Best Keeper in the World

peabutler

On the best player in the world thread a few people chatting about the Worlds Best keeper so I thought i'd throw up a poll to see what people think.

Personally I'm still a big Gigi Buffon man, the guy makes Keeping look so simple, he pulls of some incredible saves to boot but the amount of shots and crosses that seem to go straight to him is astounding, his positioning is second to none as is his command of the area and defensive organisation and for those reasons I believe him to be the best in the world.

OhNoYouDidn't

Pepe Reina

+1 on Buffon. He has won everything as well.

Also stood by his club in hard times.

cson

Van Der Saar.

Victor Valdes

Schumacker

OhNoYouDidn't

Pepe Reina

cson wrote: »

Van Der Saar.

Last time I watched Man Utd, it was against WBA where EVS dropped two balls into his own net. The level of keeper we are looking for do that twice in a career.

peabutler

Pepe Reina

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Last time I watched Man Utd, it was against WBA where EVS dropped two balls into his own net. The level of keeper we are looking for do that twice in a career.

I think the second time was a replay

cson

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Last time I watched Man Utd, it was against WBA where EVS dropped two balls into his own net. The level of keeper we are looking for do that twice in a career.

So we're basing our opinions on the last time we saw a GK in action then are we? You can pick out mistakes from any keeper if you wanted.

The guy has played at the top level then went to Fulham before coming back to win x amount in the last 4 or 5 years. He's top class.

Kidchameleon

Shay Given

OhNoYouDidn't

Pepe Reina

cson wrote: »

So we're basing our opinions on the last time we saw a GK in action then are we? You can pick out mistakes from any keeper if you wanted.

The guy has played at the top level then went to Fulham before coming back to win x amount in the last 4 or 5 years. He's top class.

He WAS top class. He is now 40 and in the final year of his career. The question was who is the best keeper in the world AT THE MOMENT and EVS is not it. Its like arguing Ronaldo (the real one) is the best striker in the world at the moment.

If the question was asked 5 years ago, it would be a different story.

titan18

Iker Casillas

All hail Julio Caesar!!!

Btw,it's Cesar,since nobody has copped on to it.

Pro. F

How is Gigi getting on with injuries this season? Honest question because I just don't know.

I agree that his positioning and general goalkeeping intelligence is second to none. And he has the mad skillz too. But he can't be given the ''Best in the World'' title if he's still having constant injury problems.

After Bufon, all the top keepers have made some big mistakes in the last year.

Pro. F

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

He WAS top class. He is now 40 and in the final year of his career. The question was who is the best keeper in the world AT THE MOMENT and EVS is not it. Its like arguing Ronaldo (the real one) is the best striker in the world at the moment.

If the question was asked 5 years ago, it would be a different story.

TBH VDS is every bit as good now as he was five years ago. That match you are talking about was very much the exception to his recent form.

helimachoptor

Victor Valdes

How is Schmeichel not there, come on get a real poll OP not just a last 1 year poll!

Dante

Iker Casillas

Every time I've seen Caesar in action he's been solid (Barring that one game against Holland that actually knocked his team out of the world cup :S)

OhNoYouDidn't

Pepe Reina

Pro. F wrote: »

TBH VDS is every bit as good now as he was five years ago. That match you are talking about was very much the exception to his recent form.

With respect, these things get very tedious if everyone just doggidly picks their teams goalkeeper and gets stuck in.

EVS is not the keeper he was at Ajax, Fulham or the start of his Man United career. To argue otherwise is just plain pigheaded

cson

Perhaps Casillas too; the guy has had relatively no defence in front of him compared to those in the list.

Looking at it; lot of top quality keepers there though I'd question Akinfeev's inclusion.

peabutler

Pepe Reina

cson wrote: »

Perhaps Casillas too; the guy has had relatively no defence in front of him compared to those in the list.

Looking at it; lot of top quality keepers there though I'd question Akinfeev's inclusion.

I know Akinfeev seems to flop whenever he plays on any sort of big stage yet he is constantly subject of rave reviews so I threw him in there.

The_Kew_Tour

Victor Valdes

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Last time I watched Man Utd, it was against WBA where EVS dropped two balls into his own net. The level of keeper we are looking for do that twice in a career.

Well tell me when was last time he made howler before that??? You have go back long way.

