Goalkeepers have taken centre stage - for better and for worse - in the opening rounds of this year's FA Cup.
Conor Hazard's heroic performance to send Plymouth through to the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of Premier League leaders Liverpool marked another big afternoon for goalkeepers in this year's FA Cup.
Argyle have had a torrid time of it so far this season in the Championship, sitting bottom of the league, but proved that the magic of the cup is still alive and kicking.
The men between the posts in this years competition have, as usual, been a unique collective from all walks of life (and actually multiple professions, too) who have satisfyingly made life difficult for some of the competitions' ‘biggest guns’ up to know.
With insider access to those behind some of the biggest goalkeeper performances in this year's edition, we list those goalkeeper performances who have so far made the headlines.
The building surveyor who stopped Spurs' onslaught - 24 hours after his partner gave birth
Ask any football traditionalist. The first weekend in January is always a highlight of the football calendar. That is because it’s the third round weekend of the FA Cup when the big guns of English football enter the competition.
If you’re a non-league club that makes it that far, or even a lower league side still in the hat, you hope for one of the Premier League big six to be pulled out alongside your name.
This season, National League side Tamworth was drawn to face Premier League opposition in Tottenham Hotspur. This meant the eight-time winners of the FA Cup would start this season's competition at the humble Lamb Stadium.
It was always going to be a momentous weekend for all the Tamworth players, but for goalkeeper Jas Singh it became an even bigger one as he became a dad just 24 hours before kickoff.
He explained to Goalkeeper.com: “It was mad! Most weeks as a National League goalkeeper I play on a Saturday, but the one weekend we play on Sunday, my partner decides to give birth. You can’t write it.
“I joked about it on podcasts before and in interviews saying that ‘hopefully my partner can stay stable and won’t give birth anytime that weekend.’ However, the baby came and thankfully everything was all right, she is well, and the baby is well.
“I was just in a whirlwind of emotions. I didn't know what was going on. Luckily enough he came early on Saturday morning, so I had a clear mind and my missus, bless her, she said, ‘Make sure you have a good night’s rest, go home and go and smash tomorrow.’ So that was good.”
Less than 24 hours after the happy event, Singh was lining up against some of the Premier League’s best players which is a world away from the normal standard of players that he and his teammates face up against in the Vanarama National League.
Despite many of the opposition being household names, it was hard for Singh to have time to mentally focus on facing the likes of Heung-min Son, James Maddison, and Dominic Solanke.
He explains: “It was a weird one because of everything that was happening the day before, so I didn’t have a chance to think about it.
“I remember there was only one occasion in the game where I felt ‘Wow we’re playing Tottenham here.’ It was when I had got the armband off the captain (Ben Milnes), and we went to extra time. I went up for the coin toss and they had just brought Son on.
“So, I did the coin toss with Son, which was just a bit of a surreal moment and that was the only time I thought ‘we are here against Tottenham and taking them to extra time.’
“You cannot really prepare because you aren’t playing against these players week in and week out, so we don’t know what the actual levels are. We know they are better than us, but we don’t know the levels until you start the game, and you see Maddison, you see Son, and players like this.
“How good their touch is and their movement, how sharp they are, you just do not realise quite how good these players are.”
By Richard Scott
Liverpool trip up on Hazard as Argyle end Reds' quadruple hopes
By Alex Connor
Darryl Flavahan joined Plymouth in January 2024 and helped steer the club to Championship safety. He hopes to achieve the same with the Pilgrims this year.
When asked how the role of the goalkeeper has changed in the last 25 years, he replied: “The in-possession aspect has evolved massively. Managers want a comfortable and confident goalkeeper with the ball at their feet. Goalkeepers need an excellent range of passing, which must be integrated into training. Goalkeepers are also expected to play really high and defend the space behind the back line. They are part of the press.”
That's definitely a line that Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson would relate to.
A tricky league season for Plymouth has been punctuated by an incredible FA Cup journey. The Greens have defeated Brentford and Liverpool by a 1-0 scoreline. In the latest cup shock against Arne Slot’s Red Juggernaut, Conor Hazard kept a magnificent clean sheet and Flahavan provided an insight into the club’s preparation for this game.
“Preparation was no different to any other game. I analysed their attacking threats and designed my sessions around them. Matchday -3 until matchday -1 consisted of transitional moments. We worked a lot on the precision and pace of their counter-attacks. Therefore, we assessed the goalkeeper’s high position and the subsequent recovery, as well as decision-making if through-balls were played. We also focused on their inverted wingers and how they released shots after cutting inside.
