[Archived] The Best Keeper In The Premier League?

[RibbleValleyRover]

I came across an article on Setanta's website talking about who the author considers to be the best keeper in the prem currently.

The Best Keeper in the Premier League?

Trying not to be biased, (and its probably impossible to do so), but i do believe Brad is the best keeper in the prem at this moment in time. I agree with the author of the article Cech who is still an immense keeper hasn't looked the same since his injury. Van der sar who is great had that rough patch for a few games when he broke his nose, and Reina i'm just not a fan of.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Friedel is up there with the best of them as he's very consistent and rarely makes costly mistakes and I consider Antti Niemi as a top class keeper as well who, like Friedel, can produce world class saves game after game.

[Baz]

Brad is simply a legend.

When we bought him I was one of the first to criticise Souness, but by god was I wrong.

I can count the number of mistakes he has made at his time at Ewood on one hand still.

You can just imagine what the media would have made of him had he been at Manure all these years. I mean they used to brag of Howard and Barthez as the best in the world! Brad is leagues above them.

I still wouldnt swap him for any keeper in the world - seriously.

[RoversFanUSA]

Brad is simply a legend.

When we bought him I was one of the first to criticise Souness, but by god was I wrong.

I can count the number of mistakes he has made at his time at Ewood on one hand still.

You can just imagine what the media would have made of him had he been at Manure all these years. I mean they used to brag of Howard and Barthez as the best in the world! Brad is leagues above them.

I still wouldnt swap him for any keeper in the world - seriously.

I have to agree. Without a doubt Big Brad is the stuff other keepers (including myself) aspire to be. Great to see him getting what IMO is due to him. UP ROVERS!!!

[Cocker]

Without doubt it has to be Brad - many non rovers fans will agree.

The Cech thing I have always found strange. He just shows up one day and because its chelski he was already deemed a legend. The thing is though he didn't exactly find shots raining down on him like Brad does (sorry rovers defense but its true) He had Terry/Carvallio (spelling I know) and Gallas sitting in front of him for a start. Many goals that did go in against him he didn't always look that comfortable on. I think the "he hasn't looked the same since his injury" is just an excuse for a guy that wasn't all that in the first place (I am not saying he isn't prem class by the way just that he isn't as good as some make out)

Brad and Cech aside I do like Van Der Sar. Yes the same could be said about him having a good defense in front of him but he does pull off some good saves. And when Ben Foster was at Watford he had shots coming from everywhere and that team would have looked allot worse if it wasn't for him. Its early doors and it depends on him becoming a regular in a domestic team but he is my England Goalie for the future.

[neekoy]

Cech is the best keeper in the Premiership, Brad for me is second with Neimi and Van Der Sar close equal thirds.

As far as not swapping him for anybody in the world there are a couple but mainly because of age not really quality.

As far as the comments about Bartez go he was World Class, it's just you didn't know which Bartez you were going to get.

I still think he is the best French national keeper of all time.

[S15]

It was very strange that James didn't get a mention, he will be the number 1 in the PFA Team Of The Year me thinks.

Friedel has been truely world class ever since his third season with us, however, he has always had one glaring weakness...

He is rubbish, utterly rubbish and dodgy when it comes to free kicks.

[Cocker]

He is rubbish, utterly rubbish and dodgy when it comes to free kicks.

I always say that when the oppo get a free kick its going to sail past him but to be fair to Brad, all the skill has gone out of the game when it comes to the free kick. The balls now move all over the place in the air. Ronaldo has realized that if you just toe-end it as hard as you can that no keeper in the world will stop it. And to think I got told off at school for Toe ending the footy.

[Darth Paul]

Cech is the best keeper in the Premiership, Brad for me is second with Neimi and Van Der Sar close equal thirds.

As far as not swapping him for anybody in the world there are a couple but mainly because of age not really quality.

As far as the comments about Bartez go he was World Class, it's just you didn't know which Bartez you were going to get.

I still think he is the best French national keeper of all time.

