OK, so here is the latest offering to coaches, players and anyone interested in all things GK, from Eddie Johnson of Reactions Goalkeeping.
A lot of this, as ever will be opinion but everyone has one and this is ours, so if you agree and find it helpful, excellent, let us know, but if you disagree still let us know, as we are always learning as well as teaching. Different perspectives and opinions can be invaluable to us to further help others.
Decision making in the role of a goalkeeper is possibly the most difficult thing to teach as in its essence it is opinion! One keeper’s decision to come out for a 50/50 one-on-one is different to another’s choice to stay set! If either is successfulm they cannot really be criticised but when that all-important decision results in a goal, that is when the armchair brigade start to wake up and pass comment . . . . . Oh she should’ve stayed back . . . . . He should’ve caught it instead of punching, etc, etc.
At the end of the day, a successful save is always the right decision but an unsuccessful one is not necessarily a bad decision, as sometimes the scorer was just too good!
For example, in the classic example of the well-debated argument of catch or punch, which we hear everyday, it is absolutely perfectly OK to always catch or always punch… if you always save a goal-scoring opportunity. The decision is correct if they didn’t score.
However, way we look at things is a logical one and we ask the question, ‘in any given situation, what are the odds of success?’
Now, as mentioned in previous articles, as humans we are lucky that we carry with us a super computer (our brain) capable of multimillions of computations per second and the decision does not need to be a conscious one, as if a keeper is coached correctly on the techniques of catching in multiple methods and punching in various ways and given enough relevant data (the match in front of them), the decision will be made for them.
Is this making any sense? What we are trying to say is that the decision-making process is governed by the original coaching, so it comes down to teaching keepers how to punch and how to catch in multiple situations and then helping them to understand the odds of success using either technique. Just let their brain take in all the information and the correct decision will most often occur as second nature.
What we will often be heard shouting on the training ground is not ‘great catch’ or ‘great punch’ but it will be ‘great decision!’ So in essence, there is no right or wrong, it is always a situational dictated decision.
That said, our opinion on catch v punch lies heavily biased towards letting catching override punching, especially in the learning process, as a failed catch will often parry the ball to safety but a failed punch attempt will never result in a catch. Sounds obvious really but it is that simple, why send one hand when two can have more effect and if two hands can get there. a catch has to be the best option in terms of safety and possession. There are occasions when keepers attempt a catch in a difficult situation get it wrong and then it could be argued that a punch might’ve been the better option – but there is the decision making we mentioned.
However, in our experience and opinion, there will be probably 20 times more success from attempting a catch than a punch and that comes down to the fact that if you catch the ball the pressure situation is immediately gone. Whereas, if you punch, even successfully the ball is still live and may come back at you. So we wouldn’t advocate ‘always catch’ but prefer it as the punch is a last resort technique and possibly one of the hardest to coach, as it is virtually impossible to replicate its results, especially when the further complication of other players and weather conditions add to the difficulty factor.
To demonstrate the point, you only need to analyse the goal scored recently past Joe Hart by WBA, straight after a failed punch attempt. Under the circumstances, it is completely debateable whether his decision was right or wrong but in the snow, with a greasy spinning ball, it is quite possible that had he tried to catch, it would have resulted in a better deflection (or even a catch) than what actually occurred. We wouldn’t be bold enough to criticise Joe, as he continually demonstrates his brilliance week in week out, but if asked we think he might in hindsight agree that it was not his technique that let him down but possibly a decision making error?
In the heat of the moment, who can say and Man City won the match comfortably, so no harm done but imagine the debate that would have raged had that error resulted in the loss of three points.
To summarise – teach all techniques and advise on the possibilities, then let confidence and enthusiasm effect the decision as to which to use, but never criticise too heavily if a ‘bad decision’ makes a save, or if the ‘right decision’ concedes, as it is all down to opinion!
For more information or tips on becoming a goalkeeper, visit Reactions Goalkeeping.
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