Former Premier League Star Danny Murphy Criticises Jamie Vardy's Penalty Technique on MOTD

Jamie Vardy missed a crucial penalty in Leicester's 3-2 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday evening after the England striker was presented with the chance to equalise and get his second goal of the game. However, after hitting it straight down the middle, Simon Mignolet was able to make the save.

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy was quick to blame Vardy's technique for the miss, claiming that he: "Runs too quickly and puts his head down too early." 

"I've been looking at his penalties, and this one full speed... for me he runs too quickly to take a penalty. The quicker you run at a ball the harder it is. Because he's running so quickly he puts his head down too early for me.

"I used to try and look at the 'keeper as late as possible. His head's down, he doesn't know where the 'keeper is. It's a hit and hope penalty. I don't like it, I never took them like that. Some players are confident enough to keep looking."

The Leicester striker had scored his previous two penalties this season, but both were taken in a similar manner. One was against Chelsea and Thibaut Courtois really should have saved it after getting a hand to it. 

Murphy added that because Vardy is not looking at the goalkeeper he is reducing his chances of finding the net: "You see his eyes, he looks and then he's down so early, the 'keeper could be doing anything. I always felt that if the 'keeper tries to do something silly, or go early, you could see if you watched him a bit longer.

"There's no exact science with penalties. I think if you run too quickly, and look down too early, you're playing pot luck."

Murphy missed only one penalty during his career, which he then scored on the rebound in a 3-2 win for Fulham at Manchester City in 2008 - a game that ultimately saved the Cottagers from relegation.