ROOKIE HOWLERS

Swansea coach Tony Roberts lists the most common errors emergency keepers make

MAROONED ON THE LINE

Outfield players are often a fish out of water when they have to go in goal, so they usually just stay on their line. You may feel vulnerable coming away from your goalmouth, but a forward has far less chance of scoring if you can get out to him and close down the ball.

LACK OF DECISION-MAKING

A novice does not know when to punch or catch. In fairness, the advice changes – we always used to try to catch it – but the important thing now is being decisive. Decide what you are going to try to do and commit to it, otherwise you will be stuck in two minds and make a mistake.

NON-EXISTENT FOOTWORK

Inexperienced goalkeepers often find themselves rooted to the spot, whereas a trained keeper will always be thinking of trying to narrow the angle. If there’s a striker coming at you centrally, move forwards in line with the ball. The key thing is to try to get in the bloody way!

BADLY-TIMED JUMPS

The main thing to note for getting hold of crosses is to catch the ball at the right time. You want to be jumping and moving upwards when you meet the ball, before it starts moving downwards – try to catch it at its highest point. This takes time to get it right, but it’s something to keep in mind.