Here are some basic training drills that can help turn you from an amateur goalkeeper into the likes of Edwin Van Der Sar or Petr Cech.
Catching - Being able to keep hold of the ball under pressure or following a powerful shot is an essential part of being a goalkeeper. Drills to help improve this are:
- Stand opposite a wall and drop kick the ball against.
- Try to catch the ball as it rebounds
- Vary the height and power of your kicks as this will test your ability to move forward to catch the ball as well as reacting to a ball with fast and slow pace.
- You can also simulate this with an outfield player who can drop-kick the ball towards you, removing the need for a wall
Shot-Stopping – A goalkeeper’s primary job is to keep the ball out of the net and a drill to help improve this skill is:
- An outfield player takes the ball and places it on the edge of the penalty box (the 18-yard line)
- You stand on the goal-line facing the ball.
- The player should then randomly choose where to place the ball with a varying degree of power and accuracy to test your all-round ability to block the shot. He then moves the ball a yard closer and repeats this exercise.
- The player continues to do bring the ball a yard closer each time until he reaches the penalty shot. He should then take a one-step run-up and try and place the ball and not power it.
- The outfield player can also try and score from a ball that has been saved by you and returned into the penalty area. This will test the speed at which you regain your position.
Anticipation and Reactions – Anticipating the flight of a ball or the direction of a shot is a key skill to have and can be vital to being a successful shot-stopper.
- Stand on the goal line facing into the net.
- An outfield player takes the ball and stands about eight yards away.
- They then shout “now” and you will turn around and try and stop the shot that they are about to take.
- This can be difficult at first but it will definitely improve the way you anticipate the shot as well as make you aware of the striker’s body language as they shape to shoot.
Distribution – The accuracy of a goalkeeper’s throw or kick can be the difference between launching a counter-attack and putting your team under pressure.
- Make three circles of cones on the half-way line that are approximately four yards in diameter.
- Put one circle on the left wing, one on the right wing and one in the middle
- Take turns at trying to get your kicks from the floor as well as your hands to land inside the coned area.
- If you find it difficult, then increase the size of the coned area and smaller if too easy.
- If you are struggling to reach these cones then simply move the coned areas closer to the goal. This will make you feel more comfortable when kicking during a game.
Commanding Your Area – Organising your defence and inspiring confidence in them is a key part of being a goalkeeper. This means talking to your defence and warning them about players’ movements, holding the offside line and calling if you are coming to claim the ball. This drill can help with this:
- You stay on the goal-line while four outfield players are the defence.
- Two other players will be the strikers and will try to score a goal.
- You have to direct the defence and they cannot move unless you tell them to. You will direct them towards the player as well as let the other defenders know where the other striker is. This will make them wait for your command as well as using their own initiative.
- This will make you talk to defence and tell them what is happening around them.
- To make this harder add more strikers and vary the play using free-kicks and corners.
Sources:
- All drills are based on training techniques personally experienced following training from Scottish International footballer, Frank Gray and former 1st team goalkeeper for Woking Football Club, Oliver Wood.
Andrew Stewart - I'm a freelance multimedia journalist who enjoys writing, reporting and presenting pretty much anything. I have a background in Zoology ...
