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How do Goalkeepers Save a Penalty? - Luck or Skill?

Penalties. The ultimate pressure situation. A free shot, from 12 yards, with only one thing preventing a certain goal - the goalkeeper.


It’s well known that many goalkeepers love penalty situations; with the odds stacked against them, it is the perfect chance for the most misunderstood player on the pitch to become a hero. To feel the adulation usually reserved for goal scorers.


But what do goalkeepers actually do to increase their chances of saving a penalty? Is there method to the madness, or do we just rely on pure luck?…


Conor O'Keefe faces a penalty

The Stats:


The stats surrounding penalties are extremely interesting, and in general don’t make good reading for goalkeepers!


In 2021, only 12% of penalties were saved in the Premier League, with a huge 83% finding the back of the net.


However, when it comes to penalty shootouts, the success rate for strikers decreases, with the goal percentage in World Cup penalty shootouts only 70.3%.


It’s also worth noting that 60.5% of the teams who take the first penalty in a shootout go on to win. Both of these stats suggests that pressure plays a significant roll in the outcome of a penalty.


This could help us Goalkeepers when we discuss tactics for facing penalties - but more on that later!


Who are the best?


Despite the fact that penalties are a difficult situation for Goalkeepers to succeed in, there have been some specialists over the years.


The goalkeeper to save the most penalties in the Premier League is David James, who saved 13 of the 63 penalties that he faced - a success rate of 20.63%.


However the best save percentage for penalties in the Premier League belongs to Manuel Almunia - the Spaniard saving 6 of the 14 penalties that he faced, resulting in a success rate of 42.9%.


However these records are smashed by Diego Alves’ penalty heroics in La Liga. Across a 10 year stint with Almeria and Valencia, the Brazilian managed to save 24 of the 50 penalties he faced - a massive save rate of 48%!


Penalties are an area that I work on myself, in my own game, taking lessons from Goalkeepers like those mentioned above. And although I have not (as of writing…) played in the Premier League or La Liga, across my own career I have saved 12 of the 42 penalties that I’ve faced - a more moderate save percentage of 28.5%.


Diego Alves saves a Penalty
Credit: The Athletic

What techniques do Goalkeepers use?


So we’ve determined that saving a penalty is a difficult skill for Goalkeepers to master, yet there are specialists out there, so what different techniques can Goalkeepers use to win the battle of the penalty spot?


  1. Research

In the modern game, at the professional level, every kick of the ball is recorded, analysed and processed - and penalties are no different. Professional Goalkeepers and their support staff have access to hundreds of clips of opposition penalty takers, and as a result, can often identify a pattern of behaviour.


In the build up to a game, it is common for the Goalkeepers, Goalkeeper Coach and Analysis Staff to spend time going through the likely penalty takers from the opposition, reviewing where they placed their previous penalties, trying to decide if they have a preference for a certain corner, run-up style, or shot technique.


All of this information is helpful in aiding the Goalkeeper to know what to do if a penalty is given during the game, removing the guesswork, and allowing them to make a decision on where to dive based on previous evidence.


However all of this work does not guarantee a save - the taker also knows that the Goalkeeper has probably seen their last 5 or more penalties, and therefore may attempt to bluff, double bluff or even triple bluff his opposite number. Prompting the question as to whether research helps or hinders a Goalkeeper!


Bryce Samba and his water bottle
Credit: Optus Sport

2. Mind Games

Summarised brilliantly in this excellent thread by Geir Jordet, mind games have become a huge part of the penalty situation.


Given the exclusivity of the penalty, with only two players really involved, it makes sense that one may try to get a psychological advantage over the other, in order to maximise their chance of success. Bear in mind that this can work both ways!


Be it disrupting the penalty spot with their boots, or confronting the taker with dominant body language or an aggressive verbal assault, there are many different techniques that Goalkeepers can take advantage of.