Why him when you could picked Pepe Reina howlers from this season one was thursday night.

sprinkles

helimachoptor wrote: »

How is Schmeichel not there, come on get a real poll OP not just a last 1 year poll!

I hope you meant Peter and not his son. In which case I think the poll is about current GKs who still ply their trade...

Neuer is def worth a mention. But there's never going to be a definitive answer on these things. Chech, VDS, Reina, Cesar etc all have their faults and in any given game they are capable of excellent performances but how do you measure how great a keeper is? Medals? Then only the keepers at the best teams need apply. Saves? Teams lower down the leagues have more shots needing saved, chances are their keepers will rank higher. You can spin stats a lot of different ways and make a lot of different argument for and against whoever you like.

OhNoYouDidn't

Pepe Reina

adrian280582 wrote: »

Well tell me when was last time he made howler before that??? You have go back long way.

Why him when you could picked Pepe Reina howlers from this season one was thursday night.

But I don't think Reina is particularly good either.

Both are well short of the standard of Buffon.

PARKHEAD67

Artur Boruc.Best keeper Ive ever seen anyway. If he sorted out his brain he'd be one of the best ever. That game against germany in the world cup.The saves he made were breathtaking.He made some simply stunning saves while at celtic too, but then his personal life got in the way and his confidence was shot:(.

The_Kew_Tour

Victor Valdes

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Artur Boruc.Best keeper Ive ever seen anyway. If he sorted out his brain he'd be one of the best ever. That game against germany in the world cup.The saves he made were breathtaking.He made some simply stunning saves while at celtic too, but then his personal life got in the way and his confidence was shot:(.

Your having a laugh, right?

OhNoYouDidn't

Pepe Reina

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Artur Boruc.Best keeper Ive ever seen anyway. If he sorted out his brain he'd be one of the best ever. That game against germany in the world cup.The saves he made were breathtaking.He made some simply stunning saves while at celtic too, but then his personal life got in the way and his confidence was shot:(.

The Holie Goalie was a great keeper who had all the talents to make it as an exceptional keeper but didn't.

Lets hope his move to Serie A gives him a kickstart.

Pro. F

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

With respect, these things get very tedious if everyone just doggidly picks their teams goalkeeper and gets stuck in.

EVS is not the keeper he was at Ajax, Fulham or the start of his Man United career. To argue otherwise is just plain pigheaded

Believe me, I'm not just doggedly sticking by my team's player. That is not the type of thing I do. Honestly.

Now maybe VDS isn't as good as he was back five years ago but so far this season - aside from the one aberration - he has been great imo. He has pulled off spectacularly agile saves and he has been very reliable. Also he kept things calm when J Evans was in there fecking things up.

Edit: I would have Bufon ahead of him if he is being reliably fit this season and carrying on his usual form.

helimachoptor

Victor Valdes

sprinkles wrote: »

I hope you meant Peter and not his son. In which case I think the poll is about current GKs who still ply their trade...

Neuer is def worth a mention. But there's never going to be a definitive answer on these things. Chech, VDS, Reina, Cesar etc all have their faults and in any given game they are capable of excellent performances but how do you measure how great a keeper is? Medals? Then only the keepers at the best teams need apply. Saves? Teams lower down the leagues have more shots needing saved, chances are their keepers will rank higher. You can spin stats a lot of different ways and make a lot of different argument for and against whoever you like.

Ah clarification.
Neur from what ive seen is decent, Cech was a great keeper til he had that head injurty, he hasnt been the same since.

I really rate Given as a shot stopper, in the EPL i'd give it to VDS with a note on my united bias. Tim Howard though i think has been consistent at a lower level.

Abroad Buffon, Cassilla and Valdes are all very good and tbh I dont want enough of their games to comment.

LeeroyJones

I wouldn't say Shay Given is the best in the world.... but he is certainly better than a few on that list!

OhNoYouDidn't

Pepe Reina

adrian280582 wrote: »

Your having a laugh, right?

The guy is technically as good as anyone on that list on his day, but his days are too few and far between. Much as I loved it at the time, he spent far too much effort winding up the bigots behind his goal in Ibrox when he should have been concentrating on the game in hand

You don't get to play in Serie A as a goalie if you don't have something about you.

peabutler

Pepe Reina

LeeroyJones wrote: »

I wouldn't say Shay Given is the best in the world.... but he is certainly better than a few on that list!

