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Arsenal's Petr Cech kept the most clean sheets in 2015/16.

Goalkeepers

Goalkeepers

On this page, we're going to take a look at goalkeepers and the language that is used to describe them. The goalkeeper is often seen as the most important player on the pitch. There is no hiding place for a goalkeeper. If you make a mistake, it can cost your team the match.

Are there any other names for a goalkeeper?

A goalkeeper can be more informally called a keeper or a goalie. When a ball comes into the penalty area you might hear a goalkeeper shout ‘keeper’s ball’, this means that the goalkeeper is coming off his line to catch or punch the ball. Goalie is more informal than goalkeeper and keeper, and is usually used by fans and children.

David De Gea is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.

What qualities do good goalies need?

To be a good keeper you need to have specific qualities. You need to be reliable - you can’t make great saves one week and then make lots of mistakes in the next match. You need to have good reflexes, which is the ability to react quickly. A goalkeeper needs to be decisive - when a ball comes into the box, a keeper needs to decide to come off his line or stay on his line and also needs to decide if he is going to catch or punch the ball. When he makes these decisions he shouldn’t change his mind. A goalkeeper needs to be agile - he needs to move quickly and easily to make saves and stop the ball. A good keeper also has very good organisational skills. When there is a free kick or a corner, it’s often the goalkeeper's job to organise the wall and tell defenders where to stand and who to mark.

How can you describe a save?

Goalkeepers make different types of saves, they might make a fingertip save, when just a touch of a finger means the ball goes over the bar instead of in the top corner. A keeper can turn the ball over the bar or turn it around the post.  A keeper who makes lots of saves is often described as a good shot-stopper, but you also need a keeper who is good at catching crosses and distributing the ball.

Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel and Manchester City's Joe Hart are good friends off the pitch.

Are there different types of keeper?

Some goalkeepers are described as sweeper keepers these days, like Germany’s Manuel Neuer. A sweeper keeper is a goalie who defends outside of his box to stop attackers getting the ball. Sweeper keepers are usually excellent at long passes to start attacks and throwing the ball out to teammates.

What's the most important thing for a goalkeeper?

The most important thing for a goalkeeper is to keep a clean sheet. A clean sheet is when you don’t concede a goal during a match. In 2015/16, Arsenal’s Petr Cech kept the most clean sheets in the Premier League (16). If the goalkeeper keeps a clean sheet it means the team hasn’t lost!

Think about vocabulary

Now you've looked at the text about goalkeepers, look at the words in bold again. Do you understand the words in bold? Look at the whole sentence around each word to help you understand. It can also help to use your knowledge of football. Think about what goalkeepers do on the pitch. Does this also help your understanding?

Have a look at the activity below and check your understanding of the actions goalkeepers do and the words that are used to describe them.

 

Quiz

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Describing Goalkeepers

Who do you think is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League? Why?
Can you describe the best save you've ever seen?
Do you agree that goalkeeper is the most important position on the pitch?
 
Remember to use the vocabulary you've just looked at in your comments below!

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Comments

JoeL's picture
JoeL
21/01/2022
IT
111
points

A useful brushoff


JoeL's picture
JoeL
21/01/2022 10:32
Italy
Liverpool
111

A useful brushoff

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
14/05/2020
TR
6510
points

I think David De Gea is the best because he is agile and considered as a shot-stopper. His quick reflexes are exceptional and his right hand reflexes is so quick
The best save was a free kick from Juan Mata when he was playing for Chelsea and he placed it very accurately just below the light side of the bar but David De Gea's quick reflexes helped him to fingertip the ball with the reflex hand over the bar


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
14/05/2020 07:04
Turkey
Manchester United
6510

I think David De Gea is the best because he is agile and considered as a shot-stopper. His quick reflexes are exceptional and his right hand reflexes is so quick
The best save was a free kick from Juan Mata when he was playing for Chelsea and he placed it very accurately just below the light side of the bar but David De Gea's quick reflexes helped him to fingertip the ball with the reflex hand over the bar

ldzingirai's picture
ldzingirai
23/03/2019
ZW
1745
points

Huddersfield goalkeeper has conceded many goals this 2018/2019 season. Every matchday the other team scores.

