The Science Behind The Goalkeeping Save
Have you ever thought about the bio mechanical functions behind making a perfect save? Thought not. In fact, there has been very little analysis at all when it comes to the movements needed to get to the ball effectively. One book, which has given a "slight insight" into the enigmatic science of goalkeeping is Thomas Reilly's (et. al) stellar work Science and Soccer
So what is involved for a goalkeeper during the motions played out in a save? And what can make the goalkeepers save better than what it is? One reader, Simon, asked this vital question:
I am looking for a definition of a goalkeeping save and what it actually is, just wondering if you had any references or quotes I could use?
Cheers in advance
Text book definitions of what a goalkeeping "save" is, or entails, does no good at all in encompassing the many faceted dynamics behind making a save. There have been several key studies that show the bio mechanical advantages that a professional goalkeeper has compared to an amateur or lesser trained goalkeeper. Many of these studies have been aimed at the "penalty" save, rather than a break down of the many different directions and angles a goalkeeper will take to make a save.
Suzuki et al. 1998 showed two key findings between highly skilled and lesser skilled goalkeepers as below:
1. More skilled goalkeepers dived faster and more directly at the ball. Skilled goalkeepers (in this scenario) were able to perform a counter-movement jump to launch into the air and attack the ball more efficiently
2. Less skilled goalkeepers (in this study), could not perform the counter-movement well, and failed to turn their body to meet the ball effectively.
Following are some diagrammatic explanations of studies by Graham-Smith and Lees (1999), utilized to measure seven basic goalkeeping actions (when the ball was projected into seven key areas of the goal) as follows:
(Both of the above images are courtesy of Thomas Reilly et al Science and Soccer, and are subject to copyright).
Other key resources in regards to various techniques utilized during the goalkeepers dive have been discussed on many occasions at Keeper Skool, you can read more via the following links:
The goalkeeping dive can really best be defined by suggesting that there are a number of bio mechanical movements and cognitive associations aligned with the trajectory and angle of the ball that is also directly related to the goalkeepers positioning within their goal mouth alongside many other external factors outside the goalkeepers direct influence.
In any way you look at it, and there is no real need to be this granular, we can suggest that a great dive or save is really down to experience and overall fitness. Great goalkeeping saves are a result of repetitive goalkeeper specific actions throughout a structured football season. Making a great save is not something that happens "just like that" during a competitive match. Making a great save is usually (whether you think about it or not) a very structured occurrence and a result of proper training and fitness.
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John Stevanja
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