Carling Cup hero Ben Foster watched videos of Tottenham players taking penalties immediately before the shootout which ended with Manchester United maintaining their quintuple quest at Wembley.
As Sir Alex Ferguson decided which players were going to take spot-kicks, Foster was looking at an iPod with goalkeeping coach Eric Steele.
And the novel approach worked a treat as Foster saved Jamie O'Hara's penalty before David Bentley fired wide, allowing Anderson to step up and win the cup after the two sides had failed to find the target in 120 minutes.
"We have done a lot of research into the way each player is going to put their penalty," Foster, 25, explained.
"We went into the shootout as well prepared as possible.
"We have had things to look at over the last couple of days and before the shootout you can see me looking at an iPod with Eric Steele.
"It had actual video on it and showed where players put things."
Steele introduced the research aid to training after being appointed as goalkeeping coach following the decision of Tony Coton to step down due to injury.
"It is a new innovation for us," Foster added. "Eric brought it when he came to the club. I have never seen anything like it. It is a fantastic tool for us."
It was a famous day for Foster, who was making only his seventh United start despite joining the Red Devils almost four years ago.
Two successful spells on loan at Watford followed, then a cruciate knee ligament injury that put him out for a further 12 months.
Now he has a precious medal to start his collection, as well as the biggest hint possible that he is first choice to become Edwin van der Sar's eventual successor.
"I am delighted to win it," said Foster. "It is a cruel way to win but that is the way things go.
"When it comes to penalties, goalkeepers cannot lose. We are not expected to save them. If we do, it is a bonus."
Knowing Van der Sar won the biggest shootout of all at the Champions League final in Moscow last year, Foster took some advice from the veteran Dutchman before his own moment in the spotlight.
"Edwin has not got a bad record with penalties and he just told me to be as intimidating as possible," he said.
"I stood up for as long as I could and thankfully it worked."
