Power Ranking the English Premier League Starting Goalkeepers This Season
The 2014-15 English Premier League season is nearing the end, so it’s a perfect time to look back at those defensive stalwarts who helped their teams rescue results all year long: the goalkeepers.
Taking into account individual performances and the quality of their team’s defense, we’ve ranked the starting goalkeepers from worst to first for all 20 Premier League teams.
Did anyone challenge Thibaut Courtois or David De Gea for the title of best ‘keeper in the EPL? Which players joined that world-class duo in the top five? And which former Arsenal shot-stopper has outplayed the Gunners’ current No. 1?
Read on and revisit the heroes and howlers between the sticks from the 2014-15 Premier League season.
20. Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City)
1 of 20
Games Started: 18
Clean Sheets: 2
Saves: 64
Kasper Schmeichel may be forgiven to a degree for the poor marking and, at times, utter disarray of Leicester City’s defensive line (as illustrated in the highlights against Aston Villa). However, the Danish ‘keeper has not exactly transformed into a hero to single-handedly save the Foxes’ wayward season.
Over 1,620 minutes of play, Schmeichel has only managed 64 saves. While the 6’1” goalkeeper may be somewhat adept at blocking point-blank shots, he is poor when it comes to snatching crosses and playing out from the back.
Though he attempts an average of 30.7 passes attempted per game, Schmeichel completes only 42.3 percent of those passes.
Leicester rank tenth in the Premier League in defensive errors (19) so far, per Squawka, with eight of those turning into goals. While this statistic seems damning to Schmeichel's suitability at the top level, he's shared goalkeeping duties with Ben Hamer and Mark Schwarzer this season, so they must share a portion of the blame.
Schmeichel’s not getting much help from his team-mates, but he’s also not taking the opportunity to shine like a diamond in the rough.
19. Allan McGregor (Hull City)
2 of 20
Games Started: 26
Clean Sheets: 5
Saves: 63
Allan McGregor’s game shows some serious deficiencies outside of saving penalties (for which he is two for two).
His inability to read and react to long shots puts Hull City dead last in that category with 12 goals conceded from outside the box, per Squawka. Couple that with the 33 goals conceded within the penalty area, and his team are ninth in the league for goals against.
That’s not terrible by any means, but when your ‘keeper allows game-winning goals to slip through his fingers (as McGregor does around the 4:15 mark in this video), then it tends to nullify 90 minutes of a supposed comeback.
McGregor’s 42.2 percent passing accuracy also adds to his team’s struggles trying to avoid the drop this season.
18. Julian Speroni (Crystal Palace)
3 of 20
Games Started: 33
Clean Sheets: 6
Saves: 76
Julian Speroni’s defensive line hasn’t been too helpful this season. Crystal Palace rank sixth in the league for defensive errors at 22, with nine of those errors turning into goals against the Argentine ‘keeper.
To his credit, Speroni saved one of the three penalties he has faced this season, but his overall consistency is just not good enough.
He has only managed to complete 42.3 percent of his 24.7 passes per game. He has also conceded 44 goals in total, which ranks fourth worst among EPL goalkeepers.
Palace Manager Alan Pardew gave Speroni a vote of confidence after his gaff against Southampton last month (shown here), per Giuseppe Muro of the London Evening Standard, but the 35-year-old Argentine is clearly well past his prime.
17. Tim Howard (Everton)
4 of 20
Games Started: 27
Clean Sheets: 6
Saves: 55
America’s long-time No. 1 Tim Howard had a poor start to the 2014-15 Premier League season, but he is finally getting back into form after a prolonged World Cup hangover and a lengthy layoff from a calf injury in December.
Howard’s three yellow cards may be forgiven when you consider his team ranks first in the league in defensive errors, per Squawka.
Of those 31 errors, 14 resulted in goals, which reflects poorly on Howard’s personal goalkeeping (although Joel Robles time between the sticks might have contributed to that total).
Howard is still showing glimpses of his vintage self—as he does in this video—but the 36-year-old will need to recover the consistency that made him a Merseyside legend if he is going to rise in these power rankings.
16. Tim Krul (Newcastle United)
5 of 20Games Started: 25
Clean Sheets: 7
Saves: 71
Newcastle United should be safe from relegation, but their 54 goals allowed so far puts them second to last in the league in that category.
