-The Quintessential Guide on the History & Art of Goalkeeping-

I actually decided to write this for a Milan site but had to post it here as well.

Lets put it out there. The current methodology (or lack of it) of evaluating an association football Goalkeeper are contorted, skewed and high misrepresentation of a goalkeeper's worth and potential and his respective performances. Why? A goalkeeper's performance is purely subjective, it is intangible, an anomaly. It works essentially as a Michelson-Morley Experiment of data transformation which only brings out subjective outliers, to which do injustice to the man in between the sticks. So how do we judge a goalkeeper? It all begins in what is proposed by the original "think-tanks" of goalkeeping who have forged the the blueprint of modern goalkeeping methods to the table, carved from over a century of trail & error, stimulated by the strive for perfection. The original school's of Goalkeeping thought originate from Eastern Europe (Balkans to be specific), Italia, Germany, and Scotland. I can profess mostly on Italia and Germany but will elaborate first with the knowledge I have learned of Balkan and Scottish Goalkeeping method.

Scotland

England commenced football and invented it yet the Scots were the first pioneers of goalkeeping perfection (the intention of it) as pitches were composed of moist leeways of recycled gardening chuck to which would be shocking if it would function as a pitch today. The heavier, more prone to soak Football's of the early century did not possess the unpredictable trajectories and movements of the pacy footballs to which are played with today. It was common to see the football lose velocity within the 10 yard box due to the goalkeeping area being heavily trodden and as a whole, the worst condition out of the whole pitch parameter, as this spurned from natural and intentional (from the GKs part) occurrences during the game. The Scottish gaffers emphasized goalkeepers to gain "mass" in order to increase the surface area ratio of the goalkeeper himself. Initial results were positive since the rookie footballers tend (like any rookie) in shooting straight at the keeper as one of the key ideas was to make the space between the sticks, smaller and more minute. Goalkeeping posts were made of wood back then (Pine to be exact) as it was a frequent occurrence to see the posts being snapped by the mass of the goalkeeper himself, shattering the posts through their purpose weight. It was the first time within the early footballing years where a seed of thought to improve goalkeeping was initiated, no matter how primitive. Scotland not only dared to approach goalkeeping perfection, yet their method was a catalyst to future cultivations of goalkeeping.

The Balkan Peninsula

To be more specific this refers mostly to Albania, Serbia, Crotia and the Bosnian Contingent. Post World War I (1918) their were rising tensions between and within the Balkan Peninsula. Football was imminently growing and goalkeeping was a sign of pride within the region as it was akin to being the Royal

авангарда

(Vanguard) of the field. The goalkeepers mentality imbued an aura that their pride was based upon keeping the integrity of their score, and more literally, the ball out of the net. It was what defined the early Balkan mentality within the men who were not only the providers, but the knights of their family against a not-so-united region. It was further spurned from the attempts at recovery from the WWI which ravaged parts of the peninsula as brought a mental fortitude which was encouraged within males of the Peninsula given the tensions of the Eastern Thrace and potential Balkan war. It was a trend that continued to be planted within their minds as here was formed the first blueprint in cultivating mentality that a goalkeeper should possess. The Balkans emphasized that intimidation tactics should be applied. They did this keeping intense eye contact onto the footballer who dared to challenge their goalkeeping space. They did this by unpredictable charges towards the one who possessed the ball following by cruel dives without any caution of injury to themselves or the opposer. They emphasized dominance by wide gestures within the box, by shouting in near painful decibel levels in order to enforce their intimidation. Actions such as attempts to command not their teammates but the oppositional footballers along with instilling a sense of ownership within the box that would attempt to dis balance a footballers' psych within the box. The Balkans were the pioneers of creating the mental archetype to which modern goalkeepers would adhere to and seek, albeit in a far more refined manner.

Germany & Italia

In comes two of the most successful nations in Europe. I align them together mostly because German & Italian goalkeepers is the area in which both nations successfully developed with each other and through multiple cultural crossovers. Funnily enough, hybrid schools of thoughts were created and reciprocated from Italians in Germany and Germans within Italia, both very similar yet minor differences to which are merely incidental. German population (and descent these days) is a common feature within the Italian province of Lombardia to which holds the city of Milano. Italian population was and still is strong within the Bavarian, Rhine-Ruhr, Hessia and cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Stuttgart. How was it formed? A combination of the German-Italian European Economic Community and of course, the Wirtschaftswunder which stimulated the footballing culture (in stasis during WWII) with both parties within each others countries, all of which interdependently reciprocated and relayed the first art of formal goalkeeping school.

