Goalkeeping Tips, Tidbits and Random Thoughts

It's Bouna time!

Brrrr. I just got back from watching the Colorado Rapids play their inaugural match at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The facility is beautiful, with a great atmosphere and sight lines, but that didn't change the fact that the temperature was in the mid-20s F (-5C or so) with light snow showers. The match was pretty good too.

Over the offseason, the Rapids traded one of MLS's best goalkeepers in Joe Cannon. I was sorry to see Joe go, and hadn't gotten much of a look at Senegalese newcomer Bouna Condoul. He's listed at 6'2" (188cm), but sure looks taller—and he's absolutely a freakish physical specimen:

Before the game during warm-ups, he was bouncing up and down in front of the goal... and on each spring, the top of his head went above the crossbar! Then during the match, a shot landed on top of the net, which admittedly sagged down a couple of feet. Still, without his standing foot leaving the ground, Condoul kicked the ball off the top netting and onto the field. Yikes!

That said, freakish physical attributes aren't the end-all to goalkeeping. His distribution (particularly punts) was average to poor and inconsistent. In a Rocky Mountain News article, teammate Greg Vanney says:

"Bouna is an unbelievable shot stopper," Vanney said. "He's obviously extremely athletic. But he needs to make good decisions on when to come for balls and when to clear them and when to cover us. And if he makes good decisions, then I think he can become a great, great goalkeeper."

Condoul also is just 25, so he has a way to go to get the needed experience. But for now, it's Bouna time!

Labels: Matchday observations