ABBA: The New Format Of Penalty Shootouts That Has Got Football

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While Arsenal defeated Chelsea in the FA Community Shield, it was the new 'ABBA' format for penalty shootouts that became the talking point on social media.
The highly-awaited Premier League season is supposed to bring new beginnings, fresh ideas and exciting additions, but for Antonio Conte and Chelsea, the FA Community Shield loss to Arsenal was surely a hiccup early on. Chelsea's 65-million-dollar signing Alvaro Morata and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois missed their respective spot-kicks as the Blues lost 1-4 on penalties to the Gunners.Victor Moses rammed the ball home a minute into the second-half after Arsenal failed to clear a corner. The Nigeria wing-back had looked set to gain revenge for 10-man Chelsea's FA Cup final loss in May this year. However, Gunners new boy Sead Kolasinac struck late to take the seasonal curtain-raiser to penalty shootout.© ReutersKolasinac, signed on a free transfer from Schalke, headed home with eight minutes left on the clock after Pedro was sent-off for a foul on Mohamed Elneny. With no extra-time, and the new 'ABBA' penalty format in place, Olivier Giroud scored the winning penalty to hand Arsenal their seventh Community Shield title.Gary Cahill scored for Chelsea to open the shootout, but Theo Walcott and Nacho Monreal converted their respective spot-kicks to give Arsenal the lead. After Cahill, Conte sent Courtois who could only manage to send the ball wide. If the Chelsea keeper failed to score, the much-reliable striker Morata, too, disappointed after failing to find the back of the net.© ReutersFor Arsenal, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain converted his penalty before Giroud sealed the game in front of the jubilant Arsenal supporters. While the match had its fair share of controversy, it was surprisingly the new penalty shootout format that got everyone talking.Here's all you need to know about 'ABBA' - the new format of penalty shootout to be used by the English Football League (EFL) this season:What Is 'ABBA'?© ReutersThe EFL competitions were using the traditional 'ABAB' format before the decision to introduce a new format of penalty shootout. According to the 'ABAB' format, the players from both the teams take the penalty kicks one after the other. However, the situation is slightly different in the 'ABBA' format.As per the new format, the two teams are subjected to follow a different sequence when compared with the traditional 'ABAB' rule. Rather than taking turns in an 'AB AB AB AB' order, the teams will now be seen abiding to the new 'AB BA AB BA' sequence.So, going by the latest match, Chelsea took the first spot-kick and were made to wait for two penalty kicks by Arsenal before taking their second. Similarly, after Arsenal took their two consecutive spot-kicks, Chelsea, too, got two shots in a row which they eventually failed to convert.Why Is It Being Used?© ReutersDesigned on the format used in tennis tie-breaks, the new 'ABBA' format has been introduced with an aim to be fairer on the team taking the second spot-kick in the penalty shootout.After being tested by the UEFA, the EFL's trial of the new format will apply to this season's League Cup, EFL Trophy and the playoffs, with the first opportunity for its use coming in the League Cup's first round on August 8-9.Is It A Step Forward? Not Really© ReutersWhile the new 'ABBA' format has already confused a lot of football fans, its role - aimed to the development of football - hasn't impressed us at all.Former England captain Steven Gerrard was unconvinced about the new system as it decided a major British game (Arsenal vs Chelsea) for the first time. I liked the format that we already had. It was very exciting, it was tense. If you miss that first penalty - which is the advantage if you score it - and the other team scores their first two then 2-0 is a big advantage to the second team, he said.Former England manager Glenn Hoddle, too, expressed his displeasure at the new format. Before you'd want to go first, but you would think twice now. If they miss you've got two opportunities (to score), so do you give them the opportunity to go first?Apart from the experts, the new 'ABBA' format also drew flak on social media where fans called it stupid before coming up with predictable jokes about the band with the same name.Arsenal were always going to win the first ABBA penalty shoot out. pic.twitter.com/Efr3jyp5Af— Andy Kelly (@Gooner_AK) August 6, 2017So, reviewing those Chelsea ABBA penaltiesCahill - Mamma MiaCourtois - SOSMorata - Money, Money, MoneyAt least there was no Fernando.— Dan Levene (@danlevene) August 6, 2017This ABBA penalty doesn't make sense after all— Morata? (@murr_11) August 6, 2017As they're using the new ABBA penalty shootout format I can only assume Courtois was aiming for Waterloo. #communityshield— Ian Hyland (@HylandIan) August 6, 2017Who's idea was this stupid ABBA penalty format??— Fsix (@Fsiix) August 6, 2017