Goalkeeping is not simply about making eye-catching dives to the top corner of the goal. This session will help improve your goalkeepers’ distribution, catching from crosses and shot stopping – and your outfield players will benefit in dribbling, crossing and shooting techniques.
Improving distribution when throwing or passing out with your feet.
Being in charge when coming to catch crosses.
Improving shot stopping.
What to think about
Even a top goalkeeper such as “England’s number one” rates as only 8 out of 10 in most areas so they need to work on improving their shot stopping, distribution with hands and feet, catching crosses and communication – to name a few disciplines.
Reacting to the next ball and constantly adjusting their position in relation to the ball is crucial to a goalkeeper.
A recent study showed goalkeepers have seven more touches of the ball with their feet than they do with their hands. Therefore improving a goalkeeper’s passing and receiving skills is vitally important.
Set-up
Use an area 30 yards long and 40 yards wide for all practices.
Warm up
Session
Development
Game Situation
Warm Down
10 minutes
15 minutes
15 minutes
15 minutes
5 minutes
What you get your players to do
Two goalkeepers work at the same time. They throw or pass the ball out to their wide player. When a cross comes in from the opposite wing, the goalkeepers try to come and catch the cross. Immediately after this, the goalkeeper must react to make a save from a shot from an attacker. The goalkeepers have 30 seconds’ rest before repeating this circuit. Swap the wing from which crosses are made on a regular basis.
Each goalkeeper serves the ball wide, then tries to catch a cross and then reacts to a shot at goal.
Development
In a small-sided game, each team places a wide player with a supply of balls on the wing. After a shot on target, the wide player on the attacking team is allowed to cross a second ball into the penalty area.
This rule forces the goalkeeper to react quickly to a second ball in order to come and catch the cross or save a header/shot from the cross.
Related Files
Advanced-143-englands-number-one.pdfPDF, 264 KB
In a small-sided game, after each shot on goal, a cross is made into the penalty box to force a second reaction from the goalkeeper.
Game situation
Play a small-sided game but it is the goalkeepers who are in competition with each other. They compete in three areas: shot stopping, catching crosses and distribution. Goalkeepers earn a point for each successful shot stopped, cross caught, and pass made. At half time, teams change ends but the goalkeepers stay in the same goal so that neither has the advantage of having a better defence or attack.
The goalkeeper with most points wins. And the team with most goals wins the outfield contest.
Goalkeepers compete on most saves made, most catches made, most successful passes made in this small-sided game.
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Discover the simple way to become a more effective, more successful soccer coach. ALL the support you need to become a great Youth Soccer coach: ✓ Proven, practical coaching advice
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