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
Please login to take this quiz.
Leave a comment
Log in to leave a comment
Comments
14/07/2024
points
Alisson Becker because he made a lot of saves with Liverpool and in Brazil, he is the best goalkeeper competing with Ederson in Man City. I agree that goalkeeper is the most important position on the pitch because if a team doesn't have a good goalkeeper, they are going to lose all the matches because there'll be no-one to stop the shots and organise the defence.
14/07/2024 19:33
Chelsea
113
Alisson Becker because he made a lot of saves with Liverpool and in Brazil, he is the best goalkeeper competing with Ederson in Man City. I agree that goalkeeper is the most important position on the pitch because if a team doesn't have a good goalkeeper, they are going to lose all the matches because there'll be no-one to stop the shots and organise the defence.
21/01/2022
points
A useful brushoff
21/01/2022 10:32
Liverpool
111
A useful brushoff
14/05/2020
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
14/05/2020 07:04
Manchester United
6539
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
23/03/2019
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.
23/03/2019 04:31
Chelsea
1749
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.
23/10/2017
points
I think the good goalie it's a half of squad.
23/10/2017 12:21
Arsenal
2337
I think the good goalie it's a half of squad.
02/09/2017
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.
02/09/2017 18:13
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.
17/04/2017
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
17/04/2017 10:22
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
05/08/2016
points
The best save was the one that Buffon saved at the world cup final versus France.
05/08/2016 21:00
Liverpool
3705
The best save was the one that Buffon saved at the world cup final versus France.
05/08/2016
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.
05/08/2016 20:58
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.
05/08/2016
points
The goalkeeper that I like is Joe Hart because has good reflexes and is quite agile. Also he has distributing the ball.
05/08/2016 19:08
Arsenal
951
The goalkeeper that I like is Joe Hart because has good reflexes and is quite agile. Also he has distributing the ball.
05/08/2016
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.
05/08/2016 16:44
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.
05/08/2016
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
05/08/2016 07:55
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
05/08/2016
points
The best goalkeeper in the Premier League is Kasper Schmeichel because of the pressing he had to bear last season.
05/08/2016 05:31
Liverpool
6574
The best goalkeeper in the Premier League is Kasper Schmeichel because of the pressing he had to bear last season.
04/08/2016
points
We are able to work agile at my workplace which makes it flexible for us to work from anywhere.
04/08/2016 17:13
Manchester United
4779
We are able to work agile at my workplace which makes it flexible for us to work from anywhere.
04/08/2016
points
Yes i agree because it holds the way to either a team's win or loose
04/08/2016 17:05
Manchester United
4779
Yes i agree because it holds the way to either a team's win or loose
04/08/2016
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.
04/08/2016 17:01
Manchester United
4779
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.
04/08/2016
points
It is the most important position on the pitch I agree.
04/08/2016 15:18
Arsenal
3557
It is the most important position on the pitch I agree.
04/08/2016
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.
04/08/2016 15:18
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.
04/08/2016
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.
04/08/2016 15:14
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.