Why do goalies guess????

[(TxT)]

This always puzzled me a lot. When I play goalie I never guess and I save a lot of them. Most PKs are usually in range if you wait anyway. Today Ricardo had 3 go up the middle and one slow roller (Cole) that he could of easily saved if he waited. I want to know what any other goalies or players think on this.

[rgrayson]

well i dont play goalie but the way I see it is that in general the ball has a very quick pace to it so if you didnt guess which way you wouldnt even have a chance to get there in time

[ConorM]

If you wait, the ball would be past you before you would be able to react, UNLESS it came very very close. Only if the ball was hit up the middle in other words. The only reason the ball is ever hit up the middle is because goalies don't wait, if you know what I mean. The ball is hit too hard to be able to wait and then react.

[Callump]

yeh, professionals hit it way too hard to be saved without guessing.

[McGinty]

Guessing is usually the best way to go, but in a shootout, I think the goalie should react. A player is more likely to hit a terrible penalty in a shootout rather than in the course of the game, and it would be a shame to miss the opportunity to save a poor penalty if you guess wrong.

[#1Keeper]

I have only guessed on a few penalty kicks and they have all gone in so I don't guess anymore. I react to the shot.

[Jabinho]

Unless you've faced pros shotting at you, you have no idea how hard and fast the ball is coming.
You may have read that story about a practice session last year where some kid watching stuck his hands up to block a shot that went wide of the goal.. Result.. Broken hands.. :eek:

[Saukrates]

with more experience you will learn that the ball is hit so hard that you can't have time to react,plus alot of players will kind of fiegn that they are shooting one way and as soon as you move slightly to one side the ball goes the other side,and I hope you saw Postiga's penalty, check where the ball landed right after the line

[ADIKeeper]

Unless you have incredible reach, it's easier to guess. The striker's foot moves too quickly to see which way they will go. You can also influence which way the striker will shoot. Fake diving one way and go the other way...works good if you are convincing enough.

[Pangu]

at the level i am playing at it is easier to watch the ball because i know that the people i am facing cant strike the ball all that cleanly so it is in my best interest to watch the ball but when it is a pro striking the ball and we know like they can hit it in excess of 80mph or around there it is almost impossible to watch the ball, react and reach the ball before it is in the back of the net and you are on the floor.

[jtowns3]

Unless you've faced pros shotting at you, you have no idea how hard and fast the ball is coming.
You may have read that story about a practice session last year where some kid watching stuck his hands up to block a shot that went wide of the goal.. Result.. Broken hands.. :eek:

damn. at least it didnt hit him in the face. :eek:

[FabFiveFigo]

The keeper on a team I used to play for said he could get a good idea where the ball was going by watching the taker's plant foot. He seemed to save more than your average keeper, so he may have been onto something.

[(TxT)]

The keeper on a team I used to play for said he could get a good idea where the ball was going by watching the taker's plant foot. He seemed to save more than your average keeper, so he may have been onto something.


THX for the tip I'll use it, eye watching can be confusing.

[Tony Dellbird]

Depends really the plant foot doesn't give that much away if it's a good penalty taker.

[Marenga]

Here is the thing. Goalies number one mistake is guessing. The way to save a PK is to concitrate at the ball, imagine all the possible ways that it could go, you need to be able to mentallly slow the ball down in your head, and of course you need speed. Last season I saved 10 out og 18 PK's but sometimes your only choice is to guess but dont guess before the player has taken his shot, this wont work the first time becuse you will be confused, after a few pressure PK's you will have it down pretty easy

[cleansheetbsc]

Wait until the shot is hit. Most shots are not taken with full pace in order to gain some placement. Still, the nerves on the kicker make it unlikely that they will put it in the place they want, increasing the odds that it will end up more in the "middle" of the goal rather than to the edge.

If they hit the corner, or roof it, good for them, congratulations, they did their job. I had no chance to stop it.

I am a 5'10" goalkeeper. If I wait, I can cover 6-7 feet in either direction or 13'-15'. If I guess I am only going to take up 6-7 feet. I'll take my chances that the ball ends up coming down one of the middle alley's.

Also, watch the plant foot. Try it yourself. Unless they come straight on, it is likely that the pass will be somewhat telegraphed on the plant.