Not unlike Howard, Tim Krul’s subpar year has been a significant factor in his team’s struggles. Not unlike McGregor, Krul’s difficulty in tracking the long shots has resulted in seven goals conceded from outside the box (tying for fourth most in the league). However, as injury ruled him out for a portion of the season, substitute 'keepers Jak Alnwick and Robert Elliot can also be held responsible.
When it comes to successful distribution, he only ranks 20th in the league, per Squawka, and holds 49.9 percent passing accuracy. In turn, that less-than-stellar accuracy has contributed to Newcastle’s poor possession (which is less than 50 percent per game, on average) and passing accuracy (77.1 percent, which puts the Magpies right at mid-table).
In addition to the statistics, Krul’s mentality has also been criticized this season. After Jermaine Defoe scored the winning wondergoal in the derby against Newcastle, the outspoken Jamie Carragher offered criticism in the above video, courtesy of Sky Sports.
The 27-year-old Krul has a great deal left to offer in his career, but he hasn’t shown too many flashes of brilliance this season.
15. Asmir Begovic (Stoke City)
6 of 20
Games Started: 33
Clean Sheets: 7
Saves: 79
Speaking of 27-year-olds, Stoke City ‘keeper Asmir Begovic is similar to Tim Krul in some ways but different in a couple of key stats.
For starters, his 68 percent distribution accuracy ranks fourth in the Premier League, per Squawka. When counting only goalkeepers with a significant number of matches (15 or more), he ranks No. 1 in the league in that category.
Begovic loses points for accruing three yellow cards and managing only seven clean sheets, despite having a defense that has only made 10 errors all season.
Though his clean sheets/games started ratio does not measure up to Krul’s, his 79 saves and vastly more impressive distribution mean Begovic edges the Netherlands’ goalkeeper on this list.
Stoke’s total goals conceded (41) also falls in the Bosnia ‘keeper’s favor over Krul’s 54 with Newcastle.
14. Robert Green (Queens Park Rangers)
7 of 20
Games Started: 32
Clean Sheets: 5
Saves: 118
If Rodney Dangerfield were a goalkeeper, he’d be Robert Green. The English player may have conceded more goals (56) than any other No. 1 in the league, but he could also claim he doesn’t get any respect for also leading the EPL in saves with 118, per ESPN.
Since Queens Park Rangers have conceded a league-leading 59 goals in total, it would be fair to say the wall that is supposed to be protecting Green is more Swiss cheese than brick. However, the 35-year-old isn’t making excuses. Out of 24 defensive errors, per Squawka, QPR’s opponents have only managed to claim nine goals—and they can thank their ‘keeper for that.
Green has also gone 1-of-2 on penalty saves, which isn’t bad at all (despite the small sample size). He’s not guiltless in QPR’s relegation struggles, as he has contributed gaffes like the horrendous goal kick in this video (start at the 4:30 mark) that led to a Chelsea goal and a lost point, but Green is still doing far better than most would expect in making the best of a bad defensive situation.
13. Tom Heaton (Burnley)
8 of 20
Games Started: 33
Clean Sheets: 7
Saves: 108
Speaking of relegation fighters, Tom Heaton’s Burnley currently occupy the absolute worst position in the English Premier League. Compared to Green, Heaton has nine fewer saves but also five fewer goals conceded.
He is also 2-of-4 when it comes to penalty saves. Burnley have made surprisingly few defensive errors for a team in 20th place (only 10 so far, per Squawka), but Heaton has ensured only one of those errors turned into a goal.
In addition, the English ‘keeper boasts 47 percent passing accuracy from his 25.5 passing attempts per game.
He may not be able to single-handedly save Burnley from the drop, but Heaton’s consistency this season has put the 29-year-old in the discussion for a potential England call up, per Nicholas Veevers of The FA's official website.
12. Brad Guzan (Aston Villa)
9 of 20Games Started: 33
Clean Sheets: 9
Saves: 100
Aston Villa’s No. 1 man Brad Guzan just broke into triple digits for saves, demonstrating why he has been considered the hotter of the top two U.S. goalkeepers this season. Managing to tally nine clean sheets with a team that only has eight wins to its name so far is an impressive feat of determination.
