In light of Liverpool’s Carling Cup triumph over championship big guns Cardiff City, their first trophy since that legendary night in Istanbul, the question over whether the penalty shoot-out is the best and fairest way to decide a stalemate has once again been raised.
The pressure that each player faces before taking their turn for the spot kick is immense, not to mention the daunting task faced by each goalkeeper. Furthermore, as we saw in the final ailing, tired bodies don’t seem to perform well in these scenarios.
Reliable Reds skipper Steven Gerrard placed an almost unenthusiastic penalty, which was duly saved; a showing that not many people have witnessed this season. The cool-headed captain looked to be on his last legs and was followed by a host of players who had just spent their last reserves of energy in extra-time.
So I pose the question; is the penalty shoot-out the way to go in deciding such games, which are so important to a club’s history? This recent win could be the catalyst for a new Liverpool era to begin, all due to a little fatigue from an otherwise impressive Cardiff City.
It is a lottery, and you may say that in the end, the chances will even out. But until then, there has to be some different approach, a possible rematch or other alternative to what is a literal hit-and-miss dilemma.
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