Goalkeeping Tips, Tidbits and Random Thoughts

Insult to injury

Ouch. Talk about adding insult to injury... almost literally:

"Norwich goalkeeper [Robert Green], who came on for David James during the interval, injured himself when his leg seemed to collapse on him while taking a goal kick and Vitaly Kutuzov had the simple task of firing the ball into the unguarded net."
(SportingLife.com)

Always make sure you are well warmed up before working on goalkicks.

Labels: Matchday observations

Youth goalkeeper weaknesses

After watching a number of youth games this weekend, here are, in general, a few major weaknesses of most youth goalkeepers:

• Handling the ball cleanly. This is one of the foundations of goalkeeping, and it takes practice, practice, practice! Nothing is more detrimental to a team than having a keeper who continually bobbles the ball.


• Judging and claiming crosses. At the youngest ages, goalkeepers get plenty of practice on things that might seem difficult: low shots, diving, breakaways. What they don't see, until U11 or so (sometimes even older, especially on the girls' side) is flighted balls. It's the nature of the game at that level, but it also means less repetition on a part of goalkeeping that becomes critical later on.


• Throwing distribution. I think this part of the game is overlooked or even discouraged by coaches, especially at the youngest levels where the defenders don't have the skill or tactical knowledge to build out of the back. A keeper doesn't have to have to be able to throw 50 yards on a bullet to be effective distributing with their hands.

If you're a goalkeeper, what are you doing to improve these parts of your game if they are weak?

If you're a coach, how are you helping your goalkeepers get better in these areas? Even U8s and U10s can start to learn to judge crosses, even if they won't see many in a game, or be encouraged to throw or roll the ball out to teammates rather than put up a 50/50 punt every time.

Labels: Matchday observations