Originally posted on 06/25/2014:

Quote Originally Posted by cutchemist42 View Post
As a hockey goalie, I understand the net is larger, bu it still seems like from a positional aspect, some seem extremly off. I also don't understand this semi sideways flop technique they try to do sometimes. A big example I saw was Portgual's first goal against the USA. The goalie did the sideways flop and was on the ground before the kick. I would think just standing would have given a better chance.

As a former D1 Soccer player who played striker I can tell you that I love when goalies are just standing. It's near impossible for them to get down on a low hard shot when they aren't low to the ground. Kicking it low and hard is about the easiest shot to get off when you have defenders draped all over you. You can shoot, "pass" with inside or outside of foot, or even toe the damn thing if thats all you can get to it low and hard, in a controlled manner regardless of position of ball or how much it is bouncing. If the goalie is low to the ground and takes that away from you, your options as a striker limit you to try push the ball further wide (and potentially missing the net all together) or trying to get it over the keeper. It might look easy, but depending on where your weight is balanced, what defenders you have to traverse around, how much the ball is bouncing, and even the position of the ball in relation to your striking foot, getting it over the goal keeper, but not over the crossbar is a much more difficult task then drilling a low hard ball slightly to the left or right of keeper (which will always go in if the goalie is standing).

It amazes me people come in here and questions if the best goalies in the world are "doing it right". Of course they are. Or they wouldn't be the best. The strikers are also the best. So yes if you give a top of the world striker a giant goal to shoot at with a relatively tiny sized ball and a clear shot on net, they should make it 95% of the time. That doesn't mean the goalie doesn't know what he's doing. He is just playing the odds which are stacked against him.