YANN SOMMER GREAT SAVES AND EXCELLENT PREPARATION

Yann Sommer is simply one of the Bundesliga’s finest goalkeepers. With an excellent passing ability, strong presence in the box and an amazing shot-stopping ability, he is consistently great. Furthermore, all last season (2018/2019) he did not lose a single aerial duel even though he is the Bundesliga’s shortest goalkeeper at 1.83 cm. Sommer’s game combines excellent technique, great decision making and a calm presence.

In focus for today’s blog post, we have two videos with the first being a low save off a header and the second showing Yann’s pre-match preparation. Firstly, when examining the save it is important that Sommer is in a set position with his weight slightly forward. Additionally, Yann is well positioned slightly off center of the goal to the right in a low set position that he has mastered over the years. It is important to note that the degree to which each goalkeeper should bend their knees and how low they should be when set varies depending on the person. Sommer stays lower than most when set as this works best for him.

Another take away from this save are Sommer’s feet with a push off occurring from the right foot as his right hand fully extends to meet the ball. Sommer makes excellent contact with the ball and palms it away to a safe distance. The last bit that we can learn from this sequence is the quickness with which Sommer gets back onto his feet to be ready to either make another save or, in this instance, organize his defense.

The last video shows Yann Sommer’s movement right before the start of the half with dynamic movement being chosen rather than static stretching. Moreover, each movement chosen, such as the quick lateral feet, jumping to the crossbar, or proper blocking technique in a breakaway scenario, is a dynamic technique or pattern of movement that will be required in the game. This short video highlights the genius of Yann’s preparation while stressing the importance of dynamic movement in the warmup process.

We hope you have enjoyed this blog and would love to hear about your own tips or preferences when preparing for a game. Leave us a comment on one of our social media pages.