It's normally impossible for a team to keep a clean sheet the whole season,but Arsenal has the most clean sheets in the Primier League.


ldzingirai's picture
ldzingirai
23/03/2019 04:31
Zimbabwe
Chelsea
1745

Huddersfield goalkeeper has conceded many goals this 2018/2019 season. Every matchday the other team scores.

It's normally impossible for a team to keep a clean sheet the whole season,but Arsenal has the most clean sheets in the Primier League.

sabanoleg
23/10/2017
UA
2337
points

I think the good goalie it's a half of squad.


sabanoleg
23/10/2017 12:21
Ukraine
Arsenal
2337

I think the good goalie it's a half of squad.

Khaldoun83's picture
Khaldoun83
02/09/2017
DZ
325
points

In my humble opinion the best goalkeeper in the Premier League is David De gea, because he helped his team to win many games by keeping his sheets clean.

I really like when goalkeeper save his sheets from free kick or penalty like what Peter Cech did against FC Barcelon when he turned the ball around the post, after Lionel Messi performed a well penalty kick.

I agree that a goalkeeper can help his team to win games by keeping his sheets clean, but he will not do anything if his team or the back lilne was very weak.

 

 


Khaldoun83's picture
Khaldoun83
02/09/2017 18:13
Algeria
Liverpool
325

In my humble opinion the best goalkeeper in the Premier League is David De gea, because he helped his team to win many games by keeping his sheets clean.

I really like when goalkeeper save his sheets from free kick or penalty like what Peter Cech did against FC Barcelon when he turned the ball around the post, after Lionel Messi performed a well penalty kick.

I agree that a goalkeeper can help his team to win games by keeping his sheets clean, but he will not do anything if his team or the back lilne was very weak.

 

 

Ahmed Adam Mamado's picture
Ahmed Adam Mamado
17/04/2017
SD
2903
points

1- De Geya is the best keeper in the EPL
2- In Spain-Nerherlands match at 2010 World Cup Final Casillas made a great save on Roben's one-on-one
3- Yes, I do


Ahmed Adam Mamado's picture
Ahmed Adam Mamado
17/04/2017 10:22
Sudan
Liverpool
2903

1- De Geya is the best keeper in the EPL
2- In Spain-Nerherlands match at 2010 World Cup Final Casillas made a great save on Roben's one-on-one
3- Yes, I do

assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
05/08/2016
PS
3705
points

The best save was the one that Buffon saved at the world cup final versus France.


assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
05/08/2016 21:00
Palestinian Territory
Liverpool
3705

The best save was the one that Buffon saved at the world cup final versus France.

assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
05/08/2016
PS
3705
points

I think it is Kasper Scmichel because he made a lot of save and a lot of clean sheets that led the team to win the title.


assemjuve's picture
assemjuve
05/08/2016 20:58
Palestinian Territory
Liverpool
3705

I think it is Kasper Scmichel because he made a lot of save and a lot of clean sheets that led the team to win the title.

davilillons
05/08/2016
ES
951
points

The goalkeeper that I like is Joe Hart because has good reflexes and is quite agile. Also he has distributing the ball.


davilillons
05/08/2016 19:08
Spain
Arsenal
951

The goalkeeper that I like is Joe Hart because has good reflexes and is quite agile. Also he has distributing the ball.

elghoul's picture
elghoul
05/08/2016
DZ
3988
points

De gea is probably the best. He is tall and cold minded. His large arms and tall legs help him to stop or punch the ball.
The Banks save in 1970 World Cup when he pushed the Pelé heading ball over the bar is absolutely fantastic and fixed in my mind for ever.
It is obviously the most important individuel position because for others positions partners can always hide any mistake but not for the goalie.


elghoul's picture
elghoul
05/08/2016 16:44
Algeria
Manchester City
3988

De gea is probably the best. He is tall and cold minded. His large arms and tall legs help him to stop or punch the ball.
The Banks save in 1970 World Cup when he pushed the Pelé heading ball over the bar is absolutely fantastic and fixed in my mind for ever.
It is obviously the most important individuel position because for others positions partners can always hide any mistake but not for the goalie.

