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saw this on OS and found it interesting.
I keep hearing (from Joe Micah and fans) that Balo will "never miss" a pen
Well here are his recent efforts and the standout is that 3 of his 8 have been against the same keeper, Freidel and they've all been different.
Other than that he just goes into the same corner.
Looks like he actually thinks about them

The reason he never misses is that when he halts right before the kick he looks where the keeper is going, since he can hit the ball to whichever corner he wants without looking AT the ball before and when he kicks it he can watch the keeper, then decide at the last minute what corner to go to, then hit it there when he sees the keeper go the other way.

Atleast that is what he and others like Hart have said about his "style".

he generally puts it the opposite side the goalie dives, cos he knows like we all do the goalie always dives before the ball is kicked.

The real reason why he doesn''t miss, beside his class, well it is because he is Mario Balotelli. He is a player that doesn't give a flying fuck about those moments, he is cold as ice when it comes to taking penalties and that it what i really means. Just look at the pen he had at the Euro, against Hart, a player who saw him every day and trained with him.

Imho, he is the best player at taking penalties that i saw all my life. The other player that was as good as him at penalties was Mendieta.

Fesan wrote:The reason he never misses is that when he halts right before the kick he looks where the keeper is going, since he can hit the ball to whichever corner he wants without looking AT the ball before and when he kicks it he can watch the keeper, then decide at the last minute what corner to go to, then hit it there when he sees the keeper go the other way.

Atleast that is what he and others like Hart have said about his "style".

This. Plus his kicks are firm with pace.
The BVB penalty was a perfect example. Their goalie tried to psyche him and, bounced around but commited to one side before Mario placed it in the opposite corner. If the goalkeeper stays still, Mario can choose his corner.

Balotelli is the exception to the adage of choosing where to kick the ball before taking a penalty.

Despite the fact that he never misses - or even looks like missing - doesn't mean I don't have kittens every time he walks up to take a penalty. Thank God Sergio stayed on his feet against QPR to score the winner at the end of last season. Otherwise, the sight of Mario sauntering up to take the penalty might just have sent me over the edge...

Fesan wrote:The reason he never misses is that when he halts right before the kick he looks where the keeper is going, since he can hit the ball to whichever corner he wants without looking AT the ball before and when he kicks it he can watch the keeper, then decide at the last minute what corner to go to, then hit it there when he sees the keeper go the other way.

Atleast that is what he and others like Hart have said about his "style".

So if a goalkeeper stands his ground & waits while Mario does that stutter in his run-up, he's going to have to boot the ball one way or the other and the keeper will see which way it's going? The odd thing is, it hasn't happened yet. Elano never missed either and that was without the heart in mouth moment you get watching Mario - just glad QPR didn't hack Aguero down in the last minute and it'd be Balo to take the kick to win the league.

Peter Doherty (AGAIG) wrote:Despite the fact that he never misses - or even looks like missing - doesn't mean I don't have kittens every time he walks up to take a penalty. Thank God Sergio stayed on his feet against QPR to score the winner at the end of last season. Otherwise, the sight of Mario sauntering up to take the penalty might just have sent me over the edge...

Tevez used to make me nervous, as he didn't look like he knew what he was doing.

I said well before the QPR game that if we had a last minute penalty to win the league there was only one player I'd want taking it. It nearly happened and I'd have been celebrating before Mario had even put the ball on the spot. He's only taken 11 in his career and scored them all, but he never evens looks close to missing. The Dortmund keeper was about 9 yards off his line before he took it, but he still waited for him to fall over then blasted it in the other corner.

That said, it was City and Mario - if there was ever a time to miss a penalty, that would have been it.

He's not that great at them

[youtube]8W3CZ3IHYBo[/youtube]

Although I love the Euro's one because he tells Joe where he's putting it

BobbyJ1956 wrote:

Fesan wrote:The reason he never misses is that when he halts right before the kick he looks where the keeper is going, since he can hit the ball to whichever corner he wants without looking AT the ball before and when he kicks it he can watch the keeper, then decide at the last minute what corner to go to, then hit it there when he sees the keeper go the other way.