Here is the field blueprint of how it was aligned: (Pictures courtesy of alertgoalkeeping & Coverciano Castellenato)





ShotStopper (Red) (colpo tappo/Schuss Anschlag)
Wing Play (Yellow) (Ala gioco/Flügelspiel)
Sweeper Keeper (Violet) (spazzatrice portiere/Kehrmaschine Torhüter)
Wide Angle (Blue) (Grandangolare/Weitwinkel)

Ready Stance #1:(colpo tappo/Schuss Anschlag)


-Composed of bent knees, narrow stance, hunched shoulders and minimal movement to anticipate and not pre-meditate.The goalkeeper should stand with feet shoulder width apart.
Hands are held at waist height (half-way between the ground and the head).Palms should be forward and fingers pointing up.
The goalkeepers body weight should be forward and he should be balanced on the balls of his feet.
The goalkeeper should utilize small hops/bounces to maintain tension on the legs and ensure that he is alert and ready for any sudden shots.
As the opponent raises the kicking leg in preparation for a shot, the goalkeeper should execute a 'Split-Step' to ensure that he places maximum tension on the legs to allow him to explode in the direction of the ball when the shot is taken.

-The goalkeeper will adopt this ready position when the ball is located within shooting range (red area).
-The most common techniques executed from this position are:
-Basic saves near the body (forward dive, scoop, bucket catch, 'W' Catch)
-Diving saves (collapse dive, gliding, etc.)
-Hop and Load (Hop und Last)
-Basic side to side footwork

Ready Stance #2: (Ala gioco/Flügelspiel)


-Stance composed of bent knees, torso facing the wing play with arms stretched out yet hands facing down, but head on looking directly ahead, parallel to the field. (Classic Oliver Kahn)

-The goalkeeper will adopt this ready position when the ball is positioned on the wings (yellow area) and a ball being crossed into the goal area is the most likely situation.
-The most common techniques executed from this position are:
-High Cross Catch
-Forward dive at the near post
-Punching (two handed, one handed)
-Tipping over crossbar
-Forwards Sprints
-Backwards cross-over steps

Ready Stance #3 (spazzatrice portiere/Kehrmaschine Torhüter)


-No formal stance except having your feet ready to make the sprints necessary to act as the "Libero" from your goalkeeping position

-The goalkeeper will adopt this ready position when the ball is NOT within shooting range (purple area), the ball is NOT positioned on the wings (yellow area), but in any other position on the field (red area).
The most frequent techniques executed from this position are:
-Forward sprints
-Backward sprints
-First time clearance
-Heading
-Punching

Ready Stance #4: (Grandangolare/Weitwinkel)


-Stance composed of knees bent in a squat postion, head parallel to the ground, arms stretched beyond shoulder distance on the outside of the knees in order to create the most surface area possible and practically. Provides quick collapse dives and ready reactionary saves resulting from rebounds.

-The goalkeeper will adopt this ready position when the ball is located within shooting range and at a very wide angle (blue area).
The most common techniques executed from this position are:
-Basic saves near the body (forward dive, scoop, bucket catch, 'W' Catch)
-Collapse Dive
-Foot Saves


Expanding upon the ShotStopper (colpo tappo/Schuss Anschlag)
-If you create a line in your mind going from each goal post to the center of the ball it will form a triangle. The opponent has to shoot the ball within the boundaries of the triangle to score (this is not completely true, the best players are able to bend the ball around obstacles, but for brevity sake, let's assume the opponent must shoot within the triangle). If the opponent shoots the ball outside the boundaries of the triangle the ball will travel wide of the goal.
As the goalkeeper moves out of the goal along the center of the triangle you will notice that the distance from the boundaries of the triangle decreases on both the goalkeepers left side and right side.
This means there is less room for the shooter to try and score. If the goalkeeper is able to get tight up against the ball, it is almost impossible for the opponent to shoot and score.

-As the ball moves further away from the center of the goal you will notice that the triangle starts to become narrower. This means the goalkeeper does not have to move as far out of the goal to be able to cover the boundaries of the triangle.

-In order to determine how far out of the goal he should stand, the goalkeeper first needs to imagine a line running parallel to the goal line approx. 3-4 yards out from the goal posts (red dotted line).
This line essentially splits the six yard box in half.

-He should then imagine a semi-circle running from the outside of each post out to the edge of the red line. The Germans refer to this as Torwart Halbkreis. The goalkeeper should maintain his 'Ready Position' and move along the 'Torwart Halbkreis' while staying directly in line with the ball and the center of the goal (Angle Play).

