Cody Gakpo has revealed the unique and eccentric method Liverpool have employed to help the players with penalty taking duties.
Penalties and deadball situations are a huge part of the modern game.
Additionally, the frequency of penalty calls has risen in recent years, meaning there are more opportunities for players to score from the spot in this day and age.
Now Cody Gakpo has highlighted just how far LFC have gone in ensuring their players are prepared for penalties.
“At Liverpool they measure our brain activity during penalties,” the Dutchman said to Algemeen Dagblad (via Sport Witness).
“This is done via a hat with electrodes on your head.”
“You gain insight into how stress works in your brain and they try to help you keep control of it.”
“You cannot imitate everything when training for penalties. There is always pressure. And you can miss.”
“You have no guarantees. But you can also do quite a lot. In any case, I never dread taking a penalty.”
The technological approach seems to be paying dividends so far, with Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah combining to give LFC an 80% successful penalty ratio this season.
This is not the first time that the Reds have employed this kind of technology, with Trent Alexander-Arnold sporting a similar setup in the 2021/22 campaign.
Trent Alexander-Arnold wearing displaying the brain sensor that Cody Gakpo was likely referring to. Getty Images.
