The Easiest Save a Goal Keeper Can Make

Authored by Mike Siler
Infinity SC Goal Keeper Director

What is the easiest save that a goalkeeper can make? Many of you are likely thinking that the easiest save is to scoop up a ball that is slowly rolling towards you. Although I wouldn't consider a front scoop a difficult save to make you still have to position yourself well, come out to cut off the angle, and temporarily take your eyes off of the field to look down at the ball not knowing who is in front of you or if you are going to be bumped. So is this the easiest save to make? No.

Even before the ball enters the 18 yard box the goalkeeper is processing the game, evaluating the defense, assessing the attack, and addressing any potential threats. In case you are still wondering; what is the easiest save that a goalkeeper can make, it is a verbal save. Ironically this is the save that most coaches will not notice but most all defensive players will. Goalkeepers with strong communication skills get shutouts and shutouts are the gold standard in the goalkeeping industry. Think of effective communication as shutting down the shot before it happens.

So let’s talk a little about what makes good communication. Rule #1: Good communication should be loud so all of the defensive players can  you. One of my biggest pet peeves as a trainer is to see players shine in goalkeeper training then observe them in a game where they whisper to their players. Their players cannot hear them and they do not have confidence in them. Remember good communication gets shutouts. Rule #2: Communication needs to be specific. One of the best examples of poor communication that I have ever heard is someone yelling “Mark up!” Unless you have a defender on your team named “Mark” and you are telling them to move “up” this communication is not specific and gives poor instruction. Once again be specific and only provide simple and brief instruction. Rule #3: Your communication should be effective. This often comes with game experience knowing what to say and when. Also on the lines of effective communication is the goalkeeper has to earn the respect and trust from their defenders. If the goalkeeper has their trust and respect then what the goalkeeper says the defense does.

Now that we have addressed the communication rules lets discuss the communication roles of a goalkeeper. No other player on the entire field has the total vision that the goalkeeper has. The goalkeeper can see 21 out of 22 players and the entire field all at the same time. For this reason their communication to the defense should have total authority and should not be second guessed. The first thing that I do regarding communication is to ensure that I have addressed the immediate threat, the attacking player with the ball. The most common thing that a goalkeeper will say is either “contain” or “delay” (meaning slow down the attack and do not stab at the ball), or “step” or “step to ball” (meaning step to the ball and apply immediate pressure). Both of these terms have their place relative to the position and pace of the attacker. Imagine the ball at midfield and a defender “steps” too early no defensive support. In this case the attacker will have a giant breakaway. In this same midfield scenario, if the defender delays or contains the attacker, they can slow them down until supporting defenders can arrive to help eliminate the threat. Now if we move the point of attack inside the 18 yard box you will often hear “step” as the keeper can see the shot coming and a defender often does not know whether to play the ball or the passing angle. The keeper can eliminate the guessing game by giving the assignment to “step to the ball”.

After I have addressed the immediate threat, I look at all other attackers to assess their positions and to their
supporting attacking player. If I can make sure that the attackers are marked or the defense is aware of the supporting attackers before the ball arrives then I did my job as a goalkeeper. Communication that a keeper may use in regards to the open/unmarked attacking players may be something like this, “Abby, the one behind you is your mark”. Or another key communication that I constantly say to defenders is to “stay central and leave the flanks”. In case you have not noticed when communicating to the defenders that are responsible for the open attackers the communication is typically more instructive and a little more detailed as their role is not as immediate and they have time to process the information.

Good communication is loud, specific, and effective and is the most common and easiest save that the goalkeeper makes in a game.