On Monday, Ivan Toney continued his impressive streak of goals from the penalty spot, but the Brentford forward claims his approach is straightforward.
As Thomas Frank’s team defeated fellow unlikely European contenders Fulham 3-2 in the Premier League, the 26-year-old again stroked the ball into the bottom-right corner from 12 yards.
For Brentford, Toney has taken 22 penalties, 10 of which have been in the Premier League. He has successfully converted all 22 of them.
Only Yaya Toure, who scored on all 11 penalty attempts for Manchester City, has a better 100 percent conversion rate in the competition, but Toney explained that his penalty procedure is all about relaxation.
After being made to wait before putting Brentford 2-1 up in the 53rd minute at the Brentford Community Stadium, he told Sky Sports: “The wait doesn’t matter, the longer the better really because I can get away and think of other things like being away on holiday and chilling.
“The goalkeeper didn’t move but I have always got a spot where I put the ball.”
Toney has scored 27 of his 28 penalties in his professional career, with the only blemish a saved attempt for Peterborough United in a 4-0 defeat against Barnsley back in October 2018.
That miss was the catalyst for a technique alteration.
When asked when he changed his approach, he replied: “When I missed… I thought of different techniques to make sure I had a better chance of scoring and it’s working out alright at the moment, so touch wood, it continues.”
10/10 – Only Yaya Touré (11/11) has a better 100% record from the penalty spot in Premier League history than Ivan Toney (10/10). Inevitable. pic.twitter.com/eqMaSw7Rzi
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 6, 2023
Another strike against Fulham took Toney’s Premier League tally to 15 this season despite off-field issues.
He has been charged with 262 alleged betting violations by the Football Association, which took place over a four-year period, but hit out at English football’s governing body last weeks after reported media leaks.
Reports suggested Toney, who missed out on England’s World Cup squad in Qatar, would be banned for six months after pleading guilty to some charges – claims the forward strongly denied on social media.
Brentford head coach Frank previously defended his star attacker and reiterated his backing for Toney after the Fulham win.
“I take all the praise, it is solely me,” Frank initially joked to Sky Sports. “No it is Ivan, that is the technique he had when he arrived at Brentford.
“He is the best penalty taker in the world for a few reasons, his strategy, he practices it and he is very cool. He keeps doing it all the same.
“It is a unique skill with him. This situation with the [betting] case going on, he has a unique ability to focus on games and training and he has kept doing that so that doesn’t surprise me.
“He doesn’t like the situation but he has top focus. He is a special footballer, I think his character is unique in terms of leadership and driving his team.
“His link-up play and the way he sees his team-mates around in terms of combinations and then his ability to score goals. He is an all-round football player.”