The qualities of a competent goalkeeper

As a soccer enthusiast Alexander Sabadash is quite fond of sharing his passion through a series of blogs which his readers can learn from. Today, he talks about the qualities of a competent goalkeeper.

1. Flexibility

As the goalkeeper, there is a lot of pressure on you, because the only way that an opponent can score against your team is when they make an attempt go through your defense successfully. When an opponent makes his move on your goal, you really don’t know exactly where the ball is headed. Since it can go either side, you can really use some flexibility on your part so that your body can act as a wall against the ball, shares Alexander Sabadash.

2. Foresight

Foresight is skill that can be developed, but it is quite tricky. It takes a lot of experience and practice in actual games, but when you are able to determine your opponent’s likely move, you will have a clear advantage. Foresight may require you to drill down to the very specific details if you study your opponent’s tendencies and behaviors. Just like in poker, be very aware of your offensive player’s tells so you can adjust accordingly.

3. Speed

Just because you have taken the role of goalkeeper doesn’t mean that you take no interest in speeding up your game. Speed has a lot to do with a goalkeeper’s efficiency, especially when it comes to reacting to the offensive attempts on the goal you are protecting. Also, the job of a goalkeeper does not end when he blocks a shot. It’s also about reacting quickly enough to bring the ball back to the offensive formation of your team, reminds Alexander Sabadash.