Not knowing which Bartez you were going to get is exactly why he can't be considered a top class keeper. It is a bit like saying that a certain surgeon is the best in the world on his day, but you never know what you are going to get. I wouldn't have either of them stood in front of my goal OR performing surgery on me!

It has got to be Brad for me, because he is so reliable and consistent it is easy to forget just how much he does in a game...the way he spreads his body to save shots reminds me of Peter Schmeichel at his peak and no one has got nearer to his level than Big Brad.

He will hopefully get some real recognition if and when he breaks the record for consecutive Premiership appearances, sometime early next season I would guess, inujries and preventions not withstanding...

[Mc Love]

Isnt it his 350th consecutive appearance today? Or 350th appearance for us?

[RibbleValleyRover]

Isnt it his 350th consecutive appearance today? Or 350th appearance for us?

According to the BBC:

Brad FRIEDEL has made 179 consecutive appearances for Blackburn since standing between the sticks against Charlton on 27 September 2004.

The 36 year old United States international keeper has put in 145 successive Premier League appearances for Rovers, since the beginning of the 2004-05 season.

Only FRIEDEL has played every minute of every one of Blackburn's league and cup matches this season.

FRIEDEL wil be making his 350th appearance in a Blackburn goalkeepers jersey.

[tcj_jones]

It was very strange that James didn't get a mention, he will be the number 1 in the PFA Team Of The Year me thinks.

Friedel has been truely world class ever since his third season with us, however, he has always had one glaring weakness...

He is rubbish, utterly rubbish and dodgy when it comes to free kicks.

Also he isn't the strongest in the air. That, for me, means that he will never be one of the all time great Premier Leage kepers.

Cech is the best for me, but the likes of Van Der Sar, Niemi, Cudicini and Friedel are all excellent keepers.

The likes of Green, James and Howard are also very strong.

[rover6]

One thing the posters above have not mentioned is the pressure of playing for a big team. If Brad errs for Rovers, it's not a massive deal. But if it happens at a big club, the spotlight is immediately on the keeper and the pressure mounts.

Friedel at Liverpool was error-prone. Now, I'm not sure if it was the pressure which got to him or whether he did not have the full support of the management which made him feel insecure. I certainly think that all players need to feel that they have the faith of the management to excel - but this is crucial for goalies where errors have such clear consequences.

A keeper needs to be safe in the knowledge that they won't be doubted by their manager just because they drop the odd clanger. However, the catch-22 is that the goalie needs to prove to the manager that he is the real deal and any mistakes are just occasional.

[Ozz]

The Cech thing I have always found strange. He just shows up one day and because its chelski he was already deemed a legend. The thing is though he didn't exactly find shots raining down on him like Brad does (sorry rovers defense but its true)

This is a very important part of this debate. I would guess Brad has made more important saves then any of the other keepers, as our matches tend to be a lot tighter than when Schmeical, Cech, Seaman were at their best. So on points gained by an individual goalie, I would say Brad is at the top.

[tcj_jones]

As a goal keeper, I know that shot stopping is only a small part of playing in that position. Friedel is one of the world's best shot stoppers, there is no doubt, and has saved us on so many occasions. However, he is not especially strong in the air, is weak on free kicks, and has been known to make mistakes when it comes to rushing out or closing down an angle.

Cech is, aerially, the best goal keeper in the Premier League, maybe in the world, has the safest hands you'll ever see, commands his box brilliantly, is decisive in rushing out and is taller and more agile than Friedel. While neither make many mistakes at all, Cech is also extremely consistent.

I don't think that this is a case of "big four" bias, Cech rightly deserves to be named as one of the world's best players. Let's not forget that he also displaced Cudicini in the Chelsea goal and he is a fine keeper.

[ABBEY]

One thing the posters above have not mentioned is the pressure of playing for a big team. If Brad errs for Rovers, it's not a massive deal. But if it happens at a big club, the spotlight is immediately on the keeper and the pressure mounts.

