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LOGINSafe hands and safe feet
The ability to deal with balls that come to the goalkeeper from all angles is one of the most important parts of a goalkeeper’s game. It relies on positioning, technique and good decision making. Most importantly, keepers need to be good with their feet as well as their hands.
What this session is about
- Distributing the ball with hands and feet.
- Making use of time and space out wide.
- Controlling the ball.
- Using a throw-out instead of kicking.
What to think about
Keepers must try to adopt good positions and to show positive body shape. They need to decide quickly whether to attack the ball or defend the goal. When distributing, consider throwing to the feet of the wide players – which one is easiest to reach? If using feet, pass with the side of the foot accurately and with the correct weight.
Set-up
| Warm up | Session | Development | Game Situation | Warm Down |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 20 minutes | 10 minutes | 10 minutes | 10 minutes |
What you get your players to do
Set up an area with a five-yard channel on each side.Use two goals with a keeper in each and four neutral outfield players, who will be playing the balls in to both keepers.
One goalkeeper throws to the other keeper, who catches and throws to one of the outfield players, who are positioned in the wide channels, as shown in the top picture.
The wide player crosses to the goalkeeper, as shown in the middle picture. If it is at a catchable height, the goalkeeper catches it and distributes it to the opposite goalkeeper.
If it is on the ground, the goalkeeper must control it with his feet and pass to the opposite goalkeeper who passes, without picking up, to one of the wide players.
Swap the order regularly so keepers have to throw and kick to all players.
Start the session with a keeper throwing to the other keeper, who then throws to a player out wide.
Development
Add two attackers and two defenders in each half and play from the goalkeeper as before.The idea is for attackers to seize upon mistakes and try to score goals. If an attacker gains possession, defenders try to stop them.
Distribution from keepers must still be to the wide men, who remain neutral and try to find the keeper with their cross.
Related Files
Advanced-217-safe-hands-and-sweet-feet.pdfPDF, 228 KB
The four players in the channels provide varying angles of delivery for the keeper to deal with.
Game situation
Play a five-a-side game (including keepers). Restarts are from a throw by the goalkeeper.Normal back pass rules apply so goalkeepers must use their feet in this instance. No long kicking is allowed by the goalkeeper.
Every attack must go through the goalkeeper so if a team wins the ball it must go back to the goalkeeper who plays it out with feet.
When the ball goes out of play it must be restarted with the goalkeeper throwing the ball to a team mate.
If the goalkeeper gets the ball off an opponent, he must use a throw to get the ball to a team mate. O
nly goalkeepers can go in the end zones. The team that scores most goals wins.
In a small-sided game, the back pass rule is in effect and keepers cannot kick long. However, they can also throw the ball.
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