Football is full of clichés. Some of them are compltely ridiculous, like 'it's a game of two halves'. Tell that to the team who are 5-0 down at the half time break. Some of them though, are completely true. Like England are terrible at penalty shootouts.
So when the England Under 21 side were drawing with Germany at full time in the European Championship semi final, Three Lions fans would've started to worry. After all, it was the World Cup in 1990 when England first got the tag. West Germany beat them after Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle both missed their spot kicks.
Six years later, Pearce managed to absolutely blast his into the net against the Spaniards in the quarter-final and the curse was lifted! Until the semi final. Where Germany beat them again. Gareth Southgate the unlucky victim this time. Football was definitely not coming home.
David Batty was the villain in 1998 (after David Beckham's sending off) when he missed a crucial kick against Argentina.
Then it was Euro 2004 (Beckham vs Portugal). Then it was Jamie Carragher in 2006 (Portugal... again). Euro 2012? Guess what, they exited again on penalties to Italy.
Tonight, the u21's had the opportunity to put all of that behind them. They couldn't. Nathan Redmond now joins that list.
FIFA recently brought in a new method of spot kicks. England probably wish they'd done away with the whole shambles altogether!
Never change England.
