Walcott Reveals Penalty Education
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One of Arsenal's penalty converters explains that he learned how to take penalties from an ex-England international.
Two legs and extra-time was not enough to separate the fifth-placed Premier League side from the sixth-placed Serie A team, but Arsenal eventually edged Roma after eight rounds of penalties.
One of Arsenal's converters, Theo Walcott, has today revealed that he took inspiration from a former team-mate at Southampton, as mind-games can play a key part in the outcome of a spot-kick, so Walcott refused to eye-ball opposition glovesman, Doni.
"I had a dry throat going towards the goal but I didn't look at the goalkeeper once," Walcott is quoted by the club's official website as saying. "I learned that from James Beattie.
"He's probably one of the best penalty takers I have seen. I have watched him over the years and mine wasn't as good a penalty as his but they all count.
"I didn't want the goalkeeper to make eye contact with me because sometimes they might put you off a little bit. Plus he was a big lad. It's all about positive thinking and it counted in the end.
"To be fair, it was a really good experience for me. It was the first penalty shoot-out I have ever done."
The England international - who scored a famous hat-trick against Croatia towards the end of last year - also added that the Arsenal camp had not been practicing penalties prior to the knock-out clash.
"To do it on penalties for such a young team who haven't experienced that, it just shows the character we have got in the whole side.
"I didn't expect to take the third penalty but the boss has faith in all of us. That definitely showed in the penalty takers tonight. He told me I was third and I am not going to say no. I just wanted to get up there and see what would happen.
"We didn't practice them at all - we thought we could get the result. But it doesn't matter how they go in and it was like we had just won the World Cup Final in the dressing room after the game.
"The atmosphere was brilliant," he added. "Even though there are all sorts of nationalities in there, we all get along and we are like a family in there.
"It's just a brilliant bunch of lads to play with," he concluded.