We then looked at their penalty area movement and honed in on the common assist zones, low crosses over the goal mouth and possible interception or pivoting to make a save. Cut-backs were another focus for us. We worked on their box crosses and how they overload the back post. We recreated headers with the rebound shield to get the goalkeepers moving across the area.”
Flahavan has had a glittering coaching career and has mentored an array of fantastic goalkeepers. Like many others, Hazard looks to be making significant strides under his mentorship.
Spurs' loanees make goalkeeper headlines for Leyton Orient
By Sam Hudspith and Harry Salkeld
Tottenham Hotspur loanees have proven to be quite the commodities in Leyton Orient's FA Cup journey this year.
21 year old goalkeeper Josh Keeley was just as effective up front as he was between the sticks in the O's second round tie in November against Oldham. Rising highest in the dying minutes, Keeley managed to flick a header into the far corner to send the tie to extra-time, where Orient went on to win it and book a place in the Third Round.
Manager Richie Wellens was effusive in his praise of Keeley's goal and character, saying: 'I think this will go down – not the game, but the moment in the game – will go down in (history),' on the club's X account.
'Josh deserves this, he has character, he's brave. You see the saves he made and you see him on the ball and I'm really pleased for him and for the whole team.'
Orient progressed to the fourth round, where they faced Pep Guardiola's star-studded Manchester City side at a packed Brisbane Road. The game started with a long-range bang for the hosts as they took the lead after 16 minutes. The ball fell to the feet of another Spurs' loanee, Jamie Donley, who from the halfway line, miraculously attempted a shot. Donley’s chancer sailed at pace towards City’s goal, hitting the bar before rebounding off Stefan Ortega and resting in the back of the net.
Own goals galore on the fourth round weekend
By Harry Salkeld
The early kick-off in Saturday’s FA Cup games saw Leyton Orient take on the Champions of England at a packed Brisbane Road. The game started strongly for the hosts as they took the lead after 16 minutes. The ball fell to the feet of Tottenham loanee Jamie Donley, who, from the halfway line, miraculously attempted a long range shot.
Donley’s chancer sailed quickly towards City’s goal and hit the bar before fortunately rebounding off Stefan Ortega to nestle in the back of the net. In a more positive goalkeeping light, Leyton Orient’s goalkeeper, Josh Keeley who is also a Tottenham loanee, had a great game, keeping City at bay throughout the ninety.
In Saturday’s late kick-off, Chelsea travelled to the AMEX for a highly anticipated Premier League team tie. It didn’t take long for the two-time Champions League winners to take the lead as Cole Palmer’s attempted cross flew towards Verbruggen. However, Verbruggen, instead of calmly catching the poor cross, got caught under it and half-punched into the back of his own net. ‘Cold’ Palmer wasn’t complaining as it gave his side a needed early lead. Luckily for Verbruggen, the Seagulls pulled off a comeback to progress to the next round of the Cup!
Championship 'kepers are kings from the spot
By Sam Hudspith and Harry Salkeld
Cardiff played Stoke this weekend in the FA Cup and it was a fantastic game which resulted in six goals! Cardiff took a 2-0 early lead before Stoke came back to lead 3-2 before the hour mark. Cardiff then equalised not long later, and the game eventually went to extra time and then ultimately, a penalty shootout. Every Cardiff player who stepped up to the spot, executed their penalty perfectly and the Cardiff keeper, Hovarth, denied Michael Rose’s penalty to win the shootout 4-2 and send the Bluebirds through to the next round.
Only two games in the FA Cup this weekend resulted in a penalty shootout, and Preston vs Wycombe was one of them. The game ended 0-0 and both keepers didn’t have much to do prior to the shootout. Penalties finally arrived after 121 minutes of football had been played and Preston, the home side, stepped up first. The first three penalties in the shootout were converted before Daniel Udoh’s penalty was denied by Freddie Woodman in the bottom left corner. Woodman had spent eight years at Newcastle, only playing four times for the Magpies After multiple loan spells, he finally joined a new team permanently (in the form of Preston).
Preston then made it 3-1, giving them a great advantage. Preston then missed their next penalty, but, fortunately for most in Deepdale Road, Woodman denied another penalty just seconds before which kept the score very healthy for the hosts. Preston went onto win the shootout and Woodman was the hero as his teammates appeared very grateful when they embraced him after the game.
