By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s topic deals with too many players in the wall.
Some keepers seem to think “the more the merrier” when it comes to the number of players in the wall. Since the players are there trying to help the keeper protect the goal, the thought is, if 3 players brings some protection, 4 players will bring more.
The problem with this thought process is a wall can only protect so much and if too many players are in the wall, the wall will make it MORE difficult for a keeper to protect the goal.
Using the example below, the keeper has 4 players in the wall and he is lined up to cover the far side.
If the keeper adds 2 more players in the wall, he has less area to cover on the far post side BUT will have a lot of problems on any ball bit over the wall to the near post.
By adding more players to the wall it actually makes it more difficult for the keeper to handle balls to the near post.
One way some keepers try to get around this is by lining up behind the wall.
The problem with this is it makes it extremely difficult for the keeper to see the ball.
Walls can be very helpful but you want to use as few players in the wall as possible, while still being able to protect the goal, as opposed to as many players as possible.
Have a great day!
Lawrence
By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
