Brighton and Hove Albion star Bart Verbruggen has to add variation to his game if he is to continue developing and become a top goalkeeper when it comes to penalties.
That’s according to Aad de Mos, via Soccer News, who has criticised the goalkeeper today and insisted he needs to start varying his approach to spot-kicks.
Verbruggen was again in action during this international break as the Netherlands took on Spain over two legs in the Nations League.
Spain eventually ran out as winners of the tie-on penalties after a 3-3 draw in the second leg following a 2-2 draw in the first took it to that scenario.
The Brighton goalkeeper was unable to be the hero in that shootout as he managed to save just one, from Lamine Yamal, with Spain going on to win 5-4 overall.
That’s led to some criticism in his homeland, where they think the Brighton goalkeeper should have done better. De Mos is one of them and came up with criticism of the goalkeeper during an appearance on the Twee Viertje podcast.
“He has to add some variation,” he said.
“Not the same old song with those hands up every time. There’s no point with those hands, because you’ve already had three around your ears. Then you have to try something different for the fourth and fifth penalty. If necessary, you stand in your goal the other way around.”
Penalty saves have become a specialist subject for goalkeepers in recent years, with some absolutely making it a strongpoint of their game.
That’s very much the case with Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who has made himself a national hero and one of the best goalkeepers in the world with his prowess when it comes to stopping penalties, particularly in shootouts.
De Mos would like to see the Brighton goalkeeper take a page out of his book to develop his own game further.
“Verbruggen is somehow not a penalty killer. You have goalkeepers who just have that about them, look at Martínez,” he added.
