While overall we are much better with James in defence, it makes no sense to take one's second penalty exactly the same way as the first when it is a low percentage chance. To put it so close to the middle it would need way more power or a different height.
One does not even need to invoke the Panenka to point out good penalties. Instead I would tell you of Wladyslaw Stachurski, right fullback of the excellent Legia Warsaw team (1964-1974). That team was good and went as far as the 1970 Europe Cup (today known as UEFA Champions League) semifinals (lost to the eventual winners, Feyenoord) and 1971 quarterfinals (lost to Atletico Madrid). Stachurski was the nominated penalty taker for years, including the cup games, and he always placed them in the same spot: the right corner (left of the keeper), and all the opposition knew that. Yet he never missed one and never had one saved, because of his consistency. And because I saw that on a grainy black and white TV as a child, I still consider it a standard that you simply must score from a penalty. End of.
One does not even need to invoke the Panenka to point out good penalties. Instead I would tell you of Wladyslaw Stachurski, right fullback of the excellent Legia Warsaw team (1964-1974). That team was good and went as far as the 1970 Europe Cup (today known as UEFA Champions League) semifinals (lost to the eventual winners, Feyenoord) and 1971 quarterfinals (lost to Atletico Madrid). Stachurski was the nominated penalty taker for years, including the cup games, and he always placed them in the same spot: the right corner (left of the keeper), and all the opposition knew that. Yet he never missed one and never had one saved, because of his consistency. And because I saw that on a grainy black and white TV as a child, I still consider it a standard that you simply must score from a penalty. End of.