The stop-start penalty technique has returned to the center of football debate following high-profile misses that cost both Chelsea and Arsenal dearly in the Carabao Cup last 16. The controversial run-up style, designed to outwit goalkeepers by pausing before striking, failed dramatically for two Premier League sides on the same week. Football analysts, former players, and managers are once again questioning the effectiveness and safety of a method that has a notoriously mixed success rate on the professional stage.
Match Drama and Costly Misses
Chelsea midfielder Valentin Barco suffered penalty heartbreak when his stuttering run-up saw him hit the post during a dramatic shootout defeat against Liverpool at Anfield. His miss proved decisive as Xabi Alonso’s side crashed out of the EFL Cup. Earlier on Tuesday night, Arsenal midfielder Bruno Guimaraes suffered a similar fate, seeing his stop-start spot-kick saved as the Gunners were eliminated by League Two side Fleetwood Town.
- Valentin Barco hit the post with a stuttering run-up during Chelsea’s Carabao Cup shootout loss.
- Bruno Guimaraes saw his trademark stop-start penalty saved as Arsenal crashed out against Fleetwood Town.
- Liverpool defender Joe Gomez successfully scored his penalty using a straightforward approach to net his first senior career goal in 319 appearances.
- FIFA rules permit players to feint or pause during the run-up provided they do not stop directly before kicking the ball.
Pundits Divided Over Modern Trend
Opinion remains sharply divided among former professionals regarding the validity of the stuttered run-up. Pundits like Danny Murphy have blasted the technique as unnecessary self-indulgence that fails to fool modern goalkeepers who hold their nerve. Conversely, defenders like Glen Johnson defended the approach, noting that Barco had successfully tricked the goalkeeper but simply missed the target by mere inches. With high-profile players continuing to experiment with the technique despite mounting failures, the debate over whether managers should ban the stop-start run-up is certain to intensify across domestic and international competitions.
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