No game this weekend due to a gap in the fixtures, so automatically by midweek thoughts turn to what we should do with a free Sunday?
Cut the grass? – it’s still dry (and long) enough. Wash the car? – it could do with it, after all. Help the kids with their homework? – although how much help we are, I’m not sure. Get stuff done round the house that we don’t have time for in the week? – there’s plenty to go at. Maybe even watch one of the games on tv? The options are endless, or so it seems. At the very least we’ll get a lie in on a Sunday morning for a change.
Then the text comes through asking about all the lad’s availability for a potential friendly. What can you say? “Course he can play.” What else would we be doing?
Because of how the fixtures are compiled, every week a couple of the teams in each division will have a free week. The fixtures are done as if there are 12 teams in the division but there are only 10. This allows teams to rearrange games, postponed due to the weather for example. The manager of a team a couple of divisions below us got in contact because they had a free week too and he wanted his lads to carry on playing, rather than miss a week. By the sounds of it, he’d tried the other team in their own division but they declined.
A couple of our lads had been out, one injured, the other through illness but the injured lad was told by his doctor he could start his comeback. A friendly would be ideal for him to try 10 or 20 minutes to see how he felt. The other lad was still a few weeks away from being able to play and one more was unavailable for the game. All this meant a bare 11 players, plus the lad who was going to play a bit part.
Our manager was keen to play as it would give us the chance to try lads in different and less familiar positions, as well as giving the not fully fit lad a run out for as little or as long as he could attempt. Better to try him in a game with nothing riding on it, so he’d be less likely to hurt himself or try to do too much.
Personally, I’d much rather they play a friendly than not, and it be a fortnight between games. That would apply whether they’d won or lost the previous game. If they’d lost it, it gives them chance to get it out of their system and get back to winning ways. Alternatively, if they’d won their last game, it’s an opportunity to keep the momentum going.
From this goalkeeper coach’s point of view, I’d much prefer my lad playing a game than not. He trains twice a week and in my opinion, a game is far more beneficial to him than not playing, or having another training session. It gives him chance to put into practice the elements he’s learned and worked on during the week.
The only problem with the friendly, again from my point of view, was the possibility that it could end up being a bit one-sided and therefore not much of a test for him, other than for his concentration. There’s no guarantee that’s how it would turn out, but if it did, they are the kind of matches that can be really frustrating for both of us. It’s good to test his concentration levels now and again, especially as it’s grown up football, full size nets (sometimes) and 35 minutes each way. That’s a long time when you’re not getting much involvement in the game.
It also helps put more emphasis on him talking to his defenders, organising them and being more of a sweeper keeper and dealing competently with back passes but my concern is that if it does end up being one-sided, I don’t want him to concede. I’ve seen him play enough matches with his current team where they dominate games but still end up conceding the odd goal. Quite often very well taken goals nonetheless but the clean sheet is the holy grail, the thing we both strive for him to achieve. It’s a team game but when they’ve dominated a game but still concede, it hurts him – personally.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen him as dejected after a game as he was 2 years ago. They were away from home and dominated the majority of the match. They won 11-4 but the opposition only had 4 shots on target. He was beaten by 4 really good strikes. Each one dipped just under the bar or just inside the post. Two were speculative strikes from distance because they struggled to get past the defenders, the other two were well taken direct free kicks from needlessly given away fouls. His face was total disappointment as he walked off the pitch. There was nothing he could have done differently and not much I could say to him, other than just that.
So the game came round. The lads were all really up for it, which was a good sign, rather than thinking they’d won before a ball was kicked because the opposition was 2 divisions below them. Both teams played some good football, getting the ball down and passing it when they could. Our lads took the lead and never really looked back. By the time the score was 3-0, the opposition were looking a bit deflated. But then, a sloppy pass from one of his defenders was intercepted and a through ball meant he was forced into a 1v1 with their centre forward.
The striker took his shot early but quick feet, sharp reactions and strong hands meant the keeper came away with his clean sheet still in tact. It was a really smart save when they looked odds on to get a goal back. Our lads got a couple more goals to make it 5-0 at half time. It didn’t really flatter them either. Their passing game was in full flow and the score could have been higher. At half time I emphasised the importance of him keeping his concentration and still talking to his defenders as much as possible and being there for back passes to relieve pressure on them.
Into the second half and the goals continued to flow. The opposition looked ready to throw the towel in, looking more and more frustrated as our lads controlled things. Then it happened. One of their players received the ball and went on a bit of a run. Past one challenge, then another. He turned onto his stronger side and shot. As soon as he hit it, it had the look of a goal. And it was. Fairly central but dipping under the bar. He tried to back pedal the 5 or 6 yards to his goal line but it was in vain. The clean sheet had vanished, just like that. The good thing was that he was angry about the poor quality of the challenges that his defenders had put in. As he booted the ball back to the halfway line for the restart, he let his defenders know that he wasn’t happy with them.
The goals continued at the other end and it finished as an easy victory for the lads, with just the one black mark on his previously clean sheet. As he came off you could see he was less dejected than has been the case before but still not happy that the clean sheet had escaped his grasp. I like that he gets annoyed and angry about conceding goals and maybe that’s the difference now. He’s a couple of years older and he’s not scared to tell his team mates if they’ve let him (and themselves) down.
Next fixture, this Sunday, has all the ingredients of being a similar situation. Their first ever County Cup game, at home against a team 3 divisions below them. They should win it but that’s the magic of the cup isn’t it? Their opponents have nothing to lose and could be quite unpredictable because of it. Long range thunderbolts and all. From a keepers point of view, it can be a bit of a hiding to nothing.
As always, I’ll do my best to prepare him properly for it, physically and mentally, but if he shows the same attitude as the previous week, he’ll not go far wrong. I’ll just keep the faith.
Keeper of the faith 