Only around 6 / 1,000 shots in the premier league create XG higher than a penalty (so Arsenal had 3/4). And the majority of fouls that lead to a penalty have less than a 10% chance of leading to a goal (including way too many non-deliberate handballs)
Penalties have actually been getting easier with VAR ensuring keepers stay on their lines and the new rules stopping the keepers distracting the taker.
I think it would make the game fairer and more exiting if penalties weren’t an almost guaranteed goal. So I came up with some ideas to reduce the impact of penalties:
- Require the fouled player to take the penalty.
- Offer indirect free kicks for non-deliberate handballs.
- Prohibit stuttered run-ups, making the kicker’s approach more predictable for goalkeepers.
- Move the penalty spot back.
- Use VAR to penalise diving more harshly
Let me know if you agree that penalties are too hard and if so how we could change them?
I’ve also explored more ideas in a new video, consider giving it a watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6elPY8ZvtI.
I’d just get rid of penalties for anything other than clear denial of a goal scoring opportunity, where the offence prevents the direct opponent shooting.
Why are we giving free shots on goal for a dubious handball that takes place in the far corner of the box when we’ve no idea if it will result in a chance to score.
As others have said, the risk/reward for forcing a penalty is heavily gamed towards the attacker, and just invites all manner of diving and conceited attempts to ‘win’ a penalty. Case in point, the Kane dive vs Malta (?) which he was correctly carded for diving for as an example.
Give them direct free kicks 30 yards from goal, or an indirect fk in the box, for everything else
While I agree with the sentiment, this approach would be far too subjective to apply consistently.