Soccer people...who's the better goalie?

[MaryAnnDVC]

Scenario:

Two teams...one wins every game in the season, one loses every game in the season. The losing team's goalie has (for example) 300 "saves". The winning team's goalie has 150 "saves".

So...who's the better goalie?

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

As a mom I say neither, both soccer playing kids say that a winning "team", not a specific position is the better of the two. Soccer is not an individual sports as per my kids.

 

[GoodFairies]

There is no way to judge based on the information given.

The winning team's goalie could be fantastic, but the fewer saves just shows his team is better, not allowing the ball to get down there.

 

[Sparx]

the best goalie is one with a team who doesn't let the ball get into the box.

 

[AshleyW]

I think it depends.. if the goalie with 300 saves has saved 300 out of 350, and the other goalie has saved 150 out of 400.. then obviously the losing team's goalie is better.

 

[disneychrista]

How many "shots" were made vs how many were "saved" is the determination of the "better" goalie.

 

[shortbun]

Wow, the losing team had a really sucky defensive squad to let that many balls get all the way to the goalie. How many attempts at goal were there in each case?

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Well, I agree with everyone. Except Ashley's numbers. If the winning goalie only saved 150 out of 400 shots, then they probably wouldn't be the winning team with 250 goals scored against them.

As far as it being a team sport, I couldn't agree more. But there are awards and recognitions for "the best" individual players in the league.

First let me say thank God my son isn't a goalie...too nervewracking (for me ). (My oldest DD was a goalie for a while years ago when she played, and was pretty good, and my 2nd DD played goalie when no one else would...not that she was happy about it. ) I have a huge amount of respect for goalies and their parents (esp their moms )...it's a tough position to play...a lot of pressure.

But I know of a goalie who's a very good goalie, on a losing team, but with the most saves in the league...same as last year...and last year he won an award for that. But I also know of other goalies who are awesome, with much fewer saves. And it just got me and DH discussing it. The fact that the goalie on the winning team has good defenders, or forwards who keep the ball at the other end of the field, means the number of opportunities for saves is decreased, but maybe they're saving 100% of shots. The losing team has some HUGE score differentials, which means there's a whole lot getting through.

It just sort of bothers me that that one number..."saves"...seems to be the criteria for how good the player is. Seems to me like it should be a percentage. Are there other team sports where they choose an individual for recognition from the worst team?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The same question could be about football and who has the better defense.

For a team to lose--the other one has to score--the number of "saves" is irrelevant if some got through leading to the loss.


However--as an individual player--he/she sounds phenomenal and with that many balls coming his/her way, there is a higher chance that enough will get through for that particular team to lose.

But the one being better than the other---that's hard to say. The one with 300 saves certainly had to work more does that make him/her better? Not necessarily.

I'm sure the other goalie could be just as good--if his team let the ball get that close to him so often.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

It just sort of bothers me that that one number..."saves"...seems to be the criteria for how good the player is. Seems to me like it should be a percentage. Are there other team sports where they choose an individual for recognition from the worst team?

Sounds like it should be a Stat like batting average or something.

The % of attempted shots that are saved. Seems that would give a far more reliable answer as to who the better goalie is on that particular element alone.

 

[RunningGirl]

I don't think number of saves or even percentages truly tell who's the best keeper. Good keepers also direct the defense to PREVENT shots on goal. A good keeper does as much work with his/her mouth as with his/her hands. I think the keeper award should be something that's voted on by all the coaches.

 

[preb]

Our club tracks shots on goal as well as saves, so they end up with a save percentage. As the mother of a goalie, it is very nervewracking, for sure!

 

[AshleyW]

Well, I agree with everyone. Except Ashley's numbers. If the winning goalie only saved 150 out of 400 shots, then they probably wouldn't be the winning team with 250 goals scored against them.

Maybe they have a really good offense who was able to score 350 goals - so they would still be the winners, even with 250 goals scored against them.

 

[Chelley00]

I'm the mom of the back up goalie. He was full time goalie last year, but they just had a goalie age in so he's back on defense. Everyone says the new goalie is such a great goalie, but don't take into account that he even though he was only scored on 2 times in a game, he only had to stop 4 shots. The game he was injured, my son was in the goal and got scored on 7times, but he stopped 28 more. Who's the better goalie? Depends who you talk to.

 

[golfgal]

I'm the mom of the back up goalie. He was full time goalie last year, but they just had a goalie age in so he's back on defense. Everyone says the new goalie is such a great goalie, but don't take into account that he even though he was only scored on 2 times in a game, he only had to stop 4 shots. The game he was injured, my son was in the goal and got scored on 7times, but he stopped 28 more. Who's the better goalie? Depends who you talk to.

I would say that being scored on 7 times no matter how many shots on goals is not a good goalie in soccer. Even being scored on 2 times is not all that great when many soccer games end up 1-0.

Chelley-it sounds like with your team when your DS is on defense the ball doesn't get to the goalie-that is much better then having someone try to stop 28 shots on goal.

 

[Chelley00]

I would say that being scored on 7 times no matter how many shots on goals is not a good goalie in soccer. Even being scored on 2 times is not all that great when many soccer games end up 1-0..

That's my point. We had people say DS was a horrible goalie because he got scored on 7 times. We had other people say DS was better than other goalie because his percentage of stopped shots was higher, no matter how many times he got scored on.

It's all in who you ask


And the 35 shot game was against the best team in the school league. It's an expensive private school that recruits their sports players from travel leagues and gives them tuition scholarships. I'm surprised they only scored 7, because it's been known to be more.

 

[Took]

How many "shots" were made vs how many were "saved" is the determination of the "better" goalie.

I agree heartily. I watch a good deal of soccer. This is how I would evaluate a position player.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

I think it would depend which one was my kid

 

[Took]

wow, the losing team had a really sucky defensive squad to let that many balls get all the way to the goalie. How many attempts at goal were there in each case?

mte

 

[KiKi Mouse]

I couldn't say unless I knew how many shots on goal.
DD plays soccer but she is not a goalie. I look at a good goalie as being one who saves the biggest percentage of shots. Plus I see a good goalie as one who hustles, dives, jumps etc. to get the ball. A good goalie also knows the rules and what the best option is for certain situations.