This is what needs to be avoided, isn’t it? Situations such as the one pictured above – with three players arguing over who should take the spot kick in the absence of the then designated penalty taker, former captain Steven Gerrard.
There will certainly be a number of players putting forward their names to takeover the roles. Ironically, two of our more proficient players from twelve yards – Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert – are very much unlikely to be regulars next season, potentially opening the door for somebody else.
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Here are our top five candidates:
5) Danny Ings
The striker scored two of the three penalties he took for Burnley, including one against Aston Villa in the Premier League last year. Scoring from the spot is always a great way to kick-start a new player’s confidence, particularly that of a striker, although you always run the risk of doing them more harm than good if they miss.
4) Philippe Coutinho
The Brazilian needs to score more goals, so what better way for him to do that than by dispatching a few penalties. He kept his calm to score for Brazil from the spot during the Copa America and considering that he’s one of our most technically proficient stars, he could be well suited to taking on the role in the future.
3) Adam Lallana
The England man has taken the odd penalty for Southampton in the past, although Rickie Lambert was of course their first choice, and has always done what’s been asked from him. The midfielder packs a powerful shot and has proven in pre-season that he’s capable of picking out the corners when he gets into the area.
2) Christian Benteke
The big man packs a ferocious right foot. He’s generally been Aston Villa’s preferred penalty taker and could equally take on the role for Liverpool. People will expect him to score plenty of goals following his big money move, so what better way to keep him ticking over than by handing him chances on a plate?
1) Jordan Henderson
Captain’s responsibility and all that. Henderson has taken over many things from Gerrard this summer – the captaincy, the pressure of being our first choice midfielder and the tag of being one of the club’s longest serving players. He’ll do his reputation no harm at all if he can become known as a reliable scorer from the spot.
