Unveiling the Premier League's Top Goalkeeper | Unraveling Transfers of Andre Onana, David Raya, and Robert Sanchez!

Determined to find the top goalkeeper in the Premier League, we have analyzed various aspects including shot-stopping, handling, cross claiming, sweeping, and distribution. To accomplish this, we have employed exclusive data from Goalkeeper xG, a branch of the Goalkeeper.com Group. Our analysis was conducted with the assistance of former Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel and goalkeeper expert Dr. John Harrison.

On Monday Night Football, Friedel and Harrison shared their insights regarding the potential benefits for Arsenal in signing David Raya and having two number one goalkeepers at the club. They also discussed Manchester United's decision to let go of David De Gea and explored the reasons behind Chelsea's signing of Robert Sanchez. This data has gained significant appreciation within the industry and even Richard Lee, a former goalkeeper turned player agent, is eager to include these metrics in his agency. Lee states, "Until now, I think goalkeeper data has been far inferior compared to that of outfield players."

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"The initial focus was on 'saves made', which was intriguing, yet the goalkeeper from the lowest-ranked team often excelled in that statistic. Then there was the save percentage, but again, its accuracy relied on the opponents faced.

"Expected goals has emerged as the most valuable recent metric, but it still only reveals a portion of the overall narrative. A goalkeeper's performance encompasses numerous aspects, and this data elevates it to a higher level."

Shot-stopping and parries

Bernd Leno, the goalkeeper for Fulham, proved to be the best in the Premier League last season in terms of pure shot-stopping. His exceptional performance played a crucial role in helping the Cottagers achieve a top-half finish in the Premier League table.

According to Harrison, Leno had an exceptional season in terms of shot-stopping. However, he performed below average in all other aspects. Saving 38 out of the 54 one-on-one situations he faced, Leno's save rate of more than 50% was remarkably impressive. Following Leno, Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez and Raya stood as the next prominent shot-stoppers.

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In the realm of parrying, Bournemouth's Neto, Lukasz Fabianski, and Raya are at the forefront, closely followed by other talented goalkeepers such as Danny Ward, Jose Sa, Alisson, and Martinez.

Sweeping and cross claiming

Comparison of Shot-Preventing Actions in Goalkeepers

Claiming crosses and sweeping are both actions aimed at preventing shots, but different types of goalkeepers excel in these areas. Traditional goalkeepers tend to be stronger at claiming crosses but are weaker at sweeping, whereas modern goalkeepers often display the opposite characteristics.

According to the latest statistics, Liverpool's Alisson topped the league in terms of sweeping, edging out Gavin Bazunu from Southampton, who was a former reserve player for Manchester City. Martinez and Ramsdale also performed well in this aspect.

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In terms of claiming crosses, Martinez was more dominant than his counterparts across the campaign, followed closely by Newcastle's Nick Pope, Alisson and Ederson.

Shot prevention and distribution

As for the prevention of shots in general, it involves a combination of various factors. These factors include effective shot handling to avoid allowing opponents to capitalize on fumbles, swiftly rushing out to intercept through balls, and possessing exceptional distribution skills.

According to Harrison, clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester City have elevated their game by venturing into Champions League competition.

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Notably, teams have adopted a strategy that involves having more possession of the ball and facing minimal shots. This is achieved through the goalkeeper's ability to prevent shots against their team and maintain possession. It is worth noting that these goalkeepers are not necessarily the best at stopping shots, but their main focus is on stopping shots from happening in the first place.

Ederson stands out as the leader in distribution, highlighted by his exceptional assist for Erling Haaland against Brighton in October, which was considered the top goalkeeper pass of the previous season. Jordan Pickford from Everton comes in as the closest contender, often opting for long ball passes to his teammates.

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In terms of overall shot prevention, Alisson and Martinez come out on top - followed by Pope and Ederson.

Overall rankings

Factoring in all six categories mentioned above, Martinez emerges as the best goalkeeper of the previous season, contributing 0.44 goals per 90 minutes for his team.

The Argentine was a key figure in Aston Villa's impressive climb to seventh place, led by Unai Emery, after winning the World Cup in December.

Alisson maintains his consistent performance throughout seasons, securing the runner-up position, whereas Leno's exceptional debut season at Craven Cottage, following his departure from the Gunners, earns him third place with high praise.

When it comes to goalkeepers, potential Arsenal acquisition Raya surpasses current No 1 Ramsdale by three positions, mainly due to Ramsdale's numerous expensive mistakes. Meanwhile, at Chelsea, Kepa outshines Sanchez after the Spaniard faced a challenging period and lost his starting position at Brighton.

In the end, De Gea secured a mid-table position in ninth place. This was largely due to his impressive shot-stopping skills, but it was also held back by his increasing reluctance to leave his goal line, numerous errors, and difficulties with distribution.

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Best and worst

You can watch the best and worst example from each category in the video below.

Were Man Utd right to let De Get go?

David De Gea's departure from Manchester United after 12 years came as a major surprise this summer. In order to replace him, the club invested £47.2m in acquiring Inter Milan's goalkeeper Andre Onana. While Onana is highly regarded for his exceptional skills in sweeping and distribution, it begs the question if this was exactly what United prioritized when seeking their new number one.

"A goalkeeper's ability to save shots and keep the ball out of the net is more important than his distribution skills," says Friedel.