On top of that, Guzan also boasts 54 percent passing accuracy from his 28.3 passing attempts per match. His two yellow cards are offset by his solid command of the box.
Guzan has time and again demonstrated confidence in plucking crosses from the sky against the most physical opponents.
The American ‘keeper leads by example on the field with point-rescuing saves, but he is also team player off the pitch who recognizes the importance of solidarity (as demonstrated by the above interview).
For a team often fighting relegation like Aston Villa, having a tactful ‘keeper bolstering morale behind the mic is almost as valuable as having a high performer on the pich. In Guzan, the Villans have both.
11. Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion)
10 of 20
Games Started: 28
Clean Sheets: 11
Saves: 75
Ben Foster has the second most clean sheets of any goalkeeper in the league (11), and that comes from having started only 28 of West Bromwich Albion’s 33 matches so far. That’s an impressive feat, but unfortunately for Foster, his game isn’t quite well-rounded enough to get him into the top 10 on this list.
The English ‘keeper’s distribution is far from exemplary. Out of nearly 31 passes per game, Foster only managed to find his intended target 41 percent of the time. When a long ball absolutely, positively has to be there on time, Ben Foster is not the man you want showing up in a FedEx uniform.
Secondly in the case against Foster breaking into the top 10 on this power ranking, West Brom’s defense isn’t half bad, considering it is staffed by the likes of Joleon Lescott, Craig Dawson and Andre Wisdom.
Those names might not attract the attentions of a top-four team these days, but they have provided respectable coverage worthy of West Brom’s mid-table position.
In other words, Ben Foster is good, but he’s not outstanding.
10. Costel Pantilimon (Sunderland)
11 of 20
Games Started: 23
Clean Sheets: 8
Saves: 87
The 6’7” Romanian giant between the Sunderland sticks has been a beast for the Black Cats. In just 23 matches, Costel Pantilimon has managed eight clean sheets and 87 saves. He has only conceded 31 goals in that time, which is noteworthy considering he plays for a team that is just a point ahead above the relegation zone.
Though he may be one of the tallest ‘keepers in the league, Pantilimon still demonstrates impressive technical ability with 47.7 percent passing accuracy from just under 31 pass attempts per match.
His size has predictably proven to be an advantage when reaching for those top-corner saves, but—perhaps more impressively—it has also not proven to be a hindrance when he has to get down for the lower shots (as evidenced in this compilation).
Pantilimon will prove to be an invaluable asset for Sunderland down the home stretch and, if he continues to play like he has been, he could make a big jump on this power ranking by season’s end.
9. David Ospina (Arsenal)
12 of 20
Games Started: 12
Clean Sheets: 6
Saves: 32
David Ospina has been a key component in Arsenal’s league-leading eight-game winning streak. After the Gunners’ latest smoking incident and the subsequent dethroning of Wojciech Szczesny as Arsene Wenger’s No. 1, Ospina took over for the Pole between the poles.
The fact that the Colombian international has only started 12 matches so far hurts his standing in this power ranking, as it is such a small sample size. However, at the same time, what he’s been able to do with so few starts is what has earned him the No. 9 spot.
Ospina has only conceded seven goals, which ranks first among ‘keepers with 10 or more games. For comparison, Szczesny conceded three times as many goals in just five more games (17 total) than Ospina.
The 26-year-old has also proven himself an adept distributor. Ospina has a pass success rate of 55 percent from an average of 29.3 pass attempts per game.
His shot-stopping and trusty hands give him firm command of his box when he’s poised to catch the ball (as illustrated in these highlights from Arsenal-Manchester City), while his emphatic punches ensure the Gunners back line has time to reconfigure its formation before the next attack.
Ospina was unfortunate not to be Arsenal’s No. 1 from the start, but he’s done more than enough to lock down the spot for the rest of the season.
8. Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur)
13 of 20
Games Started: 30
Clean Sheets: 6
Saves: 94
Hugo Lloris is a polarizing figure in the Tottenham Hotspur net. To start with, he is a better distributor of the ball than his north London counterpart Ospina. From nearly 26 passes per game, the French international connects on 60.6 percent.
