Dealing with Breakaways

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on breakaways.

One of the difficult things about working on breakaways is that much of it comes down to experience. Knowing when to go down, when to stay up, when to come out, when to stay back is extremely difficult and it really does come down to experience. This activity can’t recreate a true game situation but it can help a keeper get accustomed to reading the touch, coming out for the ball and making the save.

This works best with a couple of keepers and a few field players. Each field player will need a ball. One keeper starts in goal and the others are to the side. The field players are near the top of the D.

gk264a

The first player touches the ball out in front of him (and slightly to the side) and the keeper sprints out and slides to make the save (uncontested).

gk264b

gk264c

The next keeper then gets in goal, the next player does the same thing and this keeps going until each keeper has had a few chances to go on each side.

Next they do the same thing but this time, the field player sprints after the ball after he touches the ball. He isn’t trying to win the ball but rather is just trying to put pressure on the keeper to come quickly.

gk264d

gk264e

Each keeper does this a few time to each side.

Next is the same thing with one major difference. If the player sees the keeper cheating out too far, waiting for the big touch, the player may shoot.

gk264f

Or, if the keeper is too slow coming out for the ball and the player gets to it first, he can shoot on the second touch.

[wpsharely id="821"][/wpsharely]

gk264g

It’s important to emphasize to the field players that this isn’t a shooting activity but rather they are helping the keepers work on breakaways and they are just trying to keep the keeper honest and working hard.

Have the field players vary their first touches and force the keeper to read the situation.

Have a great day!

Lawrence

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

About the Author

Leave a Reply 0 comments