Obviously, I've never played at top level football

Possibly some of you have

Can anyone explain the logic of this popular trend for tapping it down the middle of the goal?

I'm guessing top footballers are clever enough to blast the ball into the top corners.

Am I being naive?

Patronising put downs are most welcome

As will advice from people who are good at football

I just want some enlightenment

If you're going to hit it down the middle it has to go high, so it misses the diving goalkeeper.

Luka's mind is shot to pieces lately and I can only imagine that he hesitated about what he was doing while he was running up.

Hitting penalties down the middle is not itself an issue. If you hit it anywhere around halfway up the goal or higher it very rarely doesn’t go in as keepers normally dive. You don’t need to hit it in the roof, just not low!! If you hit it low and down the middle the keepers trailing leg is highly likely to save it.

It amazes me that Luka has now missed two (city and today) low down the middle when it’s such a low percentage penalty vs middle/high which is almost never saved. Infuriating.

I'm not in charge, mattteo

Just been reading the section on penalty taking/ game theory in Soccernomics.

Suggests the best takers need a thoroughly randomised policy of where they place their kicks.

Pickford messes with game theory by being a thoroughly unorthodox stopper. His world cup save looked all wrong....went with the wrong hand etc...but the key thing is, he kept the ball out of the goal..rather like he did today.

For all of that, Luca is the best taker we've had for years. We can allow him one miss a season.