In his prime, Buffon was a talented, complete, brave, aggressive, and often instinctive and frenetic goalkeeper, who was recognised for his speed, prowess, and anticipation when coming off his line in one on one situations, as well as his confidence, goalkeeping technique, reactions, and ability to get to ground quickly to collect, parry, or even challenge for the ball with his feet; when playing in teams that relied upon high defensive lines and a zonal marking system, he often functioned as a sweeper-keeper, frequently rushing out of his area to clear the ball or face opponents who had beaten the offside trap. He was also highly regarded for his handling, aerial ability, and command of the area on high balls; however, throughout his career, Buffon has occasionally been accused by pundits of being overly cautious on crosses and of not always coming out to collect them, and has also drawn criticism for preferring to punch the ball out to his teammates at times rather than holding on to it. Although not as adept with the ball at his feet as the newer generation of goalkeepers that emerged in his later career, Buffon also possesses good footwork, as well as reliable distribution, which has enabled him to adapt to more contemporary systems, which require goalkeepers to play with their feet more frequently and be involved in the build-up of plays; his confidence in possession allows him to play the ball out from the back on the ground to his defenders and start swift counter-attacks, or find his teammates further up the pitch or out on the wing with deeper kicks with his right foot. In his youth, his ball skills even occasionally led him to take on opponents, whenever he was put under pressure by on-running strikers.