Being a goalkeeper is the most underrated position in soccer. No one cares about them until the situation starts to get dire. And when it gets dire, they are always the ones to take the blame. This is a very important role that not many people understand. With these 4 useful tips, you will be able to take your goalkeeper game up to the next level.
1. Gear Up
Your gear is very important as a goalkeeper. As the rest of your teammates only run around, you need to think about other things. Gloves are the goalkeepers’ best friend and having the best durable goalkeeper gloves can improve your ability to catch the ball. Having gloves that do not fit you or are uncomfortable to wear can not only have an effect on your ball catching ability but may also damage your hands over time.
2. Think Logically
When you are not in action trying to defend your goal, you must think about what may happen next. You can not just stand there mindlessly daydreaming about something else until there is a ball in front of you. Try to see the pattern of how the enemy team is playing. To whom are they most likely to pass the ball when going in for the score?
Is there an unexpected opening in your defense where they might slip in? These are just some of the questions you should ask yourself when analyzing how the enemy team is playing. Always keep in mind the tactics your team uses as well. Knowing how your players play and where they are on the field will also have a serious impact on how you should position yourself.
3. Practice Saving Penalties
Penalties are often a very good efficient way of getting a goal. Many goalkeepers do not practice saving them and so they can not defend these shots. You should know that practicing with your friends can put you in a real-life situation of how this looks like. That is the best way for you to learn all the ways of making the odds go in your favor when defending. This will also be good practice for your friends to see if they could actually score when a penalty happens.
4. Do Not Stress About It
This might be the most important piece of advice but is much easier said than done. There will be failures and struggles, you must face them, and that is perfectly fine. It is all just part of this whole process of getting better. It really is not worth stressing about what, a ball going through some metal bars with a net? When you accept all of this and start embracing it without stress, that is when you will see real progress.
There is of course much more to being a great goalkeeper than just these 4 tips. These ones are just to set you into motion, the rest is up to you. Following through with these tips and practicing is what will make you great. And once you achieve it and start seeing the improvements, you will be the one responsible for the great success. It will not be easy, but that just makes the prize even sweeter.