Who?

Akinfeev ? Maybe I doubt anyone here has seen enough of him.

Steklenberg? Playing in the Champions League and had a pretty solid World Cup.

Who else considering the rest start for top European clubs, something which Shay does not.

PARKHEAD67

adrian280582 wrote: »

Your having a laugh, right?

Im surely not. He saved a peno from saha at celtic park when we beat the graeat united too, if memory serves me correctly.When nakamura humiliated Van der sar with a cracking free kick.actually he did that at the STRETFORD END too didnt he?

Iron Hide

Igor Akinfeev

Gotta be Casillas for me, playing without much of a defence in front of him and still pulling out all the stops most weeks.

The_Kew_Tour

Victor Valdes

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

The guy is technically as good as anyone on that list on his day, but his days are too few and far between. Much as I loved it at the time, he spent far too much effort winding up the bigots behind his goal in Ibrox when he should have been concentrating on the game in hand

You don't get to play in Serie A as a goalie if you don't have something about you.

O I agree I have seen him make unreal saves but for every 2-3 great saves he made least one howler and im Hibs fan and he gave us some great victories from his stupid mistakes. That ratio aint good enough and at that level either.

He reminds me of David James but I think he worse. Just my 2 cent.

Pro. F

LeeroyJones wrote: »

I wouldn't say Shay Given is the best in the world.... but he is certainly better than a few on that list!

The great Given debate will probably have to take a break until he's back playing first team football.

The_Kew_Tour

Victor Valdes

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Im surely not. He saved a peno from saha at celtic park when we beat the graeat united too, if memory serves me correctly.When nakamura humiliated Van der sar with a cracking free kick.actually he did that at the STRETFORD END too didnt he?

The Sligo Rovers keeper saved four peno in cup final, does that make him good enough be on list?

No was at Parkhead. Good keeper if he had brain but he did not so he nowhere good enough to even make top ten. Simple as that. and it was great freekick that no keeper would have saved including your choice

racso1975

Disgusted almunia aint there! I'd go buffon. Will be interesting to look at it in a years time and see if joe hart deserves a shout.

peabutler

Pepe Reina

racso1975 wrote: »

Disgusted almunia aint there! I'd go buffon. Will be interesting to look at it in a years time and see if joe hart deserves a shout.

For some reason the word 2nd didn't show up in the thread title, with Big Al obviously being Number One.

PARKHEAD67

adrian280582 wrote: »

The Sligo Rovers keeper saved four peno in cup final, does that make him good enough be on list?

No was at Parkhead. Good keeper if he had brain but he did not so he nowhere good enough to even make top ten. Simple as that. and it was great freekick that no keeper would have saved including your choice

Nakamura scored against united at Parkhead AND at Old Trafford. Your location says Stretford end so I presume your a United fan.

Pinturicchio

Pepe Reina

Definitely Buffon.

gustavo

Igor Akinfeev

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Im surely not. He saved a peno from saha at celtic park when we beat the graeat united too, if memory serves me correctly.When nakamura humiliated Van der sar with a cracking free kick.actually he did that at the STRETFORD END too didnt he?

Yea that time he saved a penalty 4 years ago means he's definitely one of the best in the world today

BOHtox

Pepe Reina

Given is deservedly not on or anywhere near that list

PARKHEAD67

adrian280582 wrote: »

O I agree I have seen him make unreal saves but for every 2-3 great saves he made least one howler and im Hibs fan and he gave us some great victories from his stupid mistakes. That ratio aint good enough and at that level either.

He reminds me of David James but I think he worse. Just my 2 cent.

Hibs and goalies.Like putting tartar sauce on a banana:pac:.That Belgian lad ye had in goal-he was as useless as curry sauce on a kiwi.

LeeroyJones

peabutler wrote: »

Who?

Akinfeev ? Maybe I doubt anyone here has seen enough of him.

Steklenberg? Playing in the Champions League and had a pretty solid World Cup.

Who else considering the rest start for top European clubs, something which Shay does not.

I'd rate him higher than both of who you have mentioned and also Caesar and Valdes (yes I know who he plays for and how great they are!)

It's hard to judge keepers on statistics like you can with other positions because so much of it depends on the defence in front of them... case and point for me would be Valdes, I believe many keepers including Given would do just as well if not better than Valdes if they had that team in front of them.