Another example of moving along the 'Torwart Halbkreis' while staying in line with the ball and the center of the goal (Angle Play), even when the ball is located at a wider position and inside the Penalty Area.
By using the 'Goalkeepers Arc' as a guide the goalkeeper will have several advantages:
-Narrow the angle
-Increase his 'Angle of Deflection'
-Maintain maximum 'Reaction Time'
-Eliminate 'Lobbed/Chipped' shots
Often times goalkeepers are encouraged to play further out of the goal and to try and get as close to the ball as possible, especially when it is inside the penalty area. The German/Italian philosophy strongly discourages this style of play. Often the goalkeeper will move past the 'Torwart Halbkreis' too early and get caught standing half-way between the ball and the goal. Germans refer often to this as the 'Totzone'
This is the worst possible place for the goalkeeper to be standing for several reasons:
Significantly reduces the goalkeepers 'Reaction Time'
Leaves him open to 'Lobbed/Chipped' Shots
More difficult/further to recover if the ball is passed to another opponent or a rebound occurs
Gives the opponent the option to try and dribble around the goalkeeper
The German goalkeeping philosophy encourages the goalkeeper to either 'Stay' or 'Go', but never to hesitate and get stuck in the middle.
As soon as the goalkeeper decides to leave the 'German Arc' he must move as fast as possible to try and make a 'Tackle' on the player in possession of the ball or to force him wide of the goal and buy his teammates time to recover and assist him.


(Picture made by CovercianoResource)

Here we see Manuel Neuer of Schalke 04 in the German Bundesliga using the 'Torwart Halbkreis' to position himself for a direct shot at the goal.

Expanding upon WingPlay (Ala gioco/Flügelspiel)

The goalkeeper must take into consideration several factors when dealing with balls played from the wings. How the goalkeeper uses and understands these factors will greatly improve his chances of success.
The first thing the goalkeeper needs to consider is the position of the ball on the field of play. When the ball is positioned on the wings (Yellow Area[earlierdiagram]), the goalkeeper must utilize his "Wing Play" tactics. The goalkeeper must consider "where exactly" on the wings is the ball positioned? The ball may be located in three general areas on the wings:
1) Wide and far away from the goall
2) Wide and within shooting distance of the goal
3) Wide and at an acute/tight angle to the goal
Where the ball is positioned will act as a strong visual cue to indicate where and how the goalkeeper should stand in the goal area.

One of the things the goalkeeper can do to ensure that he is positioned perfectly in the goal is to imagine a straight line running out from the center of the goal towards the penalty spot.
The goalkeeper should always stand somewhere along this line when positioning himself for balls being played from the wings (crosses).Once the goalkeeper is positioned on this line the only thing he must do now is read the position of the ball to determine how 'Far Out' along this imaginary line he should position himself.

To determine how far out he should stand the next thing the goalkeeper must do is imagine three additional lines running directly from the center of the ball towards the goal. One of these lines will run directly to the center of the goal while the other two lines will run directly towards the goal posts.This is often referred to as "Angle Play", but it is used a little bit differently then what you might do if this were a situation where the goalkeeper was expecting a direct shot on goal.
Depending on the situation, the goalkeeper may use the imaginary line connected to the "Far Post" and sometimes the goalkeeper may use the Blue Line running to the center of the goal. Other times the goalkeeper may not use any of these additional lines.
How exactly these additional lines will be used to determine positioning will be discussed in more detail below...

For balls that are:
1) Wide of the goal and not within shooting distance...
... in these situations the goalkeeper should position himself along the central line (Yellow Dotted Line) and the additional line drawn towards the far post (Red Line) should be used to determine how 'Far Out' to stand.
Where this Red Line intersects the Yellow Line is 'Exactly' where the goalkeeper should position himself in the goal area.
The goalkeeper can afford to position himself further out of the goal with little concern about being beat by a ball played directly towards the open net. The goalkeeper will have plenty of time to react to the flight of the ball and cover the net if the ball is heading there.


For balls that are:
2) Wide of the goal and within shooting distance...
... in these situations the goalkeeper should position himself along the central line of the box and the additional line drawn towards the center of the goal should be used to determine how 'Far Out' to stand.
The goalkeeper must position himself closer to the goal in order to be able to cover the open net if a direct shot is taken.

For balls that are:
3) Wide of the goal and at an acute/tight angle...
... in these situations the goalkeeper should position himself along the central line of the box and several steps out of the goal. Because the angle is so tight, there won't be any additional lines that the goalkeeper can use to determine his exact position in the goal area.
He will have to call on his instincts and experience to determine what an acceptable distance for him will be.
The goalkeeper can position himself further out of the goal because it will be very difficult for an opponent to shoot the ball at the open net from such an extreme angle. A more likely scenario is that the opponent will try to cut the ball back towards the penalty spot in front of the net for a teammate to try and direct at the goal.


