Fulham in a spot of bother after latest penalty fiasco
Fulham in a spot of bother after latest penalty fiasco
(Reuters) - Fulham supporters will be forgiven for thinking their penalty takers are cursed after winger Ivan Cavaleiro became the third player to miss from the spot this season for the promoted Premier League side.
With his team awarded a spot kick while trailing 3-1 at home to Everton on Sunday, Portuguese Cavaleiro slipped in his run-up, kicked the ball onto his own foot and watched it balloon over the crossbar.
Cavaleiro was only entrusted penalty duties after Aleksandar Mitrovic struck the bar at Sheffield United and Ademola Lookman failed with an attempted ‘Panenka’ chip - made famous by Czech Antonin Panenka - late in the defeat by West Ham United.
Disgruntled fans on social media came down hard on Cavaleiro and described his effort against Everton as a ‘John Terry’ after the former England defender’s miss for Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United.
“If you want to nullify Fulham’s goal threat just give us a penalty,” English television presenter Richard Osman said on Twitter.
While Lookman faced manager Scott Parker’s wrath for his howler last time out, there was only sympathy for Cavaleiro.
“You couldn’t have written it. All I can say is that over the last 10 days we’ve put things in place and worked tirelessly in terms of preparation and understanding the process,” Parker told reporters.
“Ivan is an exceptional penalty taker and last time I was in this situation with Ade’s, I was angry and disappointed with the way we missed it, but today these things can happen.”
Fulham’s problems from the spot go beyond this season and they have missed five of their last eight penalty kicks in the league, leaving Parker considering his options ahead of their trip to Leicester City next Monday.
Ex-Fulham and Liverpool player Danny Murphy, who converted 18 of his 19 Premier League penalties, had words of advice.
“The angle’s too narrow (on Cavaleiro’s approach). We both know he slipped. It’s an unorthodox way of taking a penalty. Get your foot behind it. Whoever’s going to take the next one,” Murphy told the BBC.
