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Penalty Kicks From The Goalkeeper's Perspective
Dealing with PKs


     This note is an outgrowth of a number of discussions I've had with my son, Neil, and other keepers. If you have opinions (agree, disagree, hints etc.), drop me a note at less@ntrnet.net.

      Tweet. The ref blows his whistle and then points to the spot. One of your teammates has put you in a terrible spot and now you've got to save the day.  Here are some thoughts on how to deal with the PK situation.

     First, relax.  The pressure is on the shooter - not you.  If the shooter takes the PK properly, it is physically impossible for you to make the save. I've seen information saying that if the shooter places the ball on the ground, 3 to 4 feet inside the post, with moderate pace, the ball will be in the back of the net in about 0.5 seconds.  The same source says that it takes the keeper over 2 seconds to get to the same spot.  The exact times may be open to argument, but we can all agree that there is a zone about about 3 to 4 wide wide starting at each post where the shooter can place the ball with 100% chance of scoring.

     Your job as a keeper is to make the shooter place the ball in the perfect zone. Don't do anything that makes it possible for the shooter to score on a shoot outside of the perfect zone. So how do you do this?

     First, you position yourself in the middle of the goal and make yourself look as big as you can. Especially make yourself look big low.  Make the shooter think that the shoot has to go high. (Remember that the shooter's margin of error decreases if you force the high shot.)

     Second, wait for the shooter to shoot. Then when the shot is on the way, make a 45 degree dive towards the shooter and towards the post where the shot is going.  But do not dive until you're sure that the shot is going to the side and not directly at you.   Strikers will often try to pound the ball right down the middle of the goal. So if you hold your ground, you'll make the save.

     Finally, DO NOT GUESS.  Wait for the shooter.  If you guess, you open up about most of the goal and you still won't get to the ball if it's placed in the perfect zone.  Keep the pressure on the striker.  Make the shooter place the ball in the perfect zone.  Do not help the shooter by making the scoring zone bigger.

     One final note. Make sure that your teammates know that the ball is alive as soon as it move.  They must move into the area to control rebounds.  I've seen too many follow up shots made because the defenders didn't move in to clear the ball after the keeper made the save.

     One other thing. Work with your teammates to make sure they avoid fouls in the penalty area.  Make them understand that if the striker beats them, it is better for the team if they let you deal with the 1v1 situation than if the foul the striker and leave you facing a PK.  Much of the time the striker will have such a poor scoring opportunity because of poor angle, too close to you, etc. that there is little danger of a goal.

Good luck.


Mr. Ken Andrews offers this additional insight.

Just bumped into your article on the net and wanted to respond. I have coached girls' high school soccer in New York for 19 years and my son Matt was a very successful high school goalie and present coach. We agree 100% with the information you offered and I would like to add a couple more points, related to the keeper's mind set. I always tell my keepers to command when the ball is to be stuck, even if it delays the kicker and/or the official and to realize that they are totally responsible for the middle 1/3 of the goal. I would be very disappointed if a goal scored in that area and would be very surprised if they made a save of a good shot to either outside 1/3. It takes great reactions, speed and hands to stop well placed shots, but the kicker is just as nervous as the keeper and if my keeper can feel confident about the middle third, yet is willing to try as hard as they can for the outside 1/3, I'm pleased. The greatest strikers feel the pressure and often end up with a bad stroke on the ball as Baggio did in the last World Cup.

The point about not allowing the PK to proceed until you, the keeper, are ready is a good one.  Don't let the ref or the kicker rush you. But don't delay unnecessarily either or you're likely to annoy the ref.

Thanks Ken.

 
More advice on dealing with PKs



     One of the keys to saving PKs is to put pressure on the shooter. After all, the shooter is supposed to win the confrontation. Anything the keeper can do to put pressure on the shooter gives the keeper an edge. This tip comes form Jim White.

