been a very good signing for us.

 

[kojak]

Le Tissier's 47 out of 48 will never been beaten. Absolute genius with a tin foil hat on.

What one did he miss?

 

[WATFORD zero]

Yes, it's an incredible risk and reward technique as the penalty will never be as strong. It takes a great skill to master it as if the goalie does guess correctly there is a higher probability he will save it.

I'm pretty sure that isn't what Joao Pedro does though, as I'm sure he looks down at the ball as he strikes it. He watches the keeper on the run up, but looks down as he hits it. I now need to see a highlights reel of all hs penalties to confirm what I'm thinking

Toney (and Hemed) never look at the ball, only the keeper.

 

[Bakero]

What one did he miss?

1993 v Forest

 

[Bakero]

I'm pretty sure that isn't what Joao Pedro does though, as I'm sure he looks down at the ball as he strikes it. He watches the keeper on the run up, but looks down as he hits it. I now need to see a highlights reel of all hs penalties to confirm what I'm thinking

Toney (and Hemed) never look at the ball, only the keeper.

There's no way the keeper is just guessing the wrong way every time.

 

[WATFORD zero]

There's no way the keeper is just guessing the wrong way every time.

I agree, which makes me think it's his run up, and the way he hits the ball with some sort of feint at the last second. It works, which is the most important thing

 

[Bodian]

I'm pretty sure that isn't what Joao Pedro does though, as I'm sure he looks down at the ball as he strikes it. He watches the keeper on the run up, but looks down as he hits it. I now need to see a highlights reel of all hs penalties to confirm what I'm thinking

Toney (and Hemed) never look at the ball, only the keeper.

Yes - I was watching the Spurs ones specifically for this. He definitely looks down at the ball before and as he strikes it. So, if he sees the keeper moving, it's in his peripheral vision - and as the keeper's move will really only be balance / weight shift at that moment, I really don't see how he can choose his spot based on the keeper.

I honestly have no idea how he does it.

 

[GT49er]

At the Spurs match the other night we were discussing that João Pedro always seems to send the keeper the other way. As the club published a video today of all of his goals, I decided to do some rudimentary analysis of where he aims and how often the keeper guesses right.

João Pedro has in fact taken 8 penalties for Brighton.

Premier League:

• Luton Home
• Nottingham Forest Away
• Spurs Home (2)

Europa League:

• AEK Athens Home (2)
• Marseilles Away
• AEK Athens Home

Just how often did we play AEK at home?

 

[rogersix]

Yes - I was watching the Spurs ones specifically for this. He definitely looks down at the ball before and as he strikes it. So, if he sees the keeper moving, it's in his peripheral vision - and as the keeper's move will really only be balance / weight shift at that moment, I really don't see how he can choose his spot based on the keeper.

I honestly have no idea how he does it.

here's my guess, i think he appears to be looking down at the ball, but really, he's looking at the goalie's hips, and then flicks his eyes down just before contact with the ball. dunno, good tho'