ENGLAND’S perfect set of penalties was no accident, according to their players and staff.
The five from five record was the result of careful practice, mental preparation and the help of a former top Dutch striker.
Speaking after England‘s dramatic quarter-final win, Jude Bellingham pinpointed the influence of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for helping England’s spot-kick stars set up a semi with the Netherlands.
Former Chelsea and Leeds star Hasselbaink, 52, joined Gareth Southgate’s backroom staff as an assistant coach in March last year.
The 23-cap Holland striker, who was a lethal finisher in his day, played a key role in preparing England’s takers in Saturday’s shoot-out victory over the Swiss – teeing up a last-four clash with his nation.
Bellingham, who stroked home the second of England’s five perfect penalties, told 5 Live: “I was really confident in my preparation and the things I’d talked through with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
“He’s stepped up for us massively.
“It’s the work he does behind closed doors with the lads willing to take on that information that put us in those situations to be able to win.”
Southgate spoke glowingly after the game of his five takers – Cole Palmer, Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold – as well as goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who saved Switzerland’s first spot-kick from Manuel Akanji, despite not being able to follow his “usual process”.
All of England’s quintet of takers finished with aplomb as the Three Lions showed their practice and preparation had paid off.
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Palmer, fresh off the back of scoring ten penalties in ten for Chelsea nonchalantly struck the ball into the net to open before Bellingham’s stuttered run up sent the keeper the wrong way for his.
Saka, who was England’s brightest spark in normal and added time then bravely dispatched England’s third, banishing the painful memories of his miss in the Euro 2020 final against Italy.
Toney’s fourth then stunned everyone as he took a no-look penalty in which he did not break eye contact with the Swiss keeper.
The Brentford striker utilised his trademark two-step run up – which it was revealed he honed last summer with a coach in the US.
Bob Jeffrey, a goalkeeping director at Tennessee Soccer Club revealed the two honed a technique that saw Toney practice from 13 yards rather than 12.
Speaking to The Times, Jeffrey explained: “[His training] was fascinating to watch.
“Because in practice he takes them from 13 yards, not 12 yards.
“I asked him: ‘Ivan, why are you taking them from 13 yards?’ He said, ‘Well, when it comes to a game, and I take them from 12 yards, the goal looks bigger.’”
He added that Toney piles pressure on himself in training to help him prepare for the big moments and said: “But the thing that impressed me most was the detail in everything [Toney] did. He never went through the motions. It was like every single shot was to win the World Cup.”
The crucial final penalty fell to Trent Alexander-Arnold, on as a sub in the 115th minute purely to take a pen, to finish it off for England.
Alexander-Arnold’s strike looked like one of his free-kicks, whipped across his body into the top left corner.
The full-back said the secret to England’s success was the fact that so many of their takers are also designated takers for their clubs, making them immune to pressure when it comes to stepping up for England.
He said: “A lot of practice goes into that moment. When the gaffer tells me I am taking one, my belly does not drop. I enjoy it. I practise it. I knew what spot I just needed to execute it.”
Southgate highlighted the role back-up goalkeepers Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson, as well as training stopper Tom Heaton, for helping prepare the team for the pressure-cooker situation of a shootout.
Bellingham, 21, echoed those comments by saying: “This is a massive team effort.
“Dean Henderson, Aaron Ramsdale and Tom Heaton, who have been with us this camp, have been huge in helping us practise the penalties.
“They won’t get the credit they deserve but essentially if they don’t put in the right effort we don’t get to practise properly.
“And in those moments you don’t have the right practice to go out and execute.
“There is so much that goes into it now. You are always trying to find the edge in every game.”
Speaking after the game, Pickford revealed his usual penalty routine had been interrupted.
He said: “Firstly, the referee didn’t let me do my usual process so I had to adapt tonight, I like to give the lads a ball for a bit of calm and focus.
“I could only do it on the first one and luckily I saved it.
BUKAYO SAKA showed huge courage as he dug England out of a hole and through on penalties against Switzerland, writes Tom Barclay.
The Three Lions looked to be going out when Breel Embolo had put Swiss ahead on 75 minutes.
But Arsenal star Saka dragged England back into five minutes later with a stunning effort off the post.
To penalties it went – just like it did between these two sides five years ago in the Nations League.
And just like back then, Jordan Pickford made a save – repelling the Swiss’s first effort from Manuel Akanji.