Ghigo's picture
Ghigo
05/08/2016
IT
962
points

In my opinon the best keeper in the Premier Leaugue is De Gea, its reliable, agile and decisive.
The best save that i ever seen is Buffon in the last eurepean cup, he save the gol in the Match Germany-italy.
The striker shoot from a shortly distance, and Buffon moves quickly and easily to make saves.
yes i'm total agree


Ghigo's picture
Ghigo
05/08/2016 07:55
Italy
Liverpool
962

In my opinon the best keeper in the Premier Leaugue is De Gea, its reliable, agile and decisive.
The best save that i ever seen is Buffon in the last eurepean cup, he save the gol in the Match Germany-italy.
The striker shoot from a shortly distance, and Buffon moves quickly and easily to make saves.
yes i'm total agree

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
05/08/2016
UA
6278
points

The best goalkeeper in the Premier League is Kasper Schmeichel because of the pressing he had to bear last season.


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
05/08/2016 05:31
Ukraine
Liverpool
6278

The best goalkeeper in the Premier League is Kasper Schmeichel because of the pressing he had to bear last season.

kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
04/08/2016
GH
4768
points

We are able to work agile at my workplace which makes it flexible for us to work from anywhere.


kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
04/08/2016 17:13
Ghana
Manchester United
4768

We are able to work agile at my workplace which makes it flexible for us to work from anywhere.

kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
04/08/2016
GH
4768
points

Yes i agree because it holds the way to either a team's win or loose


kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
04/08/2016 17:05
Ghana
Manchester United
4768

Yes i agree because it holds the way to either a team's win or loose

kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
04/08/2016
GH
4768
points

I think David de Gea is the best keeper in the premier league
His reflex saves and hepis shot blocks kept united in 7th place during Moyes' era wlse united risked getting relegated per their performance that season.


kwesimanifest's picture
kwesimanifest
04/08/2016 17:01
Ghana
Manchester United
4768

I think David de Gea is the best keeper in the premier league
His reflex saves and hepis shot blocks kept united in 7th place during Moyes' era wlse united risked getting relegated per their performance that season.

aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
04/08/2016
ME
3557
points

It is the most important position on the pitch I agree.


aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
04/08/2016 15:18
Montenegro
Arsenal
3557

It is the most important position on the pitch I agree.

aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
04/08/2016
ME
3557
points

One of the best saves I remember: Jaskelainen for Bolton against Man.Utd. in 2001. He saved two shots alone from the same player in 3 sec.


aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
04/08/2016 15:18
Montenegro
Arsenal
3557

One of the best saves I remember: Jaskelainen for Bolton against Man.Utd. in 2001. He saved two shots alone from the same player in 3 sec.

aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
04/08/2016
ME
3557
points

I think Petr Cech and Kasper Schmeichel are the best goalkeepers in the PL. Kasper is still young and already showed his full potential while Petr uses his experience to keep his goal safe.


aragorn1986's picture
aragorn1986
04/08/2016 15:14
Montenegro
Arsenal
3557

I think Petr Cech and Kasper Schmeichel are the best goalkeepers in the PL. Kasper is still young and already showed his full potential while Petr uses his experience to keep his goal safe.

Leaderboard

Top Scorers
RankNameScore
1mobeckham6510
2Alex_from_Ukraine6278
3hsn5525
4wsanta5086
5kwesimanifest4768
6Liubomyr4408
7elghoul3988
8assemjuve3705
9aragorn19863557
10Gergő Nagy3396
Country ranking
RankNameScore
1Colombia71478
2Ukraine33300
3Spain28277
4Serbia27289
5Brazil23896
6Albania20578
7Vietnam19939
8Turkey19810
9Macedonia19074
10Bosnia and Herzegovina16333
Club ranking
RankNameScore
1Manchester United141846
2Liverpool110282
3Chelsea88559
4Arsenal85717
5Manchester City56951
6Tottenham Hotspur19169
7Newcastle United10457
8West Ham United7454
9AFC Bournemouth4454
10Crystal Palace4240

Level

4
Average: 4 (1 vote)

Goals

Learn  words to describe goalkeeping actions.