Even with a rubbish defence Given has kept his teams, at Newcastle and Ireland in particular, afloat.

Just because a goalkeeper plays in the Champions League or in World Cups doesn't mean they're better than all those who have not. Jussi Jasskelienen is another one who I feel could easily slot in at a top club, just becasue he's at Bolton doesn't mean he's in any way a lower standard than Fabianski, Gomes etc.

TanG411

My favourite goalkeeper was José Luis Chilavert, a former Paraguayan goalkeeper who took free kicks and penalties. Scored 64 goals in his career (Though I think Rogério holds the record for most goals for a goalkeeper).

Pulled off some top quality saves in his time as well.

PARKHEAD67

gustavo wrote: »

Yea that time he saved a penalty 4 years ago means he's definitely one of the best in the world today[/QUOTE
Im not saying that. Just saying hes the best Ive ever seen. Seems if you play in the EPL your rating is multiplied by 1000%.The great United lost to Celtic in the CL, could only draw at home to a very poor rangers, and yet the Epl "supporters" go on with this ****e that celtic and rangers would be in the English first division. Im sorry, but Celtic and Rangers would easily hold their own in theEPL, get the sky money(hull get more money than celtic ffs) and within 2-3 years would be challenging for the title year in,year out.;)

The_Kew_Tour

Victor Valdes

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Hibs and goalies.Like putting tartar sauce on a banana:pac:.That Belgian lad ye had in goal-he was as useless as curry sauce on a kiwi.

Yes Hibs and United fan. Yes you are correct Hibs keepers have been awful but then again did I pick any to be worlds best??? O dont worry if you want see worst keepers you do worse then go game at Easter Road.

Actually you may be right and me wrong on goal at Stretford end but I do know we won so thats all that matters:P

Anyway lets keep this on topic and not on Hibs v Celtic debate.

PARKHEAD67

adrian280582 wrote: »

Yes Hibs and United fan. Yes you are correct Hibs keepers have been awful but then again did I pick any to be worlds best??? O dont worry if you want see worst keepers you do worse then go game at Easter Road.

Actually you may be right and me wrong on goal at Stretford end but I do know we won so thats all that matters:P

Anyway lets keep this on topic and not on Hibs v Celtic debate.

Fair enough.

WallyGUFC

Pepe Reina

Buffon.

During the World Cup I thought the Swiss keeper Diego Benaglio was very good but it's the only time I've seen him.:P Seemed very calm and a good shot-stopper. 1 to look out for perhaps.

It'd be between Buffon and Casillas for me, with Buffon shading it.

Seaneh

Pepe Reina

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

You don't get to play in Serie A as a goalie if you don't have something about you.

And when Frey is fit, Buroc won't play in Serie A.
He's second choice at Foirentina for a reason.

Ian_K

Iker Casillas

If i was a manager looking to buy i would go for Joe Hart or Manuel Neuer based on their ages

If age was no factor, Buffon but he's becoming very very injury prone

Seaneh

Pepe Reina

LeeroyJones wrote: »

I'd rate him higher than both of who you have mentioned and also Caesar and Valdes (yes I know who he plays for and how great they are!)

Whatever about Valdes who I agree is fairly average.

Juilo Caesar is a beast.

3rd best in the world.

Buffon
Iker
Caesar

karma_

Bert Trautmann

homerjay2005

Igor Akinfeev

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

With respect, these things get very EVS is not the keeper he was at Ajax, Fulham or the start of his Man United career. To argue otherwise is just plain pigheaded

i strongly disagree with this. ive seen him play live close to 100 times since he joined united and IMO, he is getting better and better. he has 2 mistakes in about 4 seasons. no other keeper comes close to that.its still only 21 months since he went a record amount of time without conceding yet you say its pigheaded to say hes playing as good as he ever was. uniteds defence is also better by far with him, case in point being the back 4's performance against rangers and then the same back 4's performance a week later against west ham.

i would be the exact opposite to you and say van der sar has actaully got better as his united career has gone on and on and the man is an absolute legend. but your entitled to your opinion and so am i, but based on his performances over the last 4 years, i would be confident alot of people would agree with me..

regards my answer, i picked casillas. best keeper in the world, by some distance in my opinion.