Atleast that is what he and others like Hart have said about his "style".

So if a goalkeeper stands his ground & waits while Mario does that stutter in his run-up, he's going to have to boot the ball one way or the other and the keeper will see which way it's going? The odd thing is, it hasn't happened yet. Elano never missed either and that was without the heart in mouth moment you get watching Mario - just glad QPR didn't hack Aguero down in the last minute and it'd be Balo to take the kick to win the league.

Since he can place it firmly into the corner with pace without looking at the ball the keeper has to dive before the shot is fired or he will not get down in time. Thus the keeper has two options, wait to see where the shot is placed and have no chance to get down in time or guess a side and go before the shot is fired. If the keeper choses the 2nd option then Balo can see where he goes and try to put it into the other corner.

This is a very difficult task since you have to be very precice without looking at the ball, being precice and have pace, well only he can do it as of now:-)

That being said I have an idea of what a keeper can do to get the better of him (atleast the first time he does it) and maybe end this way of taking penalties but I don't want to write it here incase someone reads and tries it (thus stopping our 100% penaltytaker:)

I know Balo's penalties are within the rules, but can't you not stop your run up? It looks like Balo comes close...I'm not sure what the rule is.

And I wonder why keepers don't wait a little longer vs Balo..they should know he's going to pause. Plus, he goes bottom right more often than not..I'd go there every time to play the statistics.

phips wrote:I know Balo's penalties are within the rules, but can't you not stop your run up? It looks like Balo comes close...I'm not sure what the rule is.

He slows down but doesn't stop.

I know he hasn't missed one for us yet but neither did Elano. Does anyone have the number of penalty kicks that Elano took ?

Mase wrote:
He slows down but doesn't stop.

This. It amazes me when people say his technique should be banned, he's always moving forwards. I don't think I've seen a better penalty taker, even including Elano.

bluej wrote:

Mase wrote:He slows down but doesn't stop.

This. It amazes me when people say his technique should be banned, he's always moving forwards. I don't think I've seen a better penalty taker, even including Elano.

There's times where I swear he stops..its close though.

phips wrote:I know Balo's penalties are within the rules, but can't you not stop your run up? It looks like Balo comes close...I'm not sure what the rule is.

And I wonder why keepers don't wait a little longer vs Balo..they should know he's going to pause. Plus, he goes bottom right more often than not..I'd go there every time to play the statistics.

Any penalty save is largely based on watching the standing foot of the penalty taker as that dictates the direction of the shot. This gives the keeper the time to shift weight and dive in that direction. If you wait until the ball is struck, you arent saving it, unless its an england player who hits the ball straight at you or at 5 mph.


Marios ability is that his standing foot doesnt dictate which corner he hits the ball into - and that is a rare talent. Try running upto a ball and planting your standing foot with a slight left facing bias and kick the ball into the right corner........i promise, you will find it pretty much impossible without opening up your body massively to betray your intention. Thats marios trick.

Dubaimancityfan wrote:I know he hasn't missed one for us yet but neither did Elano. Does anyone have the number of penalty kicks that Elano took ?

I wouldn't put my mortgage on it, but I'm pretty sure it was six.

Bolton, Birmingham, Sunderland and Villa twice in the league, plus one against Brighton in a Carling Cup shoot out.

patrickblue wrote:

Dubaimancityfan wrote:I know he hasn't missed one for us yet but neither did Elano. Does anyone have the number of penalty kicks that Elano took ?

I wouldn't put my mortgage on it, but I'm pretty sure it was six.

Bolton, Birmingham, Sunderland and Villa twice in the league, plus one against Brighton in a Carling Cup shoot out.

Was there not one against Hamburg too or have i imagined that?

HeyMark wrote:
Was there not one against Hamburg too or have i imagined that?

Sure was. Hit the bar and post with free kicks, but scored the softest pen ice ever seen us get.

Pretty Boy Lee wrote:

HeyMark wrote:
Was there not one against Hamburg too or have i imagined that?

Sure was. Hit the bar and post with free kicks, but scored the softest pen ice ever seen us get.

I remember that one now you mention it.