Expanding upon Sweeper Keeper (spazzatrice portiere/Kehrmaschine Torhüter)

In order to be an effective 'Sweeper Keeper', the goalkeeper must position himself properly on the field. To do this he must be able to use his imagination.
The goalkeeper must picture an imaginary line (blue line) running from the center of the ball to the center of the goal. The goalkeeper must always position himself along this line.


The goalkeeper can then use his imagination to visualize a mini football field inside his own Penalty Area. This mini field should be as wide as the six yard box and extend all the way out to the edge of the Penalty Arc ("The D").
The goalkeeper will use this mini field to determine exactly how far out of the goal he needs to stand. Wherever the ball is located on the actual field, the goalkeeper will then stand the same distance in his mini field.

By employing the tactic of always positioning the same distance in his mini-field as the position of the ball on the actual field the goalkeeper will always be in the best position to intercept the ball when required or recover back into the goal to prepare for any other situations.The ball rarely stops moving in a game which means the goalkeeper must be in constant motion and always re-adjusting his positioning. This will ensure that the goalkeeper stays focused and warm for the entire length of the game.
The goalkeeper will find himself spending more time outside of the Penalty Area and becoming a more active and productive member of the team. He will turn potentially dangerous situations into advantages for his own team. Most importantly he will begin to eliminate goal scoring opportunities before they happen.

Expanding upon Wide Angle Play ((Grandangolare/Weitwinkel)

During Near Post Scenarios one of four situations will happen:
-Opponent will pass the ball away from goal to a teammate
-Opponent will lose control of ball
-Opponent will shoot
-Opponent will attempt to cross ball in front of goal
-The first situation is the easiest for the goalkeeper. He simply re-evaluates the situation and adopts the correct Ready Stance and executes the proper tactics depending on where the ball is received by the opponent.
If the opponent loses control of the ball the goalkeeper must make a split second decision on whether or not he can make it to the loose ball. If the goalkeeper determines that he can get to the loose ball then he must call 'KEEPER' and sprint out of the goal and either scoop up the loose ball or make a diving tackle if there are any opponents in the area.
If the opponent shoots, the goalkeeper must focus his energy on saving the ball. The goalkeeper must remain patient and not move too early. If he has adopted the proper Ready Position and is standing in the correct place, he will already have most of the goal scoring area covered. He does not want to accidentally move out of the way of the ball. If the ball is not going to hit the goalkeeper, he should only have to move a short distance left or right to make the save. Saves at Near Post scenarios can be made with any part of the body and the feet will be used on a lot of occassions.
The goalkeeper should attempt to catch the ball if he feels comfortable, but in most cases this will not be possible or an acceptable risk to take. The goalkeeper should be more focused on how to control the rebounds. All rebounds should be directed out of bounds past the near post using the hands, body or feet. If the rebound cannot be directed out of play, it should be directed back towards the corner flag away from the front of the goal.
If the opponent decides to cross the ball in front of the goal the goalkeeper has three options:
-Attempt to intercept the cross by catching it (in the air, or along the ground)
-Attempt to re-direct the cross by deflecting it
-Let the cross go and recover his position in front of the goal
-The goalkeeper should only try to intercept or deflect the cross if he is 100% sure of making contact with the ball. If the goalkeeper fails to catch or re-direct the ball he will be left completely out of position and unable to have any further influence on the play. This will also leave the goal wide open to any attacks for an agonizingly short period of time until the goalkeeper is able to recover his position.

These are the four quintessential goalkeeper technique and stratagem forged by the mentioned period between a interdependent German/Italian effort, which is strangely ignored by the media given that only the most diligent football historians know of this collaboration. It was formed by years of intensive training, scientific research, trail and experimentation along with the successful reciprocation between the two countries philosophies which helped expand upon their blueprint tactics.

Goalkeeper Reaction Time The Germans speak of "Reaction Time', I am referring to how long it takes the goalkeeper's hands to start moving in the direction of the flight of the ball once it has left the shooters foot (head, chest, etc.). Basically, it is the amount of time the goalkeeper takes to:
1) Have his eyes process the ball
2) Send the signal to the brain about the direction of the ball (central nervous system)
3) Send the signal back from the brain to the hand (central nervous system)
4) Hand shifts in direction of ball
Scientific research has shown that the effectiveness and speed of the central nervous system is mostly dependant on genetics, and that it's speed/effectiveness is locked in from a very early age (definitely pre-pubescent, most likely even earlier). Once your central nervous system
has been locked in, there is almost nothing that can be done from a training stand-point to advance it. Therefore you either have it (fast reflexes), or you don't. Coverciano performed video analysis to measure the 'Reaction Time' of the goalkeepers playing professionally in some of the top leagues around the
world (EPL, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, La Liga, etc.). Germans found that when the ball is shot from medium to long distances (16+ yards), every single professional goalkeeper reacted in exactly 8 frames per second (fps) or approx. 27/100th of a second in time. Germans did not find one professional goalkeeper who reacted faster (7 frames or less) (Except Buffon,Iker,Kahn,Schmeicel) or one professional goalkeeper who reacted slower (9 frames or more). Therefore it can be assumed that to play as a goalkeeper at the top levels of the game your 'Reaction Time' must measure exactly 8 fps.

