The Telegraph had some interesting data today on the performance of Arsenal’s goalkeepers this season. It does not paint a happy picture:
Manuel Almunia
(Apps – 36; Conceded – 38; Shots Faced – 123; Saves – 85; Saves to Shot ratio – 67.7%)
Lukasz Fabianski
(Apps – 9; Conceded – 16; Saves to Shot ratio – 64.3%)
Vito Mannone
(Apps – 9; Conceded – 9; Saves to Shot ratio – 78.3%)
The numbers look pretty bad, but I needed some perspective on those numbers. For example, what is the save percentage of the average goalkeeper in the Premier League. Well according to plainsoccer.com average the average save percentage in the Premier League this season was 70.5%. On the high end was Brad Friedel and Edwin Van der Sar who saved 80% of the shots he faced and on the low end is David James at 61%.
So Almunia is below average, and is in fact ranked 17th in the Premier League. If he had performed as well as Friedel and Van der Sar, then Alumnia would have made 98 saves this season instead of 85. In other words, Friedel or Van he would Van der Sar would have conceded almosy 10 goals less this season than Almunia. That translates into about 10 points, which is how many points that Arsenal are behind Man United in the table.
In case you think that I am picking on Almunia, 7amkickoff.com has data on Almunia going back to 2007 when he broke into the side.
2007 – Save Percentage 87.2%
2008 – Save Percentage – 75.7%
2009 – Save Percentage – 69.1%
The numbers are going down instead of up which us why Arsenal need to replace Almunia.
The press had reports recently of Arsenal being interested in Buffon but I don’t think so. He is too old for Arsenal. He will have little or no resale value when his contract is up if he came to Arsenal and thus does not fit the profile of the kind of player that Arsenal likes to sign.
Based on 2009-2010 form, Arsenal would be better targeting Joe Hart (79% save percentage) or Craig Gordon (77%). They are both a step up from Almunia statistically and are young enough in their career that they will have some resale value in another four or five years.
Who do you think Arsenal should sign as their new goalkeeper for next season?
http://wearearsenalblog.com/the-case-fo ... oalkeeper/
Very interesting, 17th in the Premier League, and our third choice goalkeeper, essentially a kid, is above the average, whilst our first and second choice are both way below average.
What is very surprising is that his shot to save ratio when he broke through was 87%, that would have put him as probably the best goalkeeper in the League, the second season he was ok, still way above average, and this season he has been below it.
We need a new goalkeeper or we need to give Mannone a chance, i know Itus won't agree but at Fulham earlier in the season he won the game for us, and was rock solid after a disappointing game against Standard Liege, which was really down to comical defending.