Santi Cazorla has revealed the secret behind a good penalty.
As Arsenal’s designated set-piece taker, the Spain international has already struck twice from the spot this season, against Watford and Southampton, and he says being composed and confident is the key to success from 12 yards.
“I’m always nervous because if I miss then it’s a bad thing for me and my team, but you have to deal with it,” he told the Arsenal Weekly podcast. “It’s a good responsibility to have. If the boss says that I have to take them, then that’s not a problem for me.
“You need to be confident. That’s the most important thing because if you think, ‘I have to shoot this side or the other side’ it’s a bad thing. You need to be confident to say, ‘I have to shoot this way definitely’. If you have to change your mind at the last second, then I think you will always miss.
“For example against Southampton I looked at the keeper and he was massive, this guy. Because Lolo was on the floor I had a lot of time to think and lots of players were saying, ‘You have to shoot up’ and I said, ‘Okay’, but you need to be comfortable and confident, and I think the best thing to do was shoot in the middle because this guy was massive.
“For me the most important thing is to be comfortable, confident and know what you want to do. You have to be clever and say, ‘I have to do it’ and then put it where you’re comfortable. If you think, ‘I have to do it’ and then at the last second you change your mind, it’s a bad thing and you’ll miss.”
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