The Debrief · Football explained

How teams use the goalkeeper

The goalkeeper as an extra player: making the numbers, stepping up and playing past the press.

By Harry Lowe · 6 min read

Football Explained · Using the goalkeeper

Introduction

In the build-up the goalkeeper is often the team’s spare player: the opponent has ten outfield players to mark ten, so pressing the goalkeeper usually means leaving someone else free.

Teams that use the goalkeeper well treat them as an extra outfield player in the build-up: someone to pass back to, to switch play through and to break the press with a pass.

Here are five things to watch for. In every board, Blue is building from its own goal at the bottom of the page.

01 · The extra playerCount three against two
02 · Stepping upWatch where the goalkeeper stands
03 · The pass throughFind the pass between the forwards
04 · The long passWatch for the pass over the press
05 · The switchFollow the ball back through the goalkeeper

01 · The extra player

Count three against two

What you see: Under pressure, a defender passes back to the goalkeeper, who passes to the other defender.
How the team does it: The goalkeeper stands where both centre-backs can pass to them, making three players against the opponent’s two forwards.
Why the team does it: Two forwards can press two defenders, but not three players at once.
What is the benefit: One of the three is usually free, so the team can keep the ball without kicking it away.

The goalkeeper makes three against two. Ringed: the player in focus. Dashed: where they started.

02 · Stepping up

Watch where the goalkeeper stands

What you see: The goalkeeper moves up to the edge of the box, or beyond it, when the team has the ball.
How the team does it: As the centre-backs split wider, the goalkeeper steps up into the space between them, like a third centre-back.
Why the team does it: A goalkeeper further forward is easier to pass to and gives the team a wider base to build from.
What is the benefit: The team has an extra passer at the back, so its outfield players can push higher.

The goalkeeper becomes a third centre-back. Ringed: the players in focus. Dashed: where they started.

03 · The pass through

Find the pass between the forwards

What you see: The goalkeeper passes forward between the opponent’s forwards to a midfielder.
How the team does it: The midfielder stands in the gap behind the forwards, and the goalkeeper plays the ball through it.
Why the team does it: Forwards pressing the defenders often leave the space behind them open, and the goalkeeper can see it.
What is the benefit: The midfielder receives with the forwards behind them, so the team is through the first line of the press without a risky pass across its own box.

A pass from the goalkeeper can break the first line. Ringed: the player in focus. Dashed: where they started.

04 · The long pass

Watch for the pass over the press

What you see: The goalkeeper kicks a long diagonal pass over the press to a winger or full-back on the far side.
How the team does it: When the opponent pushes up to press, the goalkeeper picks out the player with the most space, usually wide on the far side.
Why the team does it: A press that commits players forward leaves space behind it. A good long pass reaches that space in one move.
What is the benefit: If the pass lands, the receiver can have time to control the ball and run at the defence before it gets across.

The long pass skips the whole press. Ringed: the player in focus. Dashed: where they started.

05 · The switch

Follow the ball back through the goalkeeper

What you see: The ball goes back from a full-back to the goalkeeper, then out to the full-back on the other side.
How the team does it: When one side is crowded, the team uses the goalkeeper to move the ball across the pitch, away from the pressure.
Why the team does it: The opponent has to shift across the pitch to press again, which takes time and can open gaps.
What is the benefit: The team restarts its attack from the free side, with space to move forward.

The goalkeeper moves the ball to the free side. Ringed: the players in focus. Dashed: where they started.

06 · Put it into practice

Try it on a match

Watch one team’s goalkeeper for 20 minutes when their team has the ball. Count how often they receive a pass and note where they play it next: short, through the middle, long or to the other side.

Then look at where the goalkeeper stands. How far from the goal line are they when the team is building up? Do they step up when the centre-backs split?

Finally, use What? How? Why? to explain one example. Read How teams build from the back alongside it.

01Start learningExplore The Portal → 02Keep readingBack to The Debrief → 03Be part of itJoin The Club →

The Debrief · Football explained

How teams use the goalkeeper

The goalkeeper as an extra player: making the numbers, stepping up and playing past the press.

By Harry Lowe · 6 min read

Read the article →

Football Explained · Using the goalkeeper

Introduction

In the build-up the goalkeeper is often the team’s spare player: the opponent has ten outfield players to mark ten, so pressing the goalkeeper usually means leaving someone else free.

Teams that use the goalkeeper well treat them as an extra outfield player in the build-up: someone to pass back to, to switch play through and to break the press with a pass.

Here are five things to watch for. In every board, Blue is building from its own goal at the bottom of the page.

01 · The extra player

Count three against two

What you see: Under pressure, a defender passes back to the goalkeeper, who passes to the other defender.
How the team does it: The goalkeeper stands where both centre-backs can pass to them, making three players against the opponent’s two forwards.
Why the team does it: Two forwards can press two defenders, but not three players at once.
What is the benefit: One of the three is usually free, so the team can keep the ball without kicking it away.

The goalkeeper makes three against two. Ringed: the player in focus. Dashed: where they started.

02 · Stepping up

Watch where the goalkeeper stands

What you see: The goalkeeper moves up to the edge of the box, or beyond it, when the team has the ball.
How the team does it: As the centre-backs split wider, the goalkeeper steps up into the space between them, like a third centre-back.
Why the team does it: A goalkeeper further forward is easier to pass to and gives the team a wider base to build from.
What is the benefit: The team has an extra passer at the back, so its outfield players can push higher.

The goalkeeper becomes a third centre-back. Ringed: the players in focus. Dashed: where they started.

03 · The pass through

Find the pass between the forwards

What you see: The goalkeeper passes forward between the opponent’s forwards to a midfielder.
How the team does it: The midfielder stands in the gap behind the forwards, and the goalkeeper plays the ball through it.
Why the team does it: Forwards pressing the defenders often leave the space behind them open, and the goalkeeper can see it.
What is the benefit: The midfielder receives with the forwards behind them, so the team is through the first line of the press without a risky pass across its own box.

A pass from the goalkeeper can break the first line. Ringed: the player in focus. Dashed: where they started.

04 · The long pass

Watch for the pass over the press

What you see: The goalkeeper kicks a long diagonal pass over the press to a winger or full-back on the far side.
How the team does it: When the opponent pushes up to press, the goalkeeper picks out the player with the most space, usually wide on the far side.
Why the team does it: A press that commits players forward leaves space behind it. A good long pass reaches that space in one move.
What is the benefit: If the pass lands, the receiver can have time to control the ball and run at the defence before it gets across.

The long pass skips the whole press. Ringed: the player in focus. Dashed: where they started.

05 · The switch

Follow the ball back through the goalkeeper

What you see: The ball goes back from a full-back to the goalkeeper, then out to the full-back on the other side.
How the team does it: When one side is crowded, the team uses the goalkeeper to move the ball across the pitch, away from the pressure.
Why the team does it: The opponent has to shift across the pitch to press again, which takes time and can open gaps.
What is the benefit: The team restarts its attack from the free side, with space to move forward.

The goalkeeper moves the ball to the free side. Ringed: the players in focus. Dashed: where they started.

06 · Put it into practice

Try it on a match

Watch one team’s goalkeeper for 20 minutes when their team has the ball. Count how often they receive a pass and note where they play it next: short, through the middle, long or to the other side.

Then look at where the goalkeeper stands. How far from the goal line are they when the team is building up? Do they step up when the centre-backs split?

Finally, use What? How? Why? to explain one example. Read How teams build from the back alongside it.

01Start learningExplore The Portal → 02Keep readingBack to The Debrief → 03Be part of itJoin The Club →