Penalties - it's a mental game in more ways than one

Somehow you don't expect there to be any controversy surrounding AFCB players wondering who should take a penalty. I do admit that in the past there have probably been a few such instances when players have had a strop over not being able to take the spot kick, but as a whole Eddie Howe has always tried to take that moment of doubt out of players mind by having a nominated penalty taker. It simply didn't work out that way at Huddersfield and Eddie was quick to want to sweep the moment under the carpet as a minor incident that was not going to over shadow the excellent performance.

Personally, I never mind who takes the kick as long as they have a clear mind at the time and are fully concentrated on seeing that ball hit the back of the net. I think the tension of whether Callum should take the kick as the new man, as he was on the hat-trick, was perhaps still playing on his own mind when he stepped up to have the shot. It is important that Yann and Callum get on well and that they can trust each other to give each other opportunities to score. This one was perhaps a bit too generous on Yann's part, but it also shows that Yann has a character that puts the team first before himself and for that he should be personally thanked by Callum, even if he did not put the chance away.  

Callum Wilson should be able to learn much from Yann's game.

Callum was a regular penalty taker at Coventry so for him it should be only natural to handle the pressure of taking spot kicks in the Championship. But a new club, new friendships to be built and the enormity of knowing that one successful kick means you have a first day hat-trick, were perhaps a little too much pressure at the vital moment. Eddie Howe said about the penalty that "it didn't bother him in the slightest."  As long as Yann and Callum don't feel it is an issue that is the main thing.

The thing is we want who ever takes them to be confident of scoring, especially if it the teams are level or AFCB are behind in a game at that point. But even then, penalties can be missed or saved.