The Italian division of research have hypothesized that the one exception might be the onset of old age. Most top professional goalkeepers begin to lose their form between the ages of 38-42. I believe this is a direct result of their central nervous system slowing down. Once an aging goalkeepers 'Reaction Time' dips to 9 fps, he will no longer be able to play effectively at the professional level. German division believe(d) that it could actually be possible to detect the exact day when a professional goalkeeper slips from 8 fps to 9 fps with the use of a simple 2 minute test using nothing but a handy cam. Possessing a 'Reaction Time' of 8 fps is a requirement of any male goalkeeper who expects to play and perform at an elite senior level effectively. This would not only include professional soccer, but also the top amateur and University/College leagues. The ability of male opponents to kick and head the ball with tremendous speed makes it a necessity. Females goalkeepers who do not possess a 'Reaction Time' of 8 fps may not be limited too much by this factor. The speed of the female game is slow enough that the female goalkeepers can compensate
with solid positioning and playing in an aggressive manner. Even before the use of video, there are some tell-tale signs that goalkeepers will exhibit that may suggest they possess a slow 'Reaction Time'.
These include, but may not be limited to:
1) Inability to make a clean catch (bobbles the ball).
2) Ball goes through the goalkeepers hands frequently.
3) May get hit in the face or groin frequently.
4) Rarely makes a quick in close reaction save, especially if the ball deflects or changes direction near to the goalkeeper.
5) Struggles on long range shots that may change directions slightly on the way to the goal (knuckle balls, bending balls, etc.).
6) Slow in reading the play in and around the goal mouth area.
For the Spaniards, a male goalkeeper who possesses a 'Reaction Time' of 9 fps or more is doomed to fail once he reaches the U18 level and above. Female goalkeepers on the other hand need to have their 'Reaction Time' identified early in their career and then their playing style must be adjusted to suit their 'Reaction Time'. A female goalkeeper who possesses a 'Reaction Time' of 10 fps or more, must be encouraged to play in a more aggressive manner. For example, they must be strong in the tackle and making barrier style saves. They must be more aggressive in coming for and eliminating crosses. They must be Risk Takers. A goalkeeper who possesses a top Reaction Time can afford to be more patient. They can stay closer to the goal line and be reactive to the play around them.

How to Judge a Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper plays a decisive role in the outcome of each and every game. Saves are made and goals are scored at pivotal moments in the game and the keeper’s performance during these key moments can win and lose games. Although the key moments are typically what people remember of a keeper’s
performance, it’s actually the time spent in between the dangerous plays that ultimately
prepares the keeper for success or failure. Goalkeepers who make good use of this
“down time” can dramatically improve their performance as well as their team’s.
However, all too often players and coaches think on a small scale by judging keepers
only by their shot stopping. In these narrow terms the goalkeeper is limited and his
influence on the game diminished.
To think on a larger scale is to consider how the goalkeeper can use every minute of the game to positively influence his team and remain prepared for the soccer problems he could face. Because this down time is so important, players and coaches must redefine the goalkeeper’s job responsibilities in order for the goalkeeper to stay completely connected to the game. This can be challenging for the coach because the nature of the game is to follow the ball. Players, coaches, and spectators are used to watching the ball wherever it goes and when the ball is away from the keeper he can become complacent
and disconnected from the game. To combat this complacency, keepers must develop strong habits and they must believe that their effort to constantly connect to the game will pay off for their team in the end. A sense of responsibility and self directed action is needed from the goalkeeper.

A journalist once asked Manuel Neuer how he felt about the easy game he played after his team won 3-0 in the Bundesliga. Neuer responded with a laugh and, half way jokingly, said his job is “always hell,” regardless of the score line. He went on to say that he is constantly in high alert and must maintain a high level of urgency for 90 minutes, regardless of his team being 3-0 up or 0-3 down. Although the term “hell” was meant to be a bit of an overstatement, he nonetheless conveyed the value he places in his responsibility over the course of an entire game, not just the obvious dangerous moments. This level of physical urgency and mental concentration can often leave a goalkeeper exhausted, even when they were only called on to make a couple of saves in the whole game. This is the high standard of performance that all goalkeepers can aspire to and develop within themselves.

