Goalkeeper Screened Shot Drills: 8 Drills to Save Shots Through Traffic

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Some of the hardest shots a goalkeeper faces are not the hardest-hit ones. They are the shots the keeper sees late: a strike from the edge of the box that comes through a crowd of legs, a shot that flicks off a defender, or a low drive that appears from behind a teammate a split second before it reaches the goal. These are screened shots, and they decide many matches at every level of the game.

In this guide we share eight goalkeeper screened shot drills that help keepers find the ball, stay set and make clean saves through traffic. They cover body and head position, reading the shooter around a screen, reacting to late and deflected shots, organising defenders who block, and handling the rebound that often follows. Each drill has coaching points, a regression and a progression, so you can use them with young keepers and senior keepers alike.

Why screened shots are so hard to save

A goalkeeper normally reads a shot long before it is struck: the run-up, the hips, the standing foot and the swing of the leg. When a player stands between the shooter and the goal, most of that information disappears. The keeper sees the ball later, has less time to move and often has to save from a set position that is not quite ideal. Many keepers react by bending sideways or leaning on one foot to peek around the screen, which leaves them off balance just when they need to push.

Good screened-shot goalkeeping is about three things: staying balanced while moving the head to find the ball, staying close to the line between the ball and the centre of the goal, and keeping the hands low and ready, because screened shots are often low and come through legs. It also needs clear talk, so defenders block properly instead of turning away. These drills sit well alongside our goalkeeper shot-stopping drills and our guide to the goalkeeper set position.

Safety first

• Warm up well before any diving, including the hips, groin, shoulders, wrists and fingers.
• Train diving saves on soft grass or a padded surface, and land on the side of the body, never on the elbows or the front of the body.
• Use mannequins, poles or cones as screens in the early stages, so nobody stands in front of a hard shot.
• When live players act as screens, ask shooters to strike at a controlled pace and ask screening players to keep their arms behind their back or by their sides.
• Never go head-first towards feet in the crowded area. Lead with the hands and keep the head behind the ball.
• With children, use lighter balls, shorter distances and gentle shots, and keep plenty of rest between turns.

8 goalkeeper screened shot drills

1. Mannequin screen: find the ball

Place a mannequin, a tall pole or a stack of cones about eight to ten yards in front of the goal. The coach stands with a ball about ten yards behind the screen. Before each shot, the coach moves the ball a little to the left or right of the screen. The keeper moves the head and, if needed, takes a small step to keep sight of the ball, then gets set as the coach strikes. Start with shots the keeper can catch, aimed to either side of the body.

• Coaching points: keep the head moving but the body balanced, take small adjusting steps instead of leaning, stay close to the line between the ball and the centre of the goal, and be still with the weight on the front of the feet when the ball is struck.
• Regression: the coach shows the ball clearly and says ‘now’ before shooting, and uses throws or side-foot passes.
• Progression: the coach keeps the ball hidden longer and only steps out at the last moment, or a second mannequin is added to make a narrow gap.

2. Two-pole gate reading

Set two poles or mannequins about two yards apart, ten yards from goal, to make a gate. The coach dribbles slowly from side to side behind the gate and shoots either through the gap or around the outside of a pole. The keeper’s job is to keep adjusting with each touch so they can see the ball, and to be set for the shot. This trains the habit of moving every time the ball moves, even when the view keeps changing.

• Coaching points: short side steps without crossing the feet, eyes on the ball, not on the poles, and hands low and in front of the body.
• Regression: widen the gate so the keeper can see more of the ball, and slow the coach down.
• Progression: narrow the gate, let the coach shoot from closer, or ask for a first-time shot after a pass from the side.

3. Late-sight low saves

Two mannequins stand side by side about six yards out, close enough that the keeper only sees the ball as it passes them. The coach stands behind the mannequins and drives low shots or skidding balls through the legs or round the edge. Because the keeper sees the ball late, the focus is on low hands, a quick collapse save to either side and a strong landing on the hip and shoulder.

• Coaching points: start with the hands low and slightly in front, get the hands to the ball first, collapse sideways onto the side of the body, and pull the ball in quickly.
• Regression: start on the knees with rolled balls so the keeper can learn the shape of the save safely.
• Progression: increase the pace, mix ground balls with bouncing balls, or let the coach choose between near side and far side.

4. Deflection reactions

A server stands about twelve yards from goal and plays firm passes or soft shots towards a second coach standing in front of the keeper at about five yards. The second coach either lets the ball run through, steps aside, or gently redirects it with the inside of the foot. The keeper must stay set, react to the change of direction and save. This copies the moment when a shot takes a touch off a defender’s leg.

• Coaching points: stay set and patient, do not dive early, keep a wide base so you can push off either foot, and use the hands or the feet to make the save, whatever is fastest.
• Regression: the second coach only lets balls through or steps aside, with no redirection.
• Progression: use firmer shots, or let the second coach redirect the ball with the thigh or shin as well as the foot.

