Goalkeeping Tips, Tidbits and Random Thoughts

Show or substance?

Over on SoccerNet, Steve Davis writes:

"I can't quite endorse Colorado goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul and his theatrics, his unconventional and yet strangely successful methods, the silliness of "Bouna Time" and the other comedy that unfolds around the goal at DSG Park. But I'll say this: His high jinks make MLS a more interesting place."

I'll agree that Condoul makes things interesting. I saw him debut last year as a starter for the Rapids. Here's some footage of him recently against Kansas City, and even this brief glimpse lets you see a few, um, interesting plays. I have to say that I preferred Joe Cannon in the Colorado net.

Both keepers are quality, but the way they approach the task is quite different. Condoul is more flash, more showy but can occasionally make a big bone-headed mistake. Cannon might not get that one "Save of the Year" candidate, but he exudes an aura that nothing short of a brilliant shot will get past him.

Which kind of keeper are you? If you're a coach, which kind of keeper do you prefer? In the end it's personal preference, but I go more with the Cannon type. I want a goalkeeper who almost never lets in the stupid, soft goal. I don't want my defense constantly having to think about what is going to happen behind them. A defense that is confident in its goalkeeper, I think, will play better. In particular, they will feel able to support the attack more since they are confident that things are secure behind them.

In my opinion, goalkeepers ought to make the simplest save possible. Save the showy stuff for when it's really needed.

Goalkeepers are no fun any more

Former Colombia No. 1 Rene Higuita thinks that goalkeepers are no fun any more. Where are the keepers who try to dribble the entire opposition? Has anyone else ever even attempted a scorpion kick in a high-profile match?

Of course, Roger Milla has Higuita's antics to thank for this goal in the 1990 World Cup finals.

Labels: Goalkeeping News and Analysis

The easiest save

I found a great picture over at The Guardian of David James making a diving save with excellent form:



He's at full stretch, but his head, eyes and hands are aligned, he's focused on the ball with two hands securely on it.

Our goal as keepers is to make every save look like the easiest save possible. The easiest save is one that is right in front of us. So a big part of why we dive is to get our body behind the ball as much as possible. If you plucked a keeper with good form out of mid-air, he should look like he is saving an easy ball in front of him:



The only difference is that he is horizontal and several feet off the ground.

Labels: Diving

Better?

Seth Godin asks: Better?

"Are you better at what you do than you were a month or two ago?

A lot better?

How did you get better? What did you read or try? Did you fail at something and learn from it?

If you got better faster, would that be a good thing? How could you make that happen?"

Labels: Psychology

Common keeper communication

Goalkeeper communication with the defense needs to be specific. "Mark up!" is one of the things I hate to hear most... unless you have a defender named Mark on your team who needs to move "up"! Otherwise, it is meaningless. Everyone typically thinks somebody else has got it covered.

The most common thing I probably say to defenders when in net is, "Step to the ball!" They are sometimes unsure, and it seems I can see the shot coming well before anyone else. Shutting down the shot before it happens is critical.

After that, I tell defenders about free players... to their right, left, behind them, outside of them or in the middle, etc. If players are marked before the ball arrives, again my job is made that much easier.

There are a few things that goalkeepers might not think to say, however. Another frequent bit of info I tell my defense, especially central defenders, is "Stay there!" They will often start to drift towards the ball when it's on the flanks, exposing dangerous space in the center of the field. Often, they don't need to drift out at all, but will be fine just holding the center right where they are.

I will also try to give positive feedback. If a defender is in good position but has a lot going on behind them, I might just tell them, "You're okay!" And of course, there kudos for great defensive stops, but also a pat on the back for solid, organized defending if I've not had to move them around much at all.

Labels: Tactics

Which end are we attacking again?

Being a goalkeeper is hard enough without your own team shooting at you.

Labels: Matchday observations

Glove storage and care

Some good advice on storing gloves over at TheGloveBag.com.

Labels: Equipment

The howling wind

Ever thought you played on an incredibly windy day? Try this.

Labels: Miscellaneous

Save the easy PKs

The high school girls team I coach opened their season tonight. With us up 1-0 and 13 minutes left, the other team is awarded a penalty kick (and rightly so). My goalkeeper, who has played the position for several years but has never had any formal training, steps to her line. We haven't really worked on PKs, but I have passed along my advice to not guess and simply react to the shot if you don't get a strong read. The shot goes right down the middle, and she makes the save without even moving. I don't know if it was poorly hit, or if the kicker expected the goalkeeper to guess and dive out of the way.

Regardless, what could have been a 1-1 game and a huge momentum swing ended up in a 2-0 victory for us.

Save all the ones you should, then save a few of the ones you shouldn't.

Labels: Penalty Kicks

Goalkeeper own goal

Poor Jussi Jaaskelainen. It's not often you get goalkeepers credited with an own goal, but he managed to do it in Bolton's match against Liverpool this past weekend. On a shot that might not even have been going in, a lowish drive by Steven Gerrard, Jussi didn't get his hands to the ball. In fact, it takes a bounce, hits him in the side of the head, bounces out a few feet in front of the goal, and then the spinning ball rolls into the net. Ouch, physically and mentally.

Labels: Matchday observations