Finding the best goalkeepers outside Europe’s top five leagues part 2 – data analysis

Goalkeepers are becoming more and more important to teams around the world. Not only are they paramount in stopping goals, but also in beginning attacks. Some teams have struggled in recent years to find the right acquisition, a goalkeeper that is good enough and that can slide into the team’s playing style. The most prominent example is Chelsea with Kepa. Although he fits into their playstyle, he has not been good enough at preventing goals. Many teams keep their goalkeeper scouting within the top five leagues, not realising the potential that can be found outside.

Our previous data analysis looked at the stronger leagues outside of the top five, but this analysis will focus on the leagues outside the top five. We will look at the top divisions from Austria, Switzerland, Scotland, Denmark, Ukraine, and Greece. We will consider their passing, sweeping, and shot-stopping abilities. And only consider players who have played over 1,500 minutes this season and have played in one of these leagues recently. For example, Kamil Grabara, on loan from Liverpool, was recalled after only a few games, so players like this won’t be included.

The best shot-stoppers

Historically, the only job for a goalkeeper was to prevent goals. However, their role within a team’s style has changed significantly over the years. But in this first section, we will focus on what should be a goalie’s top priority, stopping shots. We will use statistics to compare how they perform in relation to their team’s defensive solidity, and how often they stop shots.

The above graph compares each goalkeeper’s expected goals conceded against their actual goals conceded. The players above the trend line have conceded fewer goals than they were expected. We have highlighted the top performers.

Allan McGregor of Rangers has conceded the fewest goals and was also expected to concede the least. However, he is still conceding less expected. His xG per 90 is 0.85, but he only conceded 0.63. The Scot is 38-years-old now, but he is showing no signs of slowing down.