Lloris also boasts 94 saves, averaging more than three per game. If you just look at those two stats, you’d assume he’d be a little higher in these rankings—but then you’d be ignoring the French international’s record with clean sheets and penalties. Through 30 matches, Lloris has registered just six clean sheets.
That’s a big reason why Tottenham have conceded 47 goals while the other Champions League hopefuls have conceded no more than 36 (Liverpool). In fact, Lloris ranks 14th among EPL goalkeepers in total clean sheets this season. And what about those penalty saves? The Spurs No. 1 has only saved one penalty from seven attempts (check it out at 1:45 here).
When defenses make big mistakes, truly great ‘keepers step up to their rescue. Lloris has had seven one-on-one opportunities to be the hero this season, and he has only managed to capitalize on one. That’s a big reason why Tottenham’s No. 1 is No. 8 on this list.
7. Adrian (West Ham United)
14 of 20
Games Started: 33
Clean Sheets: 7
Saves: 109
Adrian has made some mistakes this season—no one is ignoring that—but he has also done some exceptional things to make up for it. In a moment of poor judgment against Southampton in February, Adrian was sent off for handling the ball outside his area (you can watch the incident here).
However, aside from that incident, the Spanish goalkeeper has had consistently impressive performances throughout much of the season.
Thanks to his seven clean sheets, West Ham United currently sit 10th in the EPL table. Thanks to his 109 saves, the Hammers have a goal differential of zero (the eighth best GD in the league). His distribution could stand to see some improvement, but considering Sam Allardyce is a big proponent of long balls, Adrian can be forgiven for not padding his stats with easy passes out of the back.
Finally, when it comes to those penalty-saving heroics that hurt Lloris’ ranking, Adrian is near the top of the league. The Spanish goalkeeper is tied for second in the EPL in both penalty saves and penalty save percentage, according to Squawka, having stonewalled two spot kicks from four attempts.
Though it may not show up on a stats sheet, heroic penalty saves can inspire teammates in the field to dig a little deeper in that game and beyond. Adrian isn’t perfect, but he’s worth more than the sum of his stats.
6. Joe Hart (Manchester City)
15 of 20
Games Started: 31
Clean Sheets: 11
Saves: 66
We’ve now entered truly elite territory. England’s No.1 Joe Hart is tied for second most clean sheets in the league with 11 from 31 games.
When it comes to saves, Hart falls into something of a gray area: He plays for a strong Manchester City squad, but the Sky Blues’ regular defensive stalwarts (most notably Vincent Kompany) have not been at their brilliant best through the second half of the season.
As a result of this odd scenario, Hart gets credit for helping to keep City in the top four, but by no means can he be considered as much of a standalone savior as a ‘keeper for a less talented (expensive?) team. That’s why he just misses breaking into the top five. All things considered, Hart earns the No. 6 spot because his talent is undeniable.
This video is from City’s loss to Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League tie, but it’s still the best-consolidated example of what the England international is able to bring to the EPL pitch.
Hart has also saved one of the two penalties he faced this season and averages nearly 50 percent passing accuracy.
5. Simon Mignolet (Liverpool)
16 of 20
Games Started: 30
Clean Sheets: 13
Saves: 73
Belgium’s No. 2 goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has had to cope with more than just opposing offenses this season. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has made a habit of switching between having a back three and a back four this season, meaning Mignolet has had to adjust—but he has done so admirably.
Like Hart, the Reds’ No. 1 has stepped up to save one of the two penalties he’s faced this season. Unlike Hart, Mignolet can claim 61.2 percent passing accuracy from 25.4 pass attempts per game.
Part of that passing accuracy is helped by Rodgers’ insistence on measured buildup play, but Mignolet’s second-best 13 clean sheets in the league is an admirable personal achievement. After the manager replaced him with Brad Jones in the fall, Mignolet steeled himself and earned back his starting position against Swansea City (highlighted here).
Since then, he has been the rock Liverpool needed. Champions League looks out of the question for the Reds, but Mignolet could be the difference when it comes to claiming a place in the Europa League over Southampton and Tottenham.
4. Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City)
17 of 20
Games Started: 32
Clean Sheets: 11
Saves: 109
Who could have predicted Arsenal’s previously second-choice goalkeeper would outperform the Gunners’ top two (and at Swansea City, no less)—Arsene Wenger apparently didn’t have the kind of faith in Lukasz Fabianski that the player warranted.
The Swans have a competent—but by no means outstanding—defensive line featuring Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor, Federico Fernandez and Angel Rangel.
Fabianski, for his part, has helped them turn that competence into a phenomenal 11 clean sheets (third best in the league) and eighth place in the table. As far as personal accolades are concerned, the Polish ‘keeper has registered 109 saves and boasts 56.4 percent passing accuracy from 28 attempts per game.
All season long, Fabianski has covered for his teammates’ defensive lapses and helped the Swans dig out precious points against lesser competition (shown in the highlights against Burnley).
He may never see European competition with Swansea, but Lukasz Fabianski deserves recognition for the determined goalkeeping he has displayed this season.
3. Fraser Forster (Southampton)
18 of 20
Games Started: 30
Clean Sheets: 13
Saves: 59
Just breaking into the top three is Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster. The English shot-blocker may have the best defense in the league (the Saints have only conceded 24 goals), but he is not coasting on the skill of Jose Fonte, Ryan Bertrand, Toby Alderweireld, Nathaniel Clyne and others.
A big part of Southampton’s league-leading 13 clean sheets came from Forster’s intelligent positioning and assured hands. The 27-year-old, who is particularly adept with long balls, has also proactively kept opponents away from his net with nearly 58 percent passing accuracy.
Forster commands his area and never seems afraid to come out and claim balls in those gray areas of the box (as evidenced by Forster’s highlights against Arsenal).
Much like Mignolet, Forster will have to settle for a fight for Europa League qualification. However, regardless of where they end up in the table, Southampton will thank Forster for finishing much higher than they would have without him.
2. Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea)
19 of 20
Games Started: 28
Clean Sheets: 10
Saves: 67
Putting Thibaut Courtois at No. 2 means No. 1 is a dead giveaway, but try to look surprised anyway when we get there.
Yes, Belgium’s most dependable goalkeeper just missed out on the top spot in this power ranking, but that’s not so much because of any shortcomings on his part. Courtois has demonstrated 51 percent passing accuracy from 23 attempts per match.
He has also registered 67 saves, leading to a tie for the sixth most clean sheets in the league (10). Courtois’ 6’5” frame and immense wingspan allow him to block out sight of the goal on close-range shots, but he can also move nimbly enough to adjust to swerving and dipping shots from range (as shown in this video of Chelsea against Liverpool).
The big Belgian misses out on the top spot on this list, however, because Chelsea’s defense is just too good. Again, that’s not his fault, but he hasn’t been tested as much as the equally impressive No.1 on this list.
Courtois is an incredible goalkeeper—maybe even the best—but having a granite wall of John Terry, Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic, Cesar Azpilicueta and (often) Nemanja Matic in front of him means he has a lot less work to do than most.
1. David De Gea (Manchester United)
20 of 20
Games Started: 33
Clean Sheets: 10
Saves: 81
Surprise! David De Gea may be tied with Courtois as far as clean sheets are concerned, but the Spanish goalkeeper excels in most other areas of the game.
The 24-year-old may be the best shot stopper in the world, and he boasts an incredible 64.1 percent passing accuracy from 28.3 attempts per match.
De Gea may not be stellar when it comes to handling crosses or stopping penalty kicks—he’s only kept out one in four attempts—but he has more than made up for it with game-saving heroics during the run of play.
Manchester United looked utterly lost for the first half of the season, and they have struggled with prolonged injury absences in virtually every position, but De Gea has been their rock. Whether he finds himself behind seasoned defenders like Phil Jones and Chris Smalling or relatively untested youths like Patrick McNair and Tyler Blackett (or, shudder, Raphael), the Spanish ‘keeper has kept his cool and kept United in the match.
As this highlight video illustrates, De Gea can save shots from near and far. He is also one of the greatest in the world at recovering from dives to make second and even third saves within seconds of one another.
All things considered, it’s clear why Man Utd are seemingly doing everything in their power to keep their No. 1 from going to Real Madrid—a move linked by the Express.
Stats courtesy of WhoScored.com unless otherwise noted.
