'Stutter' penalty back in the spotlight after Barco miss costs Chelsea

What the report says

BBC Sport reported that the debate over stuttering penalty run-ups has intensified after two notable misses in the Carabao Cup last 16. Chelsea midfielder Valentin Barco struck the post in the shootout defeat by Liverpool at Anfield, while Arsenal midfielder Bruno Guimaraes also failed from the spot with a similar approach in Arsenal’s exit against League Two Fleetwood Town. Both incidents revived discussion about whether the stop-start technique helps players deceive goalkeepers or simply adds risk.

The article noted that Liverpool defender Joe Gomez, who has not scored a senior goal in 319 professional appearances, converted the decisive penalty with a simple run-up. Cesar Azpilicueta, Glen Johnson and former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy offered contrasting views on the method, with Murphy criticizing it as unnecessary and Johnson arguing that it can still be effective. BBC Sport also pointed out that the technique was prominent at the previous World Cup, where several penalties were missed, though it has long been used by players such as Pele, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jorginho and Bruno Fernandes.

Under FIFA rules, players may feint or pause in the run-up provided they do not stop directly before striking the ball. The wider significance is that the discussion goes beyond one shootout: it touches on how penalty-taking style, psychology and goalkeeper movement continue to shape major knockout matches.