Liverpool goalkeeper coach John Achterberg has revealed the club expects Pepe Reina to act as a sweeper.
The Reds have deployed a high defensive line and expect the Spaniard to act as a sweeper behind the back four – just like colt hero Bruce Grobbelaar used to do. All 30 goalkeepers on our books from U9 level up are trained to play this way, with the Academy hoping to mould an archetypal ‘Liverpool goalkeeper’. Achterberg told Liverpoolfc.tv:
“The way we play is with a high line with Pepe sweeping up. When balls get played into space, the goalkeeper can sweep up. That’s the way we work with every goalkeeper to try and create a goalkeeper for the first team.
“There aren’t too many who could play for Liverpool with the way we play. We expect him to be half a sweeper and there aren’t too many ‘keepers who could do that job.
“That’s always the way Liverpool have played. There are some other teams around the world: Barcelona play like that, Real Madrid do, and Ajax used to play this kind of football.
“This is why we try to put the same training sessions through the whole of our system. It would be great if we could produce a goalkeeper who plays like Pepe.
“I’m a bit obsessed to try and improve everything and create the best atmosphere between the ‘keepers and the staff, and also with the goalkeepers in the Academy.”
