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?
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
i think we should stick to our goalkeepers and give mannone a chance or sell almunia and bring in buffon so our young goalkeepers can learn from him and after that he will be to old to play for arsenal and we will have our own goalkeepers step in between the posts.
Wenger has to buy 4 players to prepare for next seson. Many teams in premire league have improved. No big 4 at the moment, but there`s big 7, Liverpool is gonna, who next?, wenger should stop jocking. He says i don`t see quality in the market yet silvestre is not.Arsenal to be among the big 4 next season, wenger has to take aharsh action to averhaul the team, otherwise favouring players who are not serious may bring back old wonds of no trophies for the previou period.
Four players have to be a GK, forward (Marouane Chamakh), a center half and a defensive midfield player
This is very very true . Indeed the reaseon why arsenal has never won any trophy is because of poor goal keeping. Iam very sure had Vito Mannone who is above average not been fielded for the first five games things could be very bad today at the emirates we could be actualy below liverpool by today
If he still retain the service of Almunia and Fabianski as the important 1st team next season, i can say Wenger is so stupid to think he can end trophy drought. I love Arsenal forever, not Wenger forever.
The link to Buffon is a legit one. We’ve been linked to Buffon for about six seasons now, though not so much in recent years. This may be an attempt by Buffon, to encourage Arsenal to make a bid for him.
AW is not going to buy new goalkeeper 90% sure.
And he is not going to buy new good players also.
He is simply saying he will buy players and all and cheating fans effectively.
We Arsenal Fans actually stupid to believe this all words.
They are doing their business.
agree wit u cinjo..
he keeps cheating us again and again..
transfer talks just to make sure fan renew their season ticket.
enuf said,i won’t spend anything for his bunch of babies again bcoz wenger taught us very well about spending wisely.
i hope fan will empty the ems for the last game against fulham,and stand for our right to have a better player represent our beloved club.
ARSENAL FOREVER!!!!!
we should give chance for manonne he was awesomw in d opening part of d season so we should try him and giv him a chance to win the title nxt year atleast
Wenger has to sign a goalkeeper, a defender and two strikers.
ARSENAL THE BEST TEAM.
Arsenal should buy the following players
1. Joe Hart or Neuer or Lloris or Alder or Muslera -GK
2. Nevan Subotic – CB
3. Per Mertesacker or Alex Silva -CB
4. Mats Hummels or Simon Kjaer -CB
5. Melo -CDM
6. Chamakh -ST
7. Remy – RF
Sell the following Players
Eduardo, Rosicky , Silvestre , Campell , Almunia , Fabianski ,
i trust wojciech sczezhny(sorry for the wrong spelling) to be our number 1.
The fact is Arsenal doesnt have a goalkeeper.I wish you gave us statistics of the silly goals conceded by our goalkeepers,some are chronic and cant be conceded by a player in an Arsenal shirt.Should we recal David Seaman or even Lehman?Lets avoid excuses and go for nothing but class.Look at Gomes performance in a match against Arsenal or even Chelsea!I will root for Joe Hart,he is young and a wonder to watch
If Buffon is to come, then it is good!!!! He can at least provide us with cover for another 6 years until he is 38 years old.
Furthermore, he is world class GK, maybe even better than casillas. Given he is italian, he would definitely be of great help to Vito Mannone.
If Wenger is to stick with Almunia and Fabianski, then Arsenal would no doubt be trophyless again next season.
If wenger must be in the game next season then he has to buy a World Class GK,and sell out Almunia so that Fabianski and Mannone would learn from him,and also strengthen all department of the team.then this way only can we fight for throphies.
I think Buffon is a nice and big keeper and its nice if he can come to arsenal but if AW found a young keeper it could be better LIKE SEGIO ASENJO!
Almunia and Fabianski suck. Simple fact. Almunia has the odd good game, but is a never a replacement for our German nut case. Fabianski, I had high hopes for him, seems he’s let everyone down season after season. When ever I see him in goal, I don’t see us winning. You can make all the excuses for him in the world, but it wont hide the fact that he’s just gash on a stick. Get rid, well rid.
I agree bring in buffon. Even tho hes 32 hes stil got atlest 5 years mayb more of top class yers in him. Mannone is young n can lern a great deal from his country man
I think it should buy Igor Akinfeev.. He’s a good goalkeeper and he made a great jobs with Russia in World Cup 2006..
Good post. Links really interesting. Top three goalkeepers by shots saved are 38+ years old. Joe Hart is really out on in his own both in terms of statistics and in terms of age. Buy him, buy him, please buy him!
Totally agree Richard. Especially as he was an Arsenal fan as a kid growing up. He could take care of Arsenal’s goalkeeping problems for the next 15 years.
Wot I have struggled 2 believe is that our best goalkeeping performance this season has come from mannone (against fulham) and he’s pretty much an outcast at arsenal, ok he messed up once (against west ham) this season but almunia and his sidekick flapper boy have made numerous errors that have cost us dear yet they’re considered the top of our goalkeeping elite. Wot gives arsene, JESUS!!!!
I cant understand why wenger wont play vito manone. I feel arsenal will end up fourth spot because its defence looks lethargic and keeper is too shaky and lacks determination and strength.
Wait a second Vito manone is als rated at 78% for his short stint. Doesnt that say something. He is definitely the person to put hopes in.
The usual claptrap from fans who should no better ,it,s not the goalies who are the problem ,rather inept bal watching defenders the likes of Silvestre ,Campbell ,and Sagna ,every game without Song or Vermaelen whether playing in the same match or one or the other missing ,the defence goes haywire ,a perfect example against Wigan ,2-0 up less than 15 minutes play left became 2-3 to Wigan ,no Song or Vermaelen to
close down the attacks ,the same against Spurs ball watching again from Sagna ,Silvstre and Campbell ,it doesn,t matter who is in goals it,s the inept ball watching defenders who cost Arsenal big time,with Campbell charging out of defence against Blackburn but losing the possesssion as the close control or awareness of what,s around him non-existence ,simple facts for Arsenal fans to digest ,rubbish defenders
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