For all goalkeepers: the NUMBER ONE Guide

To voluntarily get shot in the face or wrap yourself completely around the post during a save takes a fair amount of courage. But to celebrate yourself in the process, you have to be insane - or a goalkeeper. And it is precisely for this dying breed of "positive maniacs" that the B42 training app has its own 6-week training programme: NUMBER ONE.

Goalkeepers: more than just the last resort

However, being a goalkeeper means more than just being able to shoot from close range. Goalkeepers now have to be strong teammates, extremely fast, clever and intelligent in the game - and also top fit.

It is therefore hardly surprising that goalkeepers' running performances have steadily increased over the past decade.

One can even go so far as to say that modern-day goalkeepers cover similar distances as the midfield "engines" of the seventies - even if player tracking was limited to observation and manual tracing back then.

While goalkeeper icons such as Bodo Illgner, Peter Schmeichel, Claudio Taffarel or David Seaman ran two to three kilometres in the 1990s, Bundesliga goalkeepers in the pre-Corona 2018/19 season averaged 5.5 km.

The differences in the mileage of the various goalkeepers are not insignificant. Some goalkeepers ran on average over 2,000 metres more per game than their colleagues.

At this point it is perhaps important to mention that mileage is not an indicator of a goalkeeper's quality.

This is also proven by Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp. In the 2018/19 season and a running distance of 4.65km on average, the Frankfurt goalkeeper recorded the second-worst value of the season.

However, the fact that he was one of the best in his profession this season is proven not only by the success of the Frankfurt Eintracht, but also by the statistics.

With a "Prevented Expected Goal" value (xG Prevented) of 0.27, Trapp achieved the third-best value in the league - despite a below-average running performance.

What actually makes an above-average goalkeeper?

Most of the time, statistics are used to answer the question of goalkeeper-specific comparative values, which are often not particularly representative.

The top value is often the "percentage of balls saved" - nothing more.

The problem: A goalkeeper who saves three centrally shot balls has the same statistical values as a goalkeeper who has won three spectacular one-on-ones. 

The "Prevented Expected Goals" are much more meaningful.

Best Goalkeeper 11 in Europe (To Date March 2020)

Source: https://statsscoreindex.com/

Playing, reacting, penalty area control:
Goalkeepers have a high requirement profile

Reacting quickly in one-on-one situations

When a player runs alone towards the opponent's goal, the pressure on the attacker increases - but so does it towards the goalkeeper.

For him or her, the question now is, come out or wait? Do you give them room to pass or stay on the line and improve the angle for the attacker?

Should the goalkeeper drop down in order to achieve the greatest possible distance from the shooter or rush out to increase the pressure on the attackers and thus force them to make mistakes?

Whether coming out or waiting, a certain reactive speed is essential for both variants. This is the only way to keep the decision open as long as possible and to choose the better one in the short term.

Quickly assuming the basic position

Outstanding goalkeepers don't just stand in goal, they prance. This makes them quicker to react and more successful - regardless of whether they have to stop counterattacks or react to deflected shots from a distance.

Through fast, reactive footwork on the forefoot, the distance between the goalkeeper-typical "opening jumps" on the spot becomes significantly shorter. In this way, keepers reach that basic position more quickly that the body needs for a reflex.

Playing intelligently with high balls

Goalkeepers must control their penalty area without sparing others or themselves. However, it is not always advisable to rush out like a Teuton on the rampage. In many situations, it is important to keep a cool head: Keyword "game intelligence".

For goalkeepers, however, it is also important to act courageously and safely with high balls into the penalty area as well as when running out. The necessary speed and jumping power are important prerequisites, along with the right timing. 

For all insane goalkeepers: the NUMBER ONE Guide

Jumping higher and further, running faster and more agile and at the same time protecting yourself from injuries in the shoulder and hip area is elementary for goalkeepers.

You can now train on all these important goalkeeper-specific skills with our 6-week training programme specially designed for the number one in the team.

How is the NUMBER ONE Guide structured?

Each week is divided into four training days. At the beginning of the week you start with a session to improve your ground contact time. This is followed by a mobility workout and a strength session.

The week ends with another mobility workout.

What distinguishes the "NUMBER ONE" guide from the other programmes?

The NUMBER ONE programme is specially tailored to the needs of goalkeepers: in the flexibility training, we therefore place a special focus on the shoulders and hips.

The reactive speed exercises for faster ground contact times also train the skills of goalkeepers, as they usually act from the forefoot and have to react quickly.

Eintracht Frankfurt, West Ham United, Apple and UEFA...

We work hard every day to be the best solution and the best support in achieving your goals. In the process, we have already achieved a number of milestones.

Eintracht Frankfurt's youth performance centre and West Ham United's junior teams use B42 (other clubs wish to remain anonymous).

In 2020, we won the UEFA Innovation Award 2020 and were named "Love App" (App of the Day) by Apple, as well as "Trending App" by Google.

To date, B42 is used by over 150,000 players in several countries.

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Be fearless. Be focussed. B42