Although it might not be seen as ‘sportsman-like’ behaviour, we have seen from performances such as Emi Martinez vs France in the World Cup Final that these techniques can be extremely effective. And as we noticed before in the statistics, any way of applying more pressure to the taker will definitely raise the Goalkeepers chances of making a save.


3. Read the Clues

Finally, Goalkeepers can also take advantage of small clues during the penalty process in order to gain a small advantage.


There are a few examples.


What type of player is taking the spot-kick? Are they more of a technical player, or do they play a more physical type of game? Are they cool and calm, or intense? These factors may influence whether they are more likely to place a penalty or smash it across their body.


What is the current score? How long is left in the game? Is the penalty a ‘must-score’ for the opposition? Again, these factors may dictate how much control is taken on the penalty, or whether the safe option of hitting it hard across the body is chosen.


Where are the taker’s team mates lining up? They see his/her penalties more often in training, so therefore may line up on the side that they are going to shoot towards?


What is the angle of their run-up? A straight run-up makes it more difficult to open up the foot when striking.


All of these factors can help a Goalkeeper, especially if there have not had access to previous footage!






Is it becoming more difficult to save a penalty?


In short - yes.


We have already seen that the statistics are heavily in the takers favour, but we Goalkeepers are also seeing a bigger clamp down in things like movement on the line before the penalty is taken, or touching the posts or bar.


We are even seeing players being allowed to slow their run-up before hitting the ball, or even hopping before the strike - all of which is designed to give the taker an advantage.

But nothing is new there. People love to see goals, and they will make the Goalkeeper’s life as difficult as possible as a result. We just need to take it upon ourselves to ruin the party!



Emi Martinez dancing
Credit: TalkSport

My Top 5 Tips for Saving a Penalty


To conclude, I thought I would leave you with 5 things which help me when I face a penalty.


  1. Be Confident

The pressure is off. Use that to your advantage. Go into the situation believing that you will be successful.


That confidence is often contagious, and the taker will feel it. The goal will look smaller around you, and you will be surprised how effective it is in helping you to make the save!



2. Do your Research

Not possible for everyone, but as we discussed, doing homework on your opposition can give you an advantage.


If you aren’t in a professional club, don’t worry - you will be surprised how many clubs put their highlights on YouTube, or even on personal social media pages.


An extra 30 minutes of research the night before may pay off in a big way!



3. Read the Environment

Especially important if you don’t have access to footage! As we mentioned before, there are many clues which you can pick up as soon as a penalty is given.


But the main thing is to watch the players during the game, to get an understanding of how they play.


I used this method in one particular game, where I saw the opposition captain spending most of his game fouling players and arguing with the referee. When a penalty was given, and he stepped up to take it, I already knew what I needed to do. I continued to speak to him the whole time, reminding him that this was a big moment, his team needed him to score, and that he was lucky to still be on the pitch…


I presumed that he wouldn’t be able to keep his cool, and I was right - he hit his penalty hard across his body, and I was able to read it comfortably and make the save.

Small details can often make a big difference!



4. Don’t Change your Mind!

Once you have made your decision, stick with it. Indecision can often lead to nerves and anxiety, and a poor attempt at making the save.


Once you have made the decision on what you are going to do, commit to that 100%.

Many times I have changed my mind, only to see the penalty go exactly where I first thought it would. There is nothing worse - don’t let that happen to you!



5. Tap in to the Dark Arts

Use anything that you can to get an advantage - all is fair in love, war and penalties!

Whether it’s goal line distraction, talking to the taker, or messing up the penalty spot, have a read through Geir Jordet’s thread and see if there are any that you can try!




I hope you have found this blog helpful, and I hope that your next penalty situation results in a huge save!


If there are any other Goalkeeping topics that you would like us to write about, please let us know down in the comments.


Or, if you would like some more personal advice or support, why not book a Skype Call with me today?


We can analyse your clips, build you a training plan, set some goals, or even discuss your penalty technique! Just follow the link below and book your call today!





 

I hope you found this blog post valuable. Do you have a goalkeeping topic that you would like us to cover next? Let us know at info@conorokeefe.co.uk !

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