Originally Posted by
elatedscum
One of my earliest football memories (not really sure why), I guess I was about 5, is watching a penalty shootout between Spurs and Notts Forrest and Mark Crossley saved every penalty except for Ruel Fox, and even that one he almost saved, he started to dive and readjusted when it was smashed high and he tipped it onto the bar and it bounced down and in. Incredible to watch. Think Sheringham was one of the ones who had their penalty saved. Remarkable stuff... Jesus, he was good at saving penalties...
Some keepers lose the ability over time as the reactions lose a split second and what used to work for them no longer does.
There have been many theories and ways to become a good penalty saver.
Some keepers are better able to influence the takers of penalties. To show one side as the player is running up.
Pepe Reina's father was a famous penalty saver in Spain and he always said the key was the arms. Basically as the player is about to strike a ball, there are specific arm movements which indicate what he might do, like if the players arm on his standing leg moves backwards as he winds up to strike it, he's likely to pull it across his body, whereas if the arm moves forward, then he's likely to open his body up etc etc etc.