Goalkeepers tip.....(look BIG)

      When a penalty kick is to be taken, wait until the kicker is ready before you enter the goal. This adds pressure to the kicker. It also makes the goal look smaller when the goalie takes position, thus adding pressure to
the kicker.

Hope this helps,

All the best,
Jim
Another view of defending Pk's

      My suggestions for dealing with PK's have generated a lot of discussion. Several keepers have written with suggestions. Some of these I've posted. Here's another one. Note that I disagree with the suggestion that the keeper should guess--especially at higher levels of play. But you may find something you can use in these suggestions.
     Hi, my names Mick and I'm a 17 year old 'keeper in Australia. I agree with pretty much everything you've said, however I do not agree with your theory on movement. As my defenders are reasonably sloppy, I've been required to face my fair share of penalties. So far this season I've saved 5/8 and it is all due largely to my movement and reaction time.

      When the shooter is waiting to shoot you must assess several key pieces of information:
 
  1. What side does the shooter prefer to go to? - Right footers prefer to score to the 'keeper's left, etc...
     
  2. What side of the body does the shooter shoot with?
     
  3. From what side is the shooter approaching the ball?


      After taking these three points into consideration you must then guess which side the shooter will go to. You must pick a side and go there no matter what. If you wait to see where the ball is headed, it will be past you before you know it.

      If you have exceptional reaction times you will need every last bit of it if the ball is placed well. Also if you feel that you have no idea where the ball will go, then the best option is to go to your strongest diving side.

Remember that when you dive you will need to be around a foot off the ground as to cover any high shot.

     One last thing, there isn't a shot in soccer that is unsavable, no matter what anyone says. (I've saved penaties placed in the top corners of the goals), never give in, there is no such thing as luck in soccer.

     Take charge and you will be fine!
More Discussion of PKs


A tip from Dave Leach who writes:

      A very good way of saving a pk is to very slightly lean to the opposite way of your best side to dive and show slightly more of your glove too on that side. Then just pray that the striker will shoot the opposite way that you
are leaning and dive as far and spread out as you can. This has been the reason I have saved about 75% of pk's this season.

Good luck, Dave leach

      My feelings about dealing with PKs can be summed up as don't guess. React as best you can to the shot. Since I posted this, I have receieved suggestions that some feel can give the keeper an added edge. I have decided to post them here. If you have any comments additions etc., please let me know and I'll add them to the discussion. Les.

Jess Schmura writes

      I have learned that when the shooter is first about to shoot they look at where they are going to place it 9 times out of 10. Sometimes it does not work and you have to have great reflexes to use this method.
Jess Schmura

      James Price, Liberty University Womens Soccer, writes:

      A theory that was been discussed and tested at length, might give the goalkeeper the edge over a penalty taker at any level. It involves observing the starting position of the takers run - up, and can be broken down in the following ways :
 

  • If a right footed taker starts at an angle to the ball then he/she will place the ball to your left (their right) corner.
     
  • If a right footed taker starts from behind the ball (ie straight run-up) he/she will strike the ball to your right (their left) corner.


* FOR A LEFT FOOTED TAKER THE CORNERS ARE REVERSED.

     Obviously this isn't a 100 % success theory ( what is, in soccer ?) but in pressure situations it will occur regularly. Why ?

      It is a very difficult skill to hit the ball across your body with any consistent power or accuracy (angled run up), so therefore when someone is looking to score the winning penalty with 2 minutes to go in the conference final they will go with the high percentage shot. In addition it is much easier to "strike" the ball (laces) with a straight run up so be ready for the blast down the middle as well.

      Try this theory out in practice but don't tell any outfield players what it is, as there is always someone who tries the clever shot, and in a practice situation with little or no pressure, might succeed.
      Anyway, just a theory that has worked consistently but again isn't fool proof.
 


Eric Pfeifer writes:

       I have been trained to when you are faced with pks you should watch the kickers hips that will almost always tell you where the shot will go. i hope that this info is useful.