England were perfect from then on, with Cole Palmer, Jude Bellignam, Saka, Ivan Toney and finally Trent Alexander-Arnold sending the Three Lions into the semi-final.
Here’s how the players rated…
Jordan Pickford: 7
Had his heart in his mouth when Xherdan Shaqiri’s corner deep into extra-time hit the post and bar, but then pulled off a smart stop to take it to penalties.
Saved Manuel Akanji’s first spot-kick by diving low to his left.
Kyle Walker: 6
Spent most of the game on the right side of a three which meant he could not get forward. Embolo got in front of him for Switzerland’s opener. Won the toss so the penalties were taken in front of the England fans.
John Stones: 6
Crisper passing in the first half, much better than his sloppy Slovakia display, but his deflection on Dan Ndoye’s cross diverted it to Embolo.
Ezri Konsa: 6
Was decent in the first half of his maiden start at a major tournament but, like the rest of the team, went into his shell after the break.
Kieran Trippier: 6
Had been expected to play right wing-back but was once again on the left.
Solid defensively but, as has been the case throughout the tournament, offered little going forward on his unnatural side.
Declan Rice: 7
Anticipated, and subsequently, won a number of 50-50s at the base of England’s midfield.
It was his decoy run that opened up the space for Saka to find the corner, before his 25-yard wonderstrike was denied by a flying Yann Sommer save in extra-time.
Kobbie Mainoo: 6
Some decent drives forward from midfield. Looked as if he would fire home an opener just before the break after
Bukayo Saka’s nice cutback, but was denied by Granit Xhaka’s excellent block.
Bukayo Saka: 8 and STAR MAN
Did not play at left wing-back as expected, but was England’s most dangerous attacking player throughout – and none more so when he came to the rescue with his 80th-minute leveller which flew in off the post.
Showed huge courage in the shoot-out as he stroked home his penalty beautifully, three years on from missing in the last Euros final.
Jude Bellingham: 6
Produced a few graceful dribbles which showcased his quality in the first half but pretty quiet.
Looked knackered but showed big cojones with his low penalty.
Phil Foden: 6
Admitted before the game that his central role would suit him better and it seemed to in the first 20 minutes, but faded after that.
Harry Kane: 4
This system just does not suit him. He needs runners, but does not look like he is going to get them.
Just could not get into the game and was subbed out of it in extra-time, seconds after he was sent crashing into his manager on the touchline.
SUBS
Cole Palmer (for Konsa, 78): 7
One of three players to come on in reaction to Switzerland’s opener – why did it take so long, Gareth? Dispatched England’s first spot-kick with aplomb.
Luke Shaw (for Trippier, 78): 6
First minutes of football since February, slotting in on the left side of back three as Southgate went for broke.
Eberechi Eze (for Mainoo, 78): 6
Carved out a nice bit of space for himself in the dying moments but fired wide.
Ivan Toney (For Kane, 109): 7
It was no surprise to see him come with the prospect of penalties on the horizon – what was more of a shock was that it was for spot-kick maestro Kane. Was knocked over in the box right at the end of extra-time, but nothing was given. Confident penalty.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (for Foden, 115): 7
Thrown on late into extra-time. Belted home his spot-kick to win it.
Gareth Southgate: 4
The adjusted back three system worked to a certain extent, but still the approach looked to be to keep it tight and rely on a moment of magic.
Saka provided that for the leveller, but given the talent at his disposal, it seemed very limited.
Took an age to make a change – prompted only by Switzerland going ahead. But got his subs right when it came to the penalty shoot-out.
“I trust my process and what I do and I’ll save one but massive respect to the lads they stepped up to score all five the way they did – huge credit.”
Images also emerged of Pickford’s extensive list of data showing where all 26 players in the Swiss squad like to put their pens.
Tellingly, one of the instructions was “Akanji, dive left” which the 30-year-old did to crucially deny the Swiss the first penalty.
Bellingham also revealed how the “awful memories” of England penalties of yesteryear also contributed to his motivation in the shoot-out.
The midfielder said: “It’s a first for me to be involved in one, to take one.
“I have awful memories kind of growing up and I think the first Euro that I was really interested in was the one against Italy [Euro 2012] with the dink from [Andrea] Pirlo.
“It kind of stains your memory a little bit, you always think ‘England in penalty shoot-outs, I’m not sure’, but it’s really nice to have that experience to add to the locker now.”
England’s perfect shootout sets up a tantalising encounter with Holland in the semi-finals of the Euros on Wednesday.
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.”
