Liverpool’s Alisson Becker has opened up on the demands of modern goalkeepers and the need to be comfortable playing from the back.
The Brazil international is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in European football and has twice won the Premier League Golden Glove.
The 31-year-old combines reactive saves with a comfortability in possession and has opened up on the changes to a goalkeeper’s role in the modern game.
Asked what was the key for modern goalkeepers, Alisson told the club’s official website: “Still saving goals. Of course, I think you see goalkeepers playing more with their feet from the back and you see teams playing more with their feet from the back, not only kicking long balls.
“That affects our position a little bit, but I don’t think it changed too much. We just improved things because of the necessity of what football is asking for. Football today is asking for a team who builds up.
“The goalkeeper needs to play, to be good with his feet, but the main part is making saves and doing what a goalkeeper does – leading the team, claiming crosses. So I think playing with your feet is more an extra thing than the main thing for a goalkeeper.”
Alisson provided an insight into his training and preparation, but admitted each individual situation is different as he looks to frustrate opposition forwards.
“Every situation is different and I don’t do the same things all the time.
“I think this makes things difficult for the striker because if they know how I react in every situation they can just do something different. I try not to do predictable things and every situation and save is unique.
“Of course I have my style and my technique and I stick to that, but I also try to read situations and what the striker is going to do and use what I train for to make saves.
“Training and reading situations are the key. In one-v-ones you have strikers who have more technique to chip the ball and others like to dribble [around] you, so you have to train and be ready for all these situations.”
