The debate surrounding stuttering penalty run-ups has intensified following costly Carabao Cup round-of-16 shootout exits for Chelsea and Arsenal. Chelsea midfielder Valentin Barco failed to convert the Blues' fourth spot-kick when his hesitant approach concluded with a shot against the post at Anfield. A successful conversion would have sent Xabi Alonso's side through to the EFL Cup quarter-finals; instead, Liverpool secured progression after Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana fired a sudden-death attempt high into the Kop. Barco's errant kick closely mirrored that of Arsenal midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, whose stuttered penalty was kept out during a shock defeat to League Two side Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night.
The pitfalls of the halting approach were highlighted by Liverpool defender Joe Gomez, who decisively dispatched the penultimate kick of the shootout into the top corner using a direct run-up. Gomez, who has never scored a senior goal across 319 appearances for Charlton Athletic, Liverpool, and England, admitted to ITV that he had anticipated the moment and was pleased to see his effort hit the net. Under FIFA regulations, penalty takers are permitted to pause or feint during the approach as long as they do not stop directly before kicking the ball. While intended to force goalkeepers to commit early, the technique has frequently backfired. At this summer's World Cup, 11 of the 26 stutter penalties were missed, including an attempt by Guimaraes and an initial strike by Harry Kane, whose effort was stopped by Croatia's Dominik Livakovic during England's 4-2 win before Kane netted a retake with a straightforward approach.
The recurring failures have sparked strong, conflicting reactions among former players and pundits. Speaking to TalkSport, former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy condemned the strategy as "ridiculous, self-indulgence" and labelled it "naive," arguing that goalkeepers are no longer tricked into diving prematurely. Conversely, former Liverpool and Chelsea full-back Glen Johnson defended the concept on ITV, stating that the technique affords players extra time and pointing out that Barco had already deceived the keeper before missing the target by mere inches. Former Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta also weighed in on ITV, emphasizing that each player must stick to the style in which they feel confident.
While football legends like Brazil icon Pele made the hesitant run-up famous, and contemporary figures such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Jorginho, and Wolves striker Raul Jimenez have frequently employed it, recent high-profile blunders continue to test its viability. With Chelsea and Arsenal now eliminated from the competition, players and managers will face increasing pressure to weigh the theatrical distraction of the stutter against the proven effectiveness of a direct, conventional strike.