The Sports Psychology Blog
This Sports Psychology blog, comes after Crystal Palace bow out of the Championship play-offs, after defeat to Bristol City.
Football: Ben Watson - A Moment Of Doubt
There's twenty minutes remaining in the Championship play-off semi-final, when Mr. Webb awards Crystal Palace a penalty. It's Ben Watson v Adriano Basso. Watson, with a successful penalty on Saturday, fresh in his mind. This, to make it two-nil.
The rest is history, as Watson scuffs his spot-kick against the post. Given the clinical nature of Ben Watson's penalty at Selhurst Park, why didn't he dispatch this pressure kick, with the same aplomb?
For whatever reason, Watson experienced a tiny moment of doubt before his kick. That was evident in the fact, that he slightly scuffed his kick. Failed to make a totally clean contact. The more decisive you are about your penalty, the cleaner the contact.
Watson could have been distracted by the noise and movement from the Bristol City fans behind the goal. Or, he could have been affected by Adriano Basso's vigorous movement on his line. Perhaps leading to second thoughts, about which way to put his pen.
On Saturday, he delivered an excellent, unsaveable penalty, slotted to Basso's right. Maybe he had conflicting thoughts, 'Will Basso know I'm going right again? 'Maybe I should go left?'. 'No, stick to the plan'. Enough uncertainty to dilute his commitment to the shot.
In the mental battle with Adriano Basso, Ben Watson blinked. But he should not hold himself to blame. Crystal Palace didn't lose this play-off semi, because of his missed penalty. They were beaten by a Bristol City team, with an unwavering desire and belief in themselves, individually and collectively.
A team that relished a second, fresh crack at promotion. And were going to commit every ounce of mental, emotional and physical energy to strive for that Premiership dream.
In the mental battle that is the play-offs, they had simply forged a stronger sense of collective resolve, than the emerging Crystal Palace side.
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