Young goalkeepers are fast becoming an important part of a club’s recruitment. Most are recruited for the club’s future because a goalkeeper’s peak is later than the average player. But recently, some younger goalkeepers have been performing much better than they were expected to, for example, Manchester United’s Dean Henderson.
This data analysis will look at the best young goalkeepers within the top five leagues and use statistics to outline the ones that should be recruited. I will be looking at goalkeepers aged 23 or younger, and they must have played over 500 minutes of football in the 2019/20 season. We will analyse each goalkeepers shot-stopping, passing, and sweeping ability using relevant data. Then, we will compile a three-man shortlist of the best goalkeepers in the sample.
Shot-stopping
Because most goalkeeping stats are heavily reflected by a team’s defensive ability, some numbers can be misleading. Goalkeepers that play for worse teams will often have worse stats. There are exceptions, however. Therefore, it is important to look at statistics that analyse the goalkeeper’s individual performance.
The first graph will look at more simple data. It will measure the strength of each goalkeeper’s defence and how they have coped with the number of shots they have faced. This graph will give us an idea of how well the goalkeepers are performing concerning their defence.
Gautier Larsonneur stands out the most here. The Frenchman has the highest save percentage with 75.36%, which is very impressive considering he also faces 4.87 shots per 90, which is above-average. The 23-year-old has enjoyed a great season with Brest, being one of their standout performers.
Dean Henderson and Bilbao’s Unai Simón have the second and third-best save percentage. Henderson with 75.19% and the Spaniard with 75%. However, both face a low number of shots per 90, considerably below the average.
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