The Athletic FC Podcast Why goalkeepers are going long
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Oct 12, 2025 
Michael Cox, a tactical analyst, and Mark Carey, a data-oriented football expert, dive into the evolution of goalkeeper distribution. They discuss a notable rise in long passes, driven by changes in tactics and rules. The pair explores how goalkeepers are increasingly targeting teammates rather than simply aiming long, and how modern receiving skills transform these kicks into scoring opportunities. They also touch on the impact of the eight-second rule and how hybrid strategies are shaping the future of goalkeeping.
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Long Kicks Are Back In The Cycle
- Goalkeepers are going long more often now than the last two seasons, reversing some of the short-passing trend.
- The 2018-19 level of long kicks (69%) shows this is a recent cyclical shift, not a 1990s throwback.
Rule Changes Opened Space For Targeted Long Passes
- The 2019 goal-kick rule created more space across the pitch, enabling more precise long passes.
- Spread formations let keepers deliver flatter, targeted passes instead of pure punts.
Centre-Backs Feeding Keepers For Launches
- Many long goal kicks now follow a pass from a centre-back to the keeper, then a deliberate long pass.
- That sequence shifts responsibility and sometimes has a centre-back take the kick directly.