Best Wishes,  Eric Pfeifer
 


Wade Andes writes:

      Well really your page is 100% correct but also just to help put more pressure on the shooter. Take the side you feel more comfortable and the side you dive better to and give a little to the other side. Which this puts into the mind of the shooter that he needs to put it into that side of the net. Then when the shooter takes his first step to the ball you step right into the center of the net then react (like you said in your web page) to the ball. This puts more pressure than expected on the shooter then they are not concentrating on putting it into the 100% scoring area but into that side of the net. Then after that pressure is on them they tend to put the shot wide instead of onto the net at all.

Wade Andes


Cliff Hamilton writes
A tip on PKs.

      Have the keeper watch the kickers non-kicking foot. 'Often' the direction the toe is pointing will give a hint to where the kick is going. Also look at the positioning of the non-kicking foot as to its position in relation to the ball. Further back from the ball often leads to a high or wide shot; ahead of the ball often means a shot to the same side as the kickers kicking leg. These are just some hints that I have got from watching soccer and playing goal. I make use of the term 'often' since it is not guaranteed that this will always happen. It is only a method for giving the keeper a split second advantage, not a method of guessing.

Cliff
 

Jarret Makrugin offers this information on dealing with PKs:

      Having played goal for the last 26 years at a relatively high level, penalty kicks all came together for me last year. I agree 100% with you on not guessing. For kids waiting for the kick is a good idea as the power isn't
always there at that age, giving kids a chance to get to the ball. But learning to read the kicker and his approach to the ball gives a great heads up on where he is going and should be taught early.

      Once a keeper is set for the shot, total concentration on the kicker and his approach is necessary. Through practice and experience, often times you can tell where a shooter is going by his approach, shifting of his body, and
especially his feet, both the planted foot and how his kicking foot. If you learn to read those things, you can go the right way probably 75% of the time if not more.

      As you say, even if you go the right way, you don't always get the ball.  But I think staying put in the middle is a mistake. Through tournaments and the Men's Premier league last year, we had 4 rounds of penalties to decide games, and probably another 8 penalty shots in regular course of games. I don't think I had one shot up the middle. But we never lost a shoot out, and I was running around 80% on going the right way, stopping probably half the shots. And I attribute it to the above.

Thanks!

Jarret Makrugin

Gene Granger offers his tips on dealing with PKs.

Hi,

      My name is Gene and I am a Goalie (and coach) from New Zealand.
      You have some good articles and opinions on Spot Kicks, but everyone seems to have missed one point - you must watch the players approach but most importantly the position and direction of his non-kicking foot.
      Trust me, this is a dead giveaway and it works.
      Try pointing your left foot (if you are right footed) towards the left corner of the goal while shooting into the right corner - it is near impossible.

      If you get good at this you should also try to look at the player's hips as the same principle applies.

      The key is to watch the feet as he approaches the ball and not worry about the rest of his body - ignore everything else.

       The results I've had myself and with my trainee's prove that this works - so try it as we all love to see those strikers miss!!!

Gene Granger - Auckland, New Zealand
 

 

       Jess Schmura was kind enough to share this poem with the rest of us. Thanks a lot, Jess.


The Penalty Shot

Suddenly the whistle blows.
The ref calls penalty shot,
And the crowds' heart sinks.
The team is confident of their keeper,
Who can block the shot.
The keeper lines up on the goal line
As she trembles with butterflies inside.
The shooter is very confident,
But not informed about penalty kicks.
For she lines up to kick with an obvious angle,
Which keepers can read without hesitation.
The whistle is blown,
The shooter makes her approach.
Then the keeper sets her feet,
And off she dives.
Everyone waits with anxious eyes,
Will she save it?
No one knows.
After the play,
They soon shall find out.
For the keeper is the victor this time!

 
Copyright 1996-2002 ŠLes Sparks

Les Sparks had the Goalkeeper's Corner website for the Carolina United Soccer Club from 1996 - 2002. 

 
   

Created: 12/20/99
Last Updated: 06/04/03


Since February 24, 1999
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  Web Administrator    Ken Gamble
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