As we already said, the goalkeeper position is unique. Not only in soccer, but in most team sports. Therefore, it seems clear that their profile and, as a consequence, their match preparation, should be completely different from their teammates. 

Coaching is becoming much more versatile and specialized, with each member of staff taking on different roles in the analysis of the game. Among them is the goalkeeping coach, who is tasked with the analysis of the keeper, opposition keepers and, occasionally, set pieces.

How to Analyze Goalkeeping

We’re going to take a look at how to carry out a goalkeeping analysis in four different stages: training, pre-match, match and post-match...

Goalkeeping Training

In our opinion, this is the most important part of the process, as it takes up the most time and is where the player is best evaluated.

The ideal set up here would be to have a video recording of the individual training sessions specific to this position. Because of this, it is logical to have a different camera focusing directly on goalkeeper training, if the resources of the team allow for it.

In addition, during team tactic sessions, the participation of the goalkeeper is equally necessary. For this, a second camera should be used with a wider angle to give more depth to the analysis.

When performing an analysis of the goalkeeper, it is useful to view their performance from two different angles:

•    From the touchline. Here we can get a good view of their performance from the front as part of the team. We can evaluate aspects such as distance and positioning. 

•    From the baseline behind the goal. This is a much more specific way of analyzing the keeper from a more advantageous position. Here, we can evaluate the position in terms of laterality.

We always recommend having two video sources for analyzing these training sessions, for example, a fixed camera and a camcorder.

This footage will be analyzed with a button template, designed with Nacsport, and focusing on defensive and offensive concepts. This will allow you to create a compendium of post-training clips for both individual and teamwork analysis. 

These clips can then be filtered and used to create a presentation exclusively for the goalkeeper which highlights the aspects of the game we want to reinforce or correct.

Pre-Game Goalkeeping Analysis

During this part of the process, the analyst will show the player the clips which he considers to be most important for the preparation of the match. There are several ways in which these video presentations can be shared, be here are two of the most common methods:

•    An individual presentation and meeting with the team’s goalkeepers. This will be a face-to-face meeting with an exchange of opinions and a more subjective assessment of performance.

•    Sending the video presentation for individual review. For this, we recommend the online platform Sharimg.com, which has been developed especially for video analysis work. This platform allows players to give feedback and opinions and, generally, be more active in the analysis process.

So, what kind of content should we show our goalkeepers?

Every analyst has their own ideas about this, but generally, we can divide content into the offensive and defensive actions of the opponent.

Offensive actions can include:

•    Goals 
•    Shots and positioning
•    Set pieces

Defensive actions, on the other hand, might include:

•    How an opponent applies pressure to goal kicks
•    How the opponent reacts when the keeper has the ball in open play

Matchday Goalkeeping Analysis 

One moment can completely change a match. And, for a decisive position such as the goalkeeper, there’s a much bigger probability that their performance will have a direct impact on the game, be it through a spectacular save, or an unforced error at a key moment.

Whatever the case, the goalkeeper can be armed with key information to aid their decision making during a game. And we’re not only talking about the intelligence provided pre-match. Even during a game, at half-time, for example, we can impart info to the keeper. 

Because of this, a live analysis during the match is essential for improving a keeper’s performance. Information imparted can include:

•    Which opponent is weak under pressure and which zones to aim goal kicks
•    The general positioning of the opponent
•    Positioning at set pieces
•    Many other metrics and patterns that have been identified in the opponent

Nacsport has a wide array of tools for live analysis. One which we thoroughly recommend is the iOS app Tag&view, which is a lightweight solution for analyzing in real time with a touch screen.

During the first half, the goalkeeping coach can film and tag the game using their iPad or with a second camera. In the dressing room at half time, they can share the most important recorded footage with the keeper.

It’s entirely possible that the insights provided by the coach could lead to victory in a match.

Templates that have been created in the desktop version of Nacsport can easily be adapted and exported for use in Tag&view. This means that the analyst can save time and doesn’t need to create two different templates. The following video shows how this can be done.

Post-Match Goalkeeping Analysis

In reality, there are few major differences between post-match goalkeeping analysis and the analysis of the rest of the players in the team. It may be slightly more individualized due to the nature of the position. 

Once the game has been analyzed, both as a team and as individuals, feedback will be given to the player. 

The overriding opinion here is that feedback should be given as soon as possible so that the game is still fresh in the player’s mind. Every action in the game is analyzed in detail and fed back to the keeper so they evaluate their own performance.

From the conclusions of this meeting, a plan will be set for working on the keeper’s weaknesses, enhancing their strengths, and generally improving their performance. From here, we loop back to goalkeeper training and the whole process starts again.  

How Nacsport Can Help Goalkeeping Coaches

In addition to the full suite of analysis tools in the program, we wanted to go one step further and give some direct help to the coach. In the Samples section of our website, you can download some extremely useful resources for working with keepers...

Template and Dashboard for Scout (FREE Download)

For intermediate-level analysts, the basic design of the template allows for the analysis of an opponent’s shots on target, as well as how the goalkeeper dealt with them. It includes a graphic descriptor to plot the origin of shots against.

The dashboard shows a visual representation of the statistics, including the percentage of shots to saves.

Template and Dashboard for Pro (FREE Download)

For pro-analysts, the template includes a template made with panel flows for the smooth collection of advanced data and a truly deep goalkeeping analysis.

If you have any questions about how to use these templates or about anything you have read in this article, please feel free to get in touch with us through our website or on any of our social media channels. We’ll be more than happy to help you.

Thanks for reading!