/Goalkeeper footwork: proactive vs reactive

A lot is made of footwork in goalkeeping. You could argue that it is perhaps the most important skill a goalkeeper can master, with good footwork increasing your chances of keeping the ball out of the net in almost any situation you might face:

• Low, mid or high dives
• Rushing to smother or block an advancing attacker
• Claiming a high ball from a corner or cross
• Reacting to deflections
• Recovering for follow-ups or rebounds

The chances of achieving a positive outcome in all of these situations stem from good footwork, and with it, good movement.

In this post, I want to look at the difference between proactive and reactive footwork and how placing a greater emphasis on the former can bring more success to the goalkeeper.

When you think of the phrase “reactive footwork”, you might automatically think of those instances where perhaps you haven’t had a chance to set yourself properly due to a developing situation and are recovering or reacting to a live scenario.

That’s certainly true, but what I want to focus on in this instance is more on the subject of reading the game and preparing for the likely dangers ahead by being proactive, rather than waiting until the last moment, which in turn forces you to be reactive.

Scenario A

Let’s say there’s an attack building down the left wing. As a goalkeeper, at this point you should be identifying the potential dangers that are coming your way; how many players are in the box? Where are they positioned? Is there anyone arriving late? Are they loading at the near far post? Is the winger more likely to cross or are they going to cut inside and shoot? This ‘scanning’ and reading of the game is a key mental skill that all goalkeepers should master, but once you’ve gathered that information, you need to use it and prepare yourself appropriately.

At this point, it’s time to get into a position to deal with the danger, and that means moving those feet. Taking a proactive approach here would be to assess the most likely scenario that’s going to bring the ball near to your goal and move into the right place. If you feel it’s likely to be a deep, out-swinging cross because the winger is left-footed and there are players arriving towards the back post, then you might move a few steps towards the far post and perhaps 4 or 5 yards out from your goal line to give yourself a better chance of claiming the cross.

However, if you decide that, because they’re right-footed and love to shoot, they’re going to cut inside and try and curl a shot to the far corner, you might drop back towards your goal line and ensure you’re covered against that danger. This is being proactive with your feet.

If you were to adopt a reactive approach, then you might just stay central to your goal regardless of how the situation develops and wait and see what happens, attempting to react accordingly as the danger unfolds further. This approach might give you a more neutral starting point, but you may well find that by not reading the game and preparing for the danger well enough, your chances of taking control of the ball when it eventually comes in are not as high as they could and should be.

Scenario B

Let’s look at another situation that many goalkeepers might face during a game of football. This time, an attacking player is unmarked on the edge of the ‘D’, just outside your penalty area. The ball is off to the side, but the player in possession is well-marked and has no real options other than to play the ball across to the attacker, who, due to being in a fair amount of space, will likely shoot.

As you’ve read this potential play and identified the danger, you can be proactive with your footwork. If the attacker hits that rolling ball first time, the likelihood is (due to his stronger foot, position, players between him and the goal, and direction the ball will come at him from) that it will out-swing high towards your far post. With this in mind, you can prepare yourself positionally by perhaps taking a couple of steps back, getting on your toes, getting your knees bent, and being ready to make a high dive.

If you were being reactive here and haven’t identified the likely danger that awaits, you might be positioned too far out, flat on your heels, and too focused on the player in possession. You’ve left your far post wide open and, should the ball make its way in that direction, you have little to no chance of making the save.

Summary

Now of course, there is always the chance that things don’t unfold the way you predict, but that’s football and there will always be situations in the game where you are required to rethink, readjust and react as a situation unfolds.

By being proactive however, wherever possible, you increase your chances of being able to deal with the most likely form of danger that’s coming your way, and any advantage that you can gain as a goalkeeper can be crucial. Being able to effectively deploy this approach certainly relies on an ability to be able to read the game and identify danger as the play develops, but by mastering these two skills, you will find that you are able to be more in control and ultimately keep that ball out of your net.