Eike Himmel who closely works with female goalkeeping department in Germany and Northern Italia, pioneered these following methods:The goalkeeper must constantly mind her positioning when the ball is away from her, regardless of which team has possession. When done properly, she should adjust his positioning every time the ball is passed or dribbled to a new location. This means moving vertically and horizontally in relation to the ball. A simple way to do this is to stay on the “ball line” at all times, even when the ball is in the other half of the field. Often keepers are only required to stand at the top of the 18 and many keepers and coaches are ok with this. This low standard is the very least a keeper can do. Without adjusting to the play, this turns the keeper into more of a spectator than a participant as the ball moves around the field. Inevitably a counter attack will unfold and before the keeper knows it they can find themselves out of position. Furthermore, they often are “switched off” because of standing still for several minutes and neither their brain or body are prepared for action. As a spectator the keeper is much less prepared to play the game.

The higher standard requires the keeper to be constantly involved, moving and adjusting, so as to become an active participant instead of a mere spectator. This is the most the keeper can do. By the higher standard the goalkeeper is very much prepared and can benefit in these ways:
-His will be closer to her defenders and can therefore communicate more effectively.
-His stays “switched on” or “connected” mentally through active participation.
Physically he is moving more often and therefore the muscles stay stimulated and primed. He is always in an optimal position to offer support to her teammates should they need to play to him.
-Should his team lose possession of the ball he is already on the ball line and ready to defend her goal against the counter attack. (keepers stood at the top of the “D” when the ball is out wide leave themselves vulnerable because, if their team loses the ball, they must scurry to get onto their ball line before a shot occurs.
-Should the opposition play in behind her defenders he can offer defensive support by acting as the “keeper/sweeper.”By constantly adjusting to stay on the ball line the habit becomes second nature
and will begin to happen without thought. This becomes particularly useful when the ball is near their 18 because, instead of worrying about her positioning prior to a shot or pass, he can concentrate on the ball and organizing her teammates

Urgency and Body Composition (Ideas Formulated by a collaboration of FIGC and DFP early 70s)
The position of goalkeeper is dynamic and requires a high level of athleticism, mobility, and explosiveness. Too often keepers do not prepare their bodies for action and are left to fend at the mercy of the attacker,rather than being primed to assert their presence and dominate the field. The keeper is disconnected from the game when his body is not prepared (standing still for too long, weight on the heels, knees locked, arms folded, etc)while conversely, he is very connected to the game when he develops good habits for keeping his body primed and prepared (moving often and quickly, weight on the balls of the feet, knees slightly bent, shoulders forward, etc). Also, by preparing the body, the
mind tends to remain in a healthy, alert state which allows for quick decision making
and rapid responses from the body’s systems.

The following ideas can help keepers remain vigilant in staying physically connected and remaining on high alert:While adjusting to the ball when it is away from you, be sure to stay on the balls of the feet and move swiftly with sharp shuffles and steps. (Some keepers prefer to keep their feet staggered, one in front of the other, to help them to take a positive first step forward.) When the ball comes within 40 yards of your goal your urgency should rise and this should show in your body posture and composition. The weight should be transferred forward on the balls of the feet and the shoulders over the toes. Tension must exist in the knees by bending or slightly bouncing to create energy and avoid becoming stagnant. In colder weather it may take more movement at safe times (corner kicks, substitutions) to keep the body temperature up and muscles ready.Too often keepers do not show enough physical urgency until the time of a shot or cross and sometimes this is too late. By being alert and physically urgent when the ball is in dangerous areas you can be sure you are as prepared as possible to deal with any situation. The lower standard merely requires you to be in position. The high standard requires you to be energized, urgent, and prepared to be athletic.

Communication

The goalkeeper has a great accountability to communicate and organize because his position allows him to see more of the field than any other player. By communicating proactively the keeper can diffuse the opposition’s attack and build his own team’s attack. By staying connected positionally the goalkeeper is always in the prime position to communicate to the players involved with the ball. By communicating to them, and then adjusting and sliding with them, he inevitably stays in better positions, which
allows for good communication, and thus a positive cycle is created.

Vision and Awareness of the Field

Connection to the game also means being aware of your surroundings. Goalkeepers typically have a very good view of the entire field. However, this vantage point is only useful if keepers make a point to look around and gather information. Too often goalkeepers play “blindly” because they only look around as a dangerous play occurs and not as the danger is building up. Or even worse, they are so fixated on the ball they never lift their head to look around. Along with creating the positive cycle of correct
positioning, correct posture, and positive communication, looking around to gather
information is imperative. By doing so, the keeper can give better information to her
teammates and can be more decisive in anticipating and responding to attacks.

