This week there was not, at least in my eyes, an abundance of saves that just jumped off the screen. Making this LaLiga saves of the week Matchday 14 edition was actually easier than some other articles in these similar series. There was a clinic this week of how you’re supposed to dive to low shots. Many of the saves on the list this week would potentially never be found on a poster. Yet, a lot of these saves to low running shots are much tougher than the acrobatic ones that make up most of the usual highlight reels. In fact, low running shots tend to be much tougher for younger goalkeepers. So, there are a lot of teaching points this week. Some of the best goalkeepers in the world also made the list. That’s usually a plus as well!
There is definitely a trend that I see in that LaLiga goalkeepers are typically asked to make more saves from longer shots. The game isn’t as much of a high ball game where most of the action is going to include coming out to catch crosses. The league really plays to the strengths of goalkeepers with great footwork in between the sticks. That’s the basis of what’s going to allow you to get to those low running shots that I just mentioned. Just like the Premier League, we only have one winning goalkeeper on the list this week. Although on this Spanish side we also only have one losing goalkeeper who made the list!
5. Luís Maximiano vs Real Madrid – Being Patient Between The Sticks Brings Forth Rewards
A lot of what makes this save good is the mental aspect. We talked about this with Tim Krul in the Premier League article. You have to be confident in your positioning and make sure that you’re never caught standing straight up before an incoming shot. The mental aspect here though, is potentially more difficult than what Krul dealt with. In the sense that you’re playing Real Madrid you’re already down at this point coming back could seem like a long shot. You still have to find a way to stay focused and keep your team in the game for as long as you possibly can. This was one way of doing just that.
What I love about this save other than the fact that he got his hand down on the ground like it needs to be is that he quickly got to a spot a couple yards in front of the goal where he felt comfortable. A lot of times when these types of plays end in a goal it’s partly because the goalkeeper wants to start walking backwards towards the goal. Finding that spot and making the decision to stay put can make these saves a bit more likely. If you follow that up with a textbook dive to a low ball you’re going to have a much better shot at making these saves. There’s no doubt about it!
4. Matías Dituro vs Villarreal – Is This Luck or Skill?
There’s no doubt that the result of this save was great. Still, there are going to be some people out there that claim this was more of a strike of luck than anything else. I looked back at it in slow motion and I really don’t think this save is lucky at all. Grated, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this type of technique. The reason why I don’t necessarily feel its luck is because he’s got his eyes on the ball all the way through. Ultimately the reason why he’s able to hold on to that ball instead of pushing it away is that he gets his hand over the ball to completely stop it. That’s incredibly risky seeing as how he didn’t have a hand under the ball at all.
As was the case with the other save, what allows him to get to this ball is his body position before the shot. If that shot is taken with Dituro standing straight up he literally has no shot of getting to that ball. To be honest I’m still on the fence as to whether he meant to stop the ball that way or not. I do feel that when this has happened to me, it’s a little bit of the luck of the draw. Sometimes you get there right as the ball is arriving, but you’ve got a little more power in your stride, and you end up sort of curling or hugging the ball into your body. In any case it’s the result that you get with good technique and even better timing.
3. Unai Simon vs Levante – Being On Your Toes To Reach
The process that went into this save is pretty much the exact same one that we saw on the last two entries. What makes this one “better” at least in my eyes is the whole context of the save. You can see in the video that the field is just a mess, it’s pouring rain. Plus, the striker hits kind of a low volley into the goal. Usually when you’re dealing with a volley the shot is not going to be coming in as cleanly as it would when the ball is completely on the ground. When you factor in that the ball is wet, and the field is as well you just start to realize how impressive this save was from Spain’s starting goalkeeper.
I think it was last week that I was a little critical of the footwork by Unai Simon. Here, he doesn’t necessarily exaggerate the extra step. He does though open up his stance and get low! To be able to reach that ball there’s nothing else that you can really do. As was the case with the other entities on the list the key is the body position as well as the feet. You need to make sure that you lower your center of gravity. Particularly in this type of situation where the ball is so close to the goal that the shot is likely to come in sooner or later. If you’re standing too straight you’re not going to be able to react to these low shots.
2. Jan Oblak vs Osasuna – Going Up Or Down
Jan Oblak shows us perfectly how you’re going to attack a ball when you have way more time to react. In pretty much all of the saves that we’ve seen so far there’s really no time to get two hands on the ball. When there is time you need to get in the habit of doing so. Potentially if he just tries to attack this ball with one hand it’s just going to fly past him. He does it perfectly here, you get the hand of the side that you’re diving to as low as you can go depending on the shot. You put the other hand up top. It would’ve been even better if he would’ve caught the ball or if he could’ve avoided the corner. Still at the moment in the game where he makes this save it’s amazing.
With a lot of the modern soccer balls you can never assume that you’re going to get a clear trajectory. There are few things more frustrating than completing the diving process flawlessly to still find the ball in the back of the net because it did a twist and turn in the air that you didn’t expect. It’s not like you have to be facing Roberto Carlos every day for something like this to happen. With the way that balls are made these days you can find yourself in a tough spot with virtually any shot. Therefore, it’s usually better if you’re able to get two hands on it!
1. LaLiga Saves Of The Week Best Save Matchday 14 Jan Oblak vs Osasuna – Having To Make The Acrobatic Save
This save is actually earlier in the game than the last one. Again the idea is pretty much the same, although the shots are quite different. It’s a longer shot than most of the other ones that we saw on the list. You have to make sure that you take the steps that you need to take before you dive and get both hands in front of the hard shot. You can tell from the way that Oblak is able to deflect the ball that the show was really coming in hot. At the end the height was sort of perfect for Oblak. The shot was still trending upward, but he’s able to make the save in a spot where his arms aren’t fully extended. Usually when that happens it’s less likely that the show will just bend your fingers and go in.
What I feel happens with Jan Oblak and some other goalkeepers is that they are so safe and are always in the right position that they make amazing saves look mundane. There could be some goalkeepers out there that would want to just attack that ball with one hand. If they’re able to pull that off the poster for a save like that would look stunning. That’s what you’re in here for though. Be extra safe, take the extra step, get two hands on the ball when you can, and you’ll be able to make more saves.
