The answer to the How many Goalkeepers do the **** we have conundrum..

[6TimesaRed]

John Achterberg claims Pepe Reina is one of very few goalkeepers with the skill set to play the brand of football currently being executed at Liverpool under Kenny Dalglish.

The Reds use a high defensive line and expect Reina to act as a sweeper behind the back four - just like Bruce Grobbelaar used to do.

All 30 goalkeepers on our books from U9 level up are trained to play this way, with the Academy hoping to mould an archetypal 'Liverpool goalkeeper'.

Achterberg told Liverpoolfc.tv: "The way we play is with a high line with Pepe sweeping up. When balls get played into space, the goalkeeper can sweep up. That's the way we work with every goalkeeper to try and create a goalkeeper for the first team.

"There aren't too many who could play for Liverpool with the way we play. We expect him to be half a sweeper and there aren't too many 'keepers who could do that job.

"That's always the way Liverpool have played. There are some other teams around the world: Barcelona play like that, Real Madrid do, and Ajax used to play this kind of football.

"This is why we try to put the same training sessions through the whole of our system. It would be great if we could produce a goalkeeper who plays like Pepe.

"I'm a bit obsessed to try and improve everything and create the best atmosphere between the 'keepers and the staff, and also with the goalkeepers in the Academy."


Achterberg is the most senior of five goalkeeping coaches at the club, and he ensures reports are made on each stopper after every game they play - no matter what level.

So are we close to producing the next Pepe Reina?

"There are decent 'keepers in the Academy," said the Dutchman. "It's difficult to say how they'll keep progressing, but at the moment there are a few who are progressing well, and we all try to work in the same way.

"The first-team sessions are copied at every step down. We obviously change the speed but the rest, the movements and the way we train, is the same, because we're trying to create a 'Liverpool goalkeeper' to suit the way we play.

30 Goalkeepers!!!!


*collapses*

 

[Modo]

Gulasci is the most promising keeper I've seen at Liverpool since I started supporting the team in the late eighties.

 

[Ryan]

From Under 9 upwards though, so it's not like we have 30 in the first team squad is it?

 

[Ossi]

Reina isn't half sweeper, half goalkeeper is he? He likes it at his goal line. Can't remember him doing much sweeping.

 

[HC]

Ill never understand why any kid would want to play in goal.


That was the last position you wanted to play!

 

[gkmacca]

And while all of these keepers actually play games on a regular basis, our supposed number 2 keeper is basically in semi-retirement. Crazy new tradition.

 

[Judge Jules]

[quote author=Ossi link=topic=47528.msg1426130#msg1426130 date=1321340292]
Reina isn't half sweeper, half goalkeeper is he? He likes it at his goal line. Can't remember him doing much sweeping.
[/quote]

This. I'll bet I remember Brucie's play better than Achterberg does, despite the comparison he tries to make, and Pepe's (so far at any rate) is nothing like it.

 

[6TimesaRed]

Yeh normally the shitest player would be picked to go in goal as a kid..

As a school kid I was always was the one being picked.. I fuckin hated it.. However my revenge was sweet as the lad who was part of the clan making these decisions was taken out by myself whilst I was playing in goal. As I jumped to catch the ball, I ended up slamming him into the canteen wall, splitting his top lip. All accidently on purpose of course.. I never played in goal for a few weeks after that 🙂

 

[spider-Neil]

we hold a high line?

 

[gkmacca]

[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=47528.msg1426234#msg1426234 date=1321354618]
[quote author=Ossi link=topic=47528.msg1426130#msg1426130 date=1321340292]
Reina isn't half sweeper, half goalkeeper is he? He likes it at his goal line. Can't remember him doing much sweeping.
[/quote]

This. I'll bet I remember Brucie's play better than Achterberg does, despite the comparison he tries to make, and Pepe's (so far at any rate) is nothing like it.
[/quote]

And of course The Flying Pig was the great pioneer of the sweeper keeper.

 

[Wizardry]

[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=47528.msg1426234#msg1426234 date=1321354618]
[quote author=Ossi link=topic=47528.msg1426130#msg1426130 date=1321340292]
Reina isn't half sweeper, half goalkeeper is he? He likes it at his goal line. Can't remember him doing much sweeping.
[/quote]

This. I'll bet I remember Brucie's play better than Achterberg does, despite the comparison he tries to make, and Pepe's (so far at any rate) is nothing like it.
[/quote]

To be fair, while I can't remember it happening any time recently, in the first couple of seasons under Rafa it was a fair description. I think I lost count of the number of times Pepe was off his line and out of the area to clear a through ball.

Doesn't happen now - nor has it for the last couple of seasons. Whether that's cause we don't play a high line or because we can't play a high line I'm not sure. Pepe does look a little more reluctant to come off his line but maybe he's just not as confident in those in front of him.