Ben Lyttleton

Football author and consultant. Author of penalty book Twelve Yards, the Football School series, to get kids reading, & EDGE, to improve performance

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

@FootballCliches Full backs who absolutely smash their penalties, like Dicks, Pearce or Ray Stewart. Even Baines, Graham Alexander & Ricardo Rodriguez are a throwback… Tavernier (Rangers) is a regular taker but can’t think of many more…

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

@SegaMakiza Thank you Sega! Very kind 🙏

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

@SegaMakiza Great idea Sega but sadly no plans! Plenty to say especially after the AFCON final!

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

@andybrassell @guardian_sport Thank you Andy! 💙🙏

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

Harry Kane has scored 35/36 penalties since 2022 World Cup. Technique change, Bayern dominance & outdoing the data all explored in this excellent piece by ⁦@JamesGheerbrant⁩. Next stop NFL?

https://t.co/YMjmitpg05

[United! United! United! @utdutdutdmedia]

After penalty drama for #mufc against Fulham, Grimsby and Burnley, spot-kick sovereign @benlyt joined to discuss pressure and psychology from 12 yards. Loved this. Video now live on the channel.

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

@alexsimpson99 @Kit_Yates_Maths 👏👏📚📚⚽️⚽️

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

@michael54625373 Good question - they might exist somewhere but I don’t have them 😳

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

@ground_guru Thank you! Hope you enjoy it! ⚽️📚🙌

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

@1DarrenTulett Merci mon ami! ⚽️📚💪

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

@MikeyRuddick Thanks! Very kind of you to say 🙏

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

🚀NEW BOOK ALERT!🚀
Score Like a Striker, the first book in my new Football Skills series, is out today! Tips, drills (& terrible jokes) for football-crazy kids. Let’s get our young readers outside kicking a ball around! Enjoy! ⚽ 📚 🙏

https://t.co/mBdDgiIMXo

[LFC Foundation @LFCFoundation]

⚽📚 Learning through football! The brilliant author @benlyt delivered a wonderful workshop for our #PLPrimaryStars, bringing school curriculum to life❤️
We enjoyed a drama session, danced, sang and took on Mighty Red in a penalty shoutout✨ @PLCommunities

[National Literacy Trust @Literacy_Trust]

Wow! 🤩 More than half a million (561,299 to be exact!) school children joined us for the Great Big Footy & Booky Quiz with @PLCommunities and @WorldBookDayUK.

Thank you @benlyt and @kitbrownnn for presenting.

Missed it live? Watch back: https://t.co/IRfNrusO4M

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

Teachers! Don’t forget to sign up to @Literacy_Trust @PLCommunities football & books quiz for @WorldBookDayUK next Thursday. Special guests from Premier League, WSL & Lionesses. Over 500k kids took part last year! Sign up here: https://t.co/NfxD9H7Vu8

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

@rwohan No edge for favourites, possibly due to extra pressure / expectations. Small advantage to teams who score last therefore taking the game to penalties

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

Ronaldo decisive to the end there. It looked like he won the toss for 🇵🇹 and chose to kick second. My research has kicking first an advantage as the pressure increases on players when kicking second later in the shootout. So ends 🇫🇷 pen hoodoo!

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

For those who enjoyed last night’s penalty drama, you will love @GeirJordet new book Pressure, which goes deep on shoot-out tactics and psychology research. Highly recommended!

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

Pens! Look out for: advantage to team kicking first; players’ reaction time after ref whistle (CR7 too quick, nerves); body language & celebs after scoring; GK distraction efforts. In previous WC & Euros, pen No 8 (kick 4 for team going 2nd) is decisive, conversion only 55%

[Ben Lyttleton @benlyt]

Very harsh on Maignan, who dominated the space before both Lewandowski penalties. Lewa gets to stutter but MM is penalised? Still feel France 🇫🇷 might have won WC final vs 🇦🇷 if Maignan had subbed on for Lloris pre shoot-out