How to play association football, etc

i
HINTS FOR PLAYERS IN THE VARIOUS POSITIONS
29
low shots agoal-keeper should be stationed a yard or more
in front of his goal-line. If he, when standing on his goal-
line, just manages to reach a low ball with the tips of his
fingers, he may be unable to prevent the ball from passing
into the net, or he may jam the ball against the inside, of the
post; whereas if he were some little distance in advance of
his goal-line, the ball, after being partially held, would pro-
bably be deflected past the outside of the post, or the cus-
todian might have time to recover and to overtake the ball
before it could cross the goal-line. Moreover, a goal is some-
times given away by a keeper drawing the ball behind his
goal-line before throwing it out. Similarly, other positions
should be carefully studied by the budding goal-keeper who
is ambitious.
Before a custodian can become first-class, he must learn to
anticipate the probable direction of an expected shot, by
watching the foot of the shooter.
When play is in the vicinity of his goal, the keeper should
direct to some extent the movements of the backs in front of
him. These should be kept at a distance from him, so as not
to hamper his movements or interfere with his view of the
play. High shots should,
by oral
command of the goal-keeper,
be left to be dealt with by him, as a back, by a misjudged
header, might score against his own side. While the goal-
keeper is attending to these high shots or any others, his
hacks ought to protect him from the on-rushes of the op-
posing forwards. An agreement could be made between
keeper and backs to the effect that the latter play the ball on
every possible occasion, unless distinctly instructed otherwise
by the former.
In the case of a corner-kick against ,his team, the goal-
keeper should take
tip
position at the goal-post further from
the corner from which the kick is taken. Thus he has a
larger, and therefore better, view of the field; and he occupies
a favourable position for meeting the ball, if he is called upon.
He should see also that each individual of the attacking
force is marked by one of his own men. The following