Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Block vs Smother

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Dylan Cope

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Name:	Dylan Cope
City:	Perth
Country:	Australia
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Screen 1

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Screen 1

1v1 practice activity.

Working with 3-8 GKs.

Player starts at red cone with ball and dribbles to six yard line before dribbling towards post and trying to score past GK in goal. GK in goal has to protect space between post and pole as goal. Once GK has made save dribbler takes GKs place and GK moves to top of que ready to dribble in.

GK has opportunities to practice , shepherding player wide, smother and block techniques with this exercise.

Coaching points:

GK does not need to make a save to be successful , if GK can shepherd striker wide that = success.

Encourage GK to close space and practice smother technique, block should be last resort.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Screen 2

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Block vs Smother

The act/technique of smothering (diving at feet) looks to have fallen out of the game somewhat with the rise of the block save (5 point block). However both saves are required for GKs to effectively protect their goal and dominate in 1v1 situations.

A good rule of thumb for deciding when to use which technique is distance. If the Ball carrier is within a body length , the best choice would be to smother. This will obviously be different for each GK as taller GKs may be able to smother earlier than shorter GKs, shorter GKs may be able to block from closer distances than taller GKs.

Smother technique:

From low set position move hands towards ball similar to a dive, Have to lead with hands and torso, attack ball with a strong decision and commitment, assertive. Best done with a moving start, to get momentum/power moving forwards and into ball. Smothering is a Pro-Active GK Action

(Best examples Allison at Liverpool, Lloris at Spurs)

Block Technique:

From set position , move hands out next to body , open one leg , keeping knee bent (Toes pointing perpendicular to ball carrier), This is the big side this will be the leg you want to make save with. (If striker is shooting with their right foot you will typically react with left leg as big side out to make save). you then want to extend trailing leg out inline with rest of body essentially creating a wall , in case striker reveres shot.

If the ball carrier is within 4 yards (and not with in body length) and shapes to shoot , a block may be required.

Block saves are reaction saves, there needs to be enough time for GK to react, GK can not react and move body in the way if striker shoots from within body length distance. Block saves are Reactive goalkeeper actions.

(Best examples, Neuer at Bayern Munich.)

(Local Example, Liam Driscoll at Bayswater)

Dangers of going into block save from too close:

not enough time to react , just hoping to get hit with ball , can be easily dribbled around, hard to change direction once committed , often leads to rebound goals (cant get two hands on the ball for safe possession).