Friedel at Liverpool was error-prone. Now, I'm not sure if it was the pressure which got to him or whether he did not have the full support of the management which made him feel insecure. I certainly think that all players need to feel that they have the faith of the management to excel - but this is crucial for goalies where errors have such clear consequences.

A keeper needs to be safe in the knowledge that they won't be doubted by their manager just because they drop the odd clanger. However, the catch-22 is that the goalie needs to prove to the manager that he is the real deal and any mistakes are just occasional.

aye brads really shuit under pressure

[JAL]

One thing the posters above have not mentioned is the pressure of playing for a big team. If Brad errs for Rovers, it's not a massive deal. But if it happens at a big club, the spotlight is immediately on the keeper and the pressure mounts.

Friedel at Liverpool was error-prone. Now, I'm not sure if it was the pressure which got to him or whether he did not have the full support of the management which made him feel insecure. I certainly think that all players need to feel that they have the faith of the management to excel - but this is crucial for goalies where errors have such clear consequences.

A keeper needs to be safe in the knowledge that they won't be doubted by their manager just because they drop the odd clanger. However, the catch-22 is that the goalie needs to prove to the manager that he is the real deal and any mistakes are just occasional.

Theres a lot of truth in that, maybe thats why Brad turned down ManU to stay at Rovers when they eventually had to go for their back up keeper Van Der Sar.

[McClarky]

I thought Brad was behind a few of the top keepers but this season he has been so consistent I reckon he must be ahead of Reina, Almunia or Van Der Saar. I would rank him 2nd behind Cech at the moment. He isn't great in the air but makes up for this by always punching and making sure he gets enough on the ball for it to go safe. He is the best at coming off his line when forwards are running at him. On saying that he'ss probably chuck 3 in the net today now.

[RibbleValleyRover]

I thought Brad was behind a few of the top keepers but this season he has been so consistent I reckon he must be ahead of Reina, Almunia or Van Der Saar. I would rank him 2nd behind Cech at the moment. He isn't great in the air but makes up for this by always punching and making sure he gets enough on the ball for it to go safe. He is the best at coming off his line when forwards are running at him. On saying that he'ss probably chuck 3 in the net today now.

Cech is world class there is no doubt, however since the injury you do see him make far more mistakes than he did prior to it.

[ally]

In all fairness every team has got a good goalkeeper on their day who can prove magnifecent saves. Even lowly Derby have got Roy Caroll who had a really good game against Utd the other game. In terms of consisentcy Brad is the most consistent goalie, ever reliable 'Mr Safe Hands'.

If we are looking on Goalies who have been on form this season, David James has been excellent this season as so have Almunia and Van de Sar. Be interesting to see how young Ben Foster play for a decent side (no disrepect to Watford the other season) as he i would say he is the future England Goalkeeper.

[Exiled_Rover]

Jussi used to be the best by a fair distance, but age has caught up to him. Friedel's been consistently fantastic for a while now, though as mentioned he's shocking at free kicks.

Cech's undoubtably the best - look at Chelsea's record with him in net and without him.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Rio Ferdinand has got to be up there with the best of 'em!

[brian_gallagher85]

If we are looking on Goalies who have been on form this season, David James has been excellent this season as so have Almunia and Van de Sar.

Van de Sar: has missed a good 40% of it

Almunia: was far from good today - at fault for both goals

[RoyRover]

Brad is without doubt one of the best goalies in the league, along with Cech, Van Der Saar and Reina. But I've thought that for the last few seasons Shay Given has been the best keeper because not only is as good as any of the top keepers, he has single handedly kept Newcastle slipping further into oblivion. The other teams have sound defences in front of their keeper, while Given has been constantly left exposed by his, resulting in him having to be consistently brilliant for Newcastle to pick up any points at all. This is what sets him apart for me.

[thenodrog]

Brad is without doubt one of the best goalies in the league, along with Cech, Van Der Saar and Reina.

You should wash your mouth out with soap for mentioning Reina in that company..... especially after last week.