Learning and Observation

A good way to learn and gain a greater appreciation for connection is to attend a high level match in person. In the collegiate and professional game this level of connection is a necessity and it really is missed on television because the cameras only follow the ball. Watching in person, especially from an elevated position in the stands, reveals that two well connected keepers will move in unison as they adjust to the ball. When the ball is cleared from the left end the keeper on that end will move up while the keeper to the right will drop back. When the ball is switched from the near side to the far side both
keepers will move to stay on their respective ball lines. Seeing this executed in person
can have a lasting impression.

The Italians & Germans are the fathers of modern goalkeeping philosophy. They've inherently become the architects of mental processes beyond intimidation but leadership in order to constructively be in control of the mentalities of your teammates and opposition within the box. It is common to see in German and Italian youth camps on how to successfully marshal and direct the defensive line along with striking fear into the hearts of the opposition just by your body language. Their intensive scientific and sample research has created only room for where innovation cannot stand but only evolution upon the footprints of their archetypes and tactics.

A Typical German keeper will be one with strong command over his box, consistent chatter and direction of his defensive line. Body language used to confuse and psyche the opposition. Strong presence in the air and within the box and saves made with pure conviction behind their dives, their conservative dives, their dives that are only needed in emergencies since their positional sense is so strong.

A typical Italian keeper will spend most of his time analysing the tactical structure of play, adjusting his micro-movements like a cricketer does before the ball is thrown at the batter. He will consistently shout convoluted tactics and while watching upon the game almost like a chess match. When pressured in the box, they will not look to make the save but adjust their bodies in order to predict the shot and be there before the attacker can make his move. Always focused on being one step ahead of the attacker.

Their Philosophy
Above all, the goalkeeper who assumes maximum responsibility during the game will consistently have the greatest influence possible. The keeper who ignores these responsibilities will have less of an influence and will only be doing part of their job. As mentioned before, these demands are rarely placed on goalkeepers from coaches and therefore it is the responsibility of the goalkeeper to show self direction and commitment to ultimately achieve their maximum performance and raise their level of play. For keepers who are not accustomed to this, the standard has been redefined and raised. It is now their challenge to reach this standard and maximize their impact during every moment of every game

To judge the worth of a goalkeeper is more tricky than any position these days. Too much is focused on clean sheets stats, save percentage OptaWhoScored ramble which is purely intangible to the goalkeeper ability. Italians and Germans produce the best Goalkeepers because they judge their technique, tactical prowess, propensity to perform and overcome their poor patch of form. They judge a goalkeeper by his sample sizes on a monthly basis and extrapolate their slightest movements in the most ludicrously micro analysis. Mentalities are taught such as having the sticks seem more narrow, leadership to synchronize your mind with the defensive line, rehashed and efficient streamlined versions of art of war and their cultural philosophies converted into Goalkeeping Strategem.

Goalkeeping has had to evolve consistently due to these new plastic balls which possess trajectories and curves not even intended by the attacker (See Cristiano and Roberto Carlos) as old fashioned German and Italian keepers have had a brief period of stasis in re-adjusting to pace rather than tactical games (which are being replaced by physicality and pace) while reflex keepers like the Spaniards thrive upon their technique. The German-Italian reciprocation isn't as strong as before yet once again proved to be back in contention by the evolution of new techniques which were formerly criticized. Adjustments to reinstate themselves back into the game such as punching the ball rather than catching it, deflecting a penalty shot rather than catching it, the German butterfly technique (inspired by ice hockey) in using legs to expand surface area of saves, the Italian technique of creating decoys just by your positioning and their zonal evolution in using the defensive line to create "false gaps" in the goalkeeping area. Things like these make Neuer and Buffon the most complete goalkeepers in the world, despite exaggerated mistakes which spurn from modern balls and defensive lapses. It is why Maier and Zoff are known as the representatives of the Italo-Germanic collaboration while old keepers such as Yashin are ignored, since they are effectively obsolete.

South Americans? No particular adaption or innovation of style aside from various and impractical "flair" methods which proved only useful for the GK wielding and not beyond its tutelage.

They constantly live by that keeping neutral and firm during penalties will be superior to all these jackasses that feel jumping around like a clown, sticking your tongue out and going left right left right will psych the opponent. It is laughed at since those techniques were obsolete since the Balkan method.