5. Live screen with a blocking defender

The coach starts wide and passes into an attacker at the edge of the box. A defender stands between the attacker and the goal, and the attacker shoots past or around them. Before the shot, the keeper tells the defender what to do: block the ball, stay big and not turn the back. A defender who turns away can make a deflection more likely and takes away the keeper’s view for even longer. The keeper adjusts to see the ball and makes the save.

• Coaching points: talk early and clearly, use the defender’s name, keep sight of the ball by moving the head and feet, and stay set as the shot is struck.
• Regression: the defender is passive and stands still, and the attacker shoots with the side of the foot at a controlled pace.
• Progression: let the attacker take one touch to move the ball around the defender, or add a second attacker for a lay-off.

6. Screen and rebound

Use the setup from drill 1 or drill 3 and add a second coach near the six-yard box with another ball. After the keeper saves the screened shot, the second coach either shoots straight away or plays a ball for an attacker to follow in. Screened shots are often hard to hold, so the keeper must save, recover and get set again quickly. For more ideas on second saves, see our goalkeeper rebound drills.

• Coaching points: if you cannot catch it, push the ball wide and away from the middle of the goal, get up through the knees, find the ball before moving, and set again before the second shot.
• Regression: allow a two-second pause between the first and second ball, or use throws for the second ball.
• Progression: add a third ball from a different angle, or let an attacker follow in on every save.

7. Edge-of-box 3v2 with screens

Set up a zone across the edge of the box. Three attackers try to create a shot against two defenders who must stay in the zone. The defenders block and screen, and the attackers try to shoot through or around them. The keeper organises the defenders, keeps adjusting to see the ball and deals with every shot. Restart quickly from the coach so the keeper faces many screened situations in a few minutes.

• Coaching points: move with every pass, keep the defenders between the ball and the goal, call ‘block’ or ‘out’ early, and stay set as the shot is struck.
• Regression: play 2v1 in the zone so there is less traffic and the keeper sees more of the ball.
• Progression: add a time limit of eight seconds per attack, or allow an attacker to arrive late from deeper.

8. Crowded-box small-sided game

Play 4v4 or 5v5 on a pitch about the size of a penalty box and a half, with a keeper in each goal. Goals scored from outside a marked zone in front of each goal count double, which encourages long shots through traffic. The keepers face many screened and deflected shots in real game moments, and they also have to organise the players in front of them.

• Coaching points: constant small adjustments, clear communication, low and ready hands, and quick recovery after each save.
• Regression: play 3v3 so there are fewer bodies in the way and the keeper has more time to read each shot.
• Progression: remove the double-goal rule for close shots only, or play with one touch for the attackers in the final third.

How to use these drills in a session

Start with a warm-up that includes footwork, handling and some low saves. Use drills 1 and 2 to build the habit of finding the ball, then drills 3 and 4 for late reactions. Add drill 5 to bring in communication with a defender and drill 6 for second saves. Finish with drill 7 or 8, where the keeper uses everything in a game. Keep each block short, with good rest between reps, because quality matters more than numbers. For a full structure, see our goalkeeper session plan guide.

Plan your session with KEEPIX

We built KEEPIX so goalkeeper coaches can plan clear sessions in minutes. Use the KEEPIX session designer to draw these screened shot drills with keepers, servers, mannequins and cones, add your coaching points, and share the plan with your keepers or staff. For more ideas, download our 50 Essential Goalkeeper Drills free PDF, follow our daily GK drills on Instagram, and keep track of every session in KEEPIX Diary. You can find all our guides on the goalkeeper drills hub.

Key takeaways

• Move the head and take small steps to find the ball, but stay balanced instead of leaning.
• Stay close to the line between the ball and the centre of the goal, even when the view is blocked.
• Keep the hands low and ready, because screened shots often come through legs.
• Be patient on deflections: stay set and react to the ball, do not dive early.
• Talk to defenders early so they block properly and do not turn their back.
• Train with mannequins first, use soft ground for diving and never go head-first into a crowd.

Frequently asked questions

How should a goalkeeper deal with a screened shot?

Move the head and take small steps to keep sight of the ball, while staying close to the line between the ball and the centre of the goal. Be balanced and still when the shot is struck, with the hands low and ready, and push any ball you cannot hold away from the middle of the goal.

Should a goalkeeper move to the side to see past a screen?

A small step is often fine, but moving too far opens a big part of the goal. The aim is to see the ball while still covering the goal, so keep adjustments small and stay balanced rather than leaning sideways on one foot.

How can I train screened shots safely?

Start with mannequins, poles or cones as the screen so nobody stands in front of hard shots. Use controlled shot speed, soft ground for diving and lighter balls for children. Add live defenders only when the keeper is comfortable, and ask them to keep their arms by their sides.