Harrison explains, "Our data reveals that for teams such as Manchester City, distribution plays a significantly larger role in a goalkeeper's value compared to teams like Bournemouth. On average, shot-stopping encompasses about two-thirds of a goalkeeper's importance. Around one-quarter is attributed to shot prevention, while the remaining percentage, approximately 10%, is dedicated to distribution.

However, for teams like City, distribution becomes even more crucial, accounting for 18-20% of a goalkeeper's worth. This is largely due to the fact that they face only about two shots on target per game."

The importance of distribution and shot prevention cannot be overlooked, especially for big clubs like De Gea's. However, in the past few seasons, De Gea has consistently ranked in the top three to five as a shot-stopper but has struggled in terms of shot prevention and distribution, putting him in the bottom three to four. As a result, his overall performance has been average. Given this, United's decision to let De Gea go seems justified. Friedel, who has personal experience with aging out, agrees with the club's choice and acknowledges De Gea's past excellence in the Premier League.

The statistics show a decline in his effectiveness in claiming crosses and preventing shots, indicating that he is now less inclined to come out for crosses and be aggressive off his line.

Whether Onana will be the ideal replacement is uncertain, only time will reveal. It is possible that due to his playing style, he may sometimes make errors; however, he has the potential to become an exceptional goalkeeper in the Premier League.

Raya vs Ramsdale

Arsenal will not have a clear-cut first-choice goalkeeper this season, and Friedel expresses doubt about the effectiveness of having two goalkeepers competing for the starting position. "It's not feasible to have two number ones," he remarks. "For the goalkeeper who is not playing, it becomes a challenging situation psychologically, and the longer they remain on the sidelines, the more frustrated they will become.

Having two number ones at the club is simply not sustainable. In order for healthy competition to exist among goalkeepers, it is ideal to have a young goalkeeper on the rise, learning from the bench and the squad. Alternatively, an experienced goalkeeper nearing the end of their career who is content with a mentoring role can also be considered. It is my firm belief that having two number ones creates numerous complications and should be avoided.

"If we only consider shot-stopping, in my opinion, Raya is better. Last season, Ramsdale might have been slightly superior in only one category. However, Raya, as a goalkeeper joining a new team, will need to familiarize himself with Mikel Arteta's style of play. When it comes to certain statistical categories, Raya is certainly superior. If he gets an opportunity and performs well, he may solidify his place in the team. In such a scenario, how will Ramsdale's mindset be affected?"

Harrison concurs, stating, "Brentford had a relatively low attendance of around 15,000, which was the second lowest after Bournemouth every week. On the other hand, Ramsdale had to perform at the Emirates. This factor, as Brad mentioned, plays a role in psychology and does not guarantee that Raya will replicate the same level of performance when he wears an Arsenal shirt."

The data places Raya clear of Ramsdale for distribution - but that comes with a caveat: "Ramsdale gave it away to a striker right outside the box on four occasions last season, which penalises him heavily in this metric - but he actually played a lot more good, progressive passes," Harrison adds.

New-gen Steele? Why did Chelsea sign Sanchez?

Chelsea splashed £25m on out-of-favour Brighton stopper Sanchez, with Kepa Arrizabalaga leaving the Blues to join Real Madrid on a season-long loan deal. Statistically, Sanchez struggled last season - with the charts above suggesting he ranked particularly poorly for shot-stopping and handling.

According to Harrison, Sanchez had a difficult season last year with his ability to claim crosses and make saves. Steele, on the other hand, may not have outstanding statistics in terms of shot-stopping and preventing goals, but he brought stability to Brighton's defense. It wasn't just his distribution that was an improvement compared to Sanchez.

In the 2021/22 season, Sanchez performed exceptionally well, but he was dropped by Brighton due to his shaky start last season. Another factor to consider is his goalkeeper coach, Ben Roberts. When Roberts was at Brighton, Sanchez performed amazingly, but when Roberts joined Chelsea, Sanchez was left out at Brighton.

"The focal point of consideration lies in whether or not Ben can once again tap into Sanchez's full potential. Their exceptional rapport suggests that Sanchez could seamlessly slot back into the team as a starter. However, it is undeniable that Kepa outperformed Sanchez significantly during the previous campaign."

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Kepa Arrizabalaga

Friedel offers additional tactical perspective, highlighting Mauricio Pochettino's unwavering trust in his staff. Toni Jimenez will have the final say in selecting the No. 1 goalkeeper. Unlike any other manager I've played under, Mauricio actively participates in goalkeeping training, integrating the goalkeepers into the team and recognizing their significance.

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Brad Friedel served under Mauricio Pochettino while he was at Tottenham.

Naturally, Pochettino valued a goalkeeper who was comfortable playing with their feet. However, the primary objective for both Toni and Mauricio was to prevent the opposing team from scoring. Being proficient at dealing with crosses and displaying agility off the goal line was paramount for Pochettino's playing style, as he favored a pressing strategy and preferred a high defensive line whenever possible. Hugo Lloris excelled in this aspect, particularly with his quick reactions when facing balls played through.

Stating the case for 'keepers

"Goalkeepers exert a significant impact on the entire team," remarks Harrison. "While having a world-class striker like Lionel Messi who consistently outperforms everyone statistically is advantageous, it's important to recognize that even the finest goal scorers only contribute to roughly a third of the team's shots. This is contingent upon the number of opportunities created by the entire team.

"On the other hand, a goalkeeper confronts 100 percent of the shots directed at their team. They possess the ability to nullify any goal against their team, which elucidates why a goalkeeper of Alisson's caliber can be instrumental in garnering nine points for Liverpool throughout a single season."