Jamie Reeves: The pen is mightier than the sword - just ask Baggio

Back in the 1970s, way before Sun Jihai and Li Tie, Manchester City fans laid claim to the first Chinese player in English football - Lee Wun Pen.

Otherwise known as Francis Lee, the England forward was not Chinese at all but won his name for being the man who who won and took more penalties than any of his contemporaries and who was often listed in the results sheet as: Lee, one pen. Cynics argue that Lee was a diver, but his fans argue he was direct and prepared to push the ball past defenders in the area.

I was reminded of Lee last weekend, watching rejuvenated Spurs play all-conquering Chelsea.

Duff passed to Alexei Smertin, who went down under Ledley King's challenge; the referee pointed to the spot and the game was effectively over. It was a soft penalty. Replays suggested minimal contact, but it was easy to give.

There are suggestions that the penalty was "easy to give" only because Chelsea are a top team. A quick look at the stats reveals that Chelsea have been awarded four penalties in the league this season and Arsenal and Manchester United three each, while bottom team West Bromwich Albion have been given only one.

But this would be using statistics like a drunk uses a lamp-post, more for support than illumination. Of course Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United get more penalties - they do more attacking. Moreover, the top awardees for penalties are Crystal Palace, with seven.

Prior to 1891 you couldn't get a penalty kick at all - they simply didn't exist. They were introduced to combat the use of illegal means to prevent goals, especially handling the ball. In 1905 they added the requirement that keepers should stay on the line until the ball was kicked. In 1929 keepers were also banned from moving laterally prior to the kick, but this law was rescinded in 1997.

Eric Cantona, Manchester United's talisman, saw the penalty confrontation in bullfighting terms. Shoulders squared, he'd look into the eyes of the goalkeeper, seeking fear and respect. Once he'd won the mind game he would stroke the ball arrogantly into the corner of the net.

But not all penalties are converted. The Italian Roberto Baggio is best remembered for his miss against Brazil in the 1994 World Cup final shoot-out. The Divine Pony-tail, as he was known, had to draw on all his Buddhist philosophy to deal with that failure.

Brad Friedel, Blackburn Rovers' American keeper, offers no sympathy: "I think of them as no-lose situations. All the pressure is on the field player, who is supposed to score."

Bruce Grobbelaar, the eccentric Liverpool keeper, played against AS Roma in their own stadium in the 1984 European Cup final which went to a shoot-out. As Francesco Graziani prepared to take his kick, Grobbelaar went limp and waved his arms eccentrically. Graziani was a nervous wreck, his spot-kick was a farce and Liverpool won.

Not everyone would have approved of such behaviour. Casuals, now Corinthian Casuals, were England's best in the late 19th century. If a penalty was awarded against them the keeper would stand to one side and allow the kicker to score unimpeded, accepting that they should be punished for their sins.

Corinthian Casuals now play in the Ryman League, while Chelsea top the Premier League. Nice guys really do finish last.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY