should there be a penalty shoot-out system

Initially there was no penalty shoot out. I remember that English FA Cup final winner have to be dicided for more than one game because the two teams cannot be separated during open play. If there is other way than penalty shoot out? I don't think so. I don't think people want to watch the match until early in the morning and so does the players will hardly have any energy left to play more than 2 hours.

I think that there is no valid alternative right now for the penalty shootout. If there would be way more lesser games, then yes, a replay would be fairer, but with so many games involved, there is no place for replays. And penalty shootouts are more valid than coin tossing, which has nothing to do with football anymore.

No doubt penalty shoot out system don't always make the better team win in the game of football or soccer. However, one feels it is a fair way of deciding the winner as long as a game produces no winner at the end of the regulation time. Two hours of playing is more than enough for players unless we want some of them to "sacrifice" their lives on the pitch due to exhaustion. I agree that it is painful when the better team or the team one supports lose out in the penalty shoot out. Success in penalty shoot out depends more on luck more than being a good penalty taker or having a great goal keeper. One therefore support this system, notwithstanding its shortcomings because it is better than asking the two teams to choose head or tail of a coin!

A similar discussion was started by Janey after England went out on penalties. His suggestion was that in extra time, all the subs from the bench should replace the players of the starting line up. On the other hand my suggestion was that once you hit the extra time, each team starts forfeiting one player every 10 minutes, so for the first 10 minutes they play with 10 players, then after another 10 minutes play with 9 players and so on and so forth till one team wins!! Cheers! Ram

Penalty shootout is the method that is being used by FIFA for a long long time. And in my opinion its a fair choice for a tie break. I can't come up with anything else than this. Although yeah previously they used to coin toss to choose the winner in a game of tie. But coin toss is not a fair method. So I think penalty shootout should be there.

Though penalty is filled with emotion and tension, it still remain the last resort in football especially in a "Must A Winner Match.". The penalty has little to do with experience as even the best footballers and the main players in any particular team have failed to net the ball most times. I think if people are not comfortable with it, then another alternative should be sort for. Sometimes I love penalty and sometimes am afraid of my favourite team being a victim of the system.

Perhaps ask the two teams to play a game of tennis or chess to decide the winner. Or let them play infinitely until someone scores a goal. Own goal should be allowed to score by the more tired team after 5 hours to concede the game but with pride.

Hello ronigress , I too don't have a good impression about penalty shoot out. The main reason is, it is not based on the performance of the players. So many times it was just a lucky factor. But, it is good method to find a winner.

I think, penalty shootout is the best and fairest way to decide the winner. It's a way that players can show their skills & capablities, and handling the pressure in a tense situation. I love to watch when a goalkeeper makes a superb save during penalty!! Right now, I believe penalty shootout is still irreplaceable.