Being complete is merely the blueprint to what can have you rated yet statistical inference tells that stats used for performances are useless while more complex analysis of tactical in-box exploitation and conductive use of technique is what can effectively evaluate a goalkeeper. Yet with the increase absurdity of these petrol station balls, how can their be a reference point for what is the best way? By looking at what nation of goalkeepers know how to evolve their GKs game and how to adjust to the modern game. Italians and Germans and more recently, the English have learned to perfect this by a revolution in their method. Goalkeepers can be rated simply by the consistency of their technique and the equivocal constant of their tactics. Its what separates Acrobatic keepers like Lloris and Iker from Buffon and Neuer. Lloris and Casillas will consistently rely on their reflexes to bail them out, making the most easiest of saves look as if it was a stunning save. Buffon and Neuer are called the "Proffesors" due to their composure and highly calculative mental processes. The best goalkeepers are the ones who can read the game pre-hand, adjust accordingly, command their line simultaneously, and use not only their presence, their composure not only on the ground but within the air when seeking those air balls,and be less reactionary and more calculative of beyond the box. Beyond? Its what demanded of goalkeepers these days in thinking ahead transcending onto attack, an idea formulated by Dino Zoff in his Juventus playing days. Best keepers at this are Reina, Valdes, Buffon, Neuer, Weindenfeller, Mandanda, Perin, Handanovic, Sirigu, Tim Howard, and Sergio Romero of Sampdoria. What will the future hold? Going back to the basics for Goalkeepers and looking at the Italo-Germanic method which has evolved and proven correct for generations now yet refused to be taught due to being too "difficult" and "intensive" for keepers. The common GK perspective will not change until their judgement is less subjective on short term basis, and transcending into long term evaluation based on their core propensity, ability and potential. Too fast are goalkeepers dismissed for their howlers and meek mentality when their core synapses and capabilities aren't read.

To judge a goalkeeper would be to judge a bottle of Vino. Comprehending its deep layers, what it provides onto your senses, its value, its multiple facets of flavour and olfactory sensations. Look beyond the man, and understand his thought process, not his saves. Where is the Art of Goalkeeping? Where has it gone?

(any other parts I have missed since having carpal during this process, feel free to ask and I will elaborate)

GOAT post.

Hope that was a cut n paste job

Ah, thank you very much i was waiting for this. i give you feed back as soon as im done

Lex wrote:Hope that was a cut n paste job

No aside from the provided pictures and icons along with the obvious expansion of philosophies this is written by me. I'm giving DnMac a run for his money.

@Nick. Thanks I'll be looking forward to it.

inb4 rwo

nick still reading?

Too long did not read









































































Jokes Great read

Make a book.

Excellent!

Great write-up (sorry I was a bit late as I had some work to do).

In an interview Manuel Neuer stated that he takes the leg stances from the handball keepers. I haven't heard him refer to ice-hockey, although I guess he gets his inspiration from whatever source helps him best.

Something else - female keepers are usually at a disadvantage because their average height is less than that of the average male keepers, while the height of the goals is the same.

Damn Arq great post

That was quite a read Arq, thanks again.

Having watched as many games as i have, it's obvious that most concepts like the arc circle midway in the inner box of the surface are things you pick up intuitively. But now it's put in an almost academic context so it's even easier to understand. Same with the differences stances according to the position of the ball on the pitch, but like i said, it's now put in an academic context. So just for this it was worth the read.

This paragraph

A typical Italian keeper will spend most of his time analysing the tactical structure of play, adjusting his micro-movements like a cricketer does before the ball is thrown at the batter. He will consistently shout convoluted tactics and while watching upon the game almost like a chess match. When pressured in the box, they will not look to make the save but adjust their bodies in order to predict the shot and be there before the attacker can make his move. Always focused on being one step ahead of the attacker.

rang particularly true to me since i have heard similar words from friend describing Buffon to me as a very cerebral goalkeeper that was highly reliant on technique as opposed to reflexes.

The part in which you draw the opposition of styles to current goalkeepers is truly what got my attention, it's precisely what i was after. GKs debate is something that i chose to ignore for the most part, yet i can still differentiate top notch keepers from scrub because the differences in abilities to stop shots, come out of the box and perform other goalkeeping duties are blatant.

It gets complicated however when you look at keepers of similar levels, or even excellent keepers that are being overlooked. How do you compare say Handanovic and Romero? De Gea and Courtois? Ter Stegen and Lloris? It's true that people nowadays only swear with shot stopping statistics and clean sheets but i hate to use statitics in footy so i stay away from that.

Anyway, been watching few clips of gks since reading this and it's crazy how much i am paying attention to spacing in between the goal posts and the angles now. So just for that, thanls again

Do you have a translation to that into Spanish to send to a friend?

Did you write it yourself or it is from a source?

I don't know what to add to that, so I'll just say thanks for writing it. Great read.

Great article, but at least give credit where credit is due. All of the pictures and the majority of the text were taken from a website called "Serious Goalkeeping".

There are tons more goalkeeping articles available on the site. Check it out.

There is a youTube video focusing on most of what is discussed in the article - youTube Search - Goalkeeping Seminar Positioning

Cheers.