Players must select two goalkeepers in their Fantasy Premier League team, although only one can score points in a gameweek.
I have always believed it is logical to select one of these two goalkeepers from a club challenging for the title. However, last season only Cech of Chelsea was among the title challenging goalkeepers to finish in the top 12 Fantasy stoppers, but this was primarily due to injuries suffered by Manchester United's Edwin van der Sar and Arsenal's Manuel Almunia.
But the importance of your goalkeeper picking up regular clean sheets cannot be understated, as these four points plus the total accumulated for saves (goalkeepers get a point for every three saves made) can significantly boost a fantasy team.
Pepe Reina accumulated the most points last season, which was something of a surprise given Liverpool's travails. He is the joint most expensive goalkeeper with Cech and Van der Sar at £6.5 million. Of the three, I'd be inclined to go with the Chelsea custodian at first. The Blues had the second best defensive record in the league last season, while there is still much uncertainty about how Liverpool are going to perform in the early months under Roy Hodgson.
Van der Sar is picking up more injuries as the years go on, and at almost 40 years of age, will be more susceptible than ever as the bones continue to creak.
With the goalkeeping situation uncertain at Manchester City, it may be prudent to wait a while on this front, as Roberto Mancini decides whether Shay Given or Joe Hart will be his long-term number one.
Tottenham's Heurelho Gomes was the third highest scoring goalkeeper last season, but Spurs look to have problems at center-back and it may be wise to wait to see whether Harry Redknapp signs another defender before considering the Brazilian.
Last season no goalkeeper made more saves than Hart, who spent the campaign on loan at Birmingham. Ben Foster has now been brought in to replace him, and if he is equally busy accumulating points for saves, he could prove a good signing at £4.5 million.
Of the other goalkeepers, Blackburn's Paul Robinson looks value at £4.5 million because he is likely to pick up several clean sheets at home, while Stoke's Thomas Sorensen at £5 million was the fourth highest scoring goalkeeper in the game last season and is worth looking at.
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Comments
Hi Stewart,
I hope you don’t mind me contacting you in this manner as I cannot find any other contact details on your site.
I write a United blog (for fun) and I’ve been reading Wenger’s blast at the Premier League’s new home-grown rules which he has blasted as “ridiculous” and damaging.
Wenger went on to compare La Liga when hinting the Spanish won’t be affected, however, having done some searching on the net, I’ve read La Liga already have similar rules in place. Wenger also claims the Spanish are still producing players and yet “we” are not. But, I’ve also read that B-team players in Spain cannot be registered if they are ‘foreigners’ (I doubt this personally – and what I ask is a foreigner?) but I cannot find anything official – but if it is true, then that could be a significant difference between here in the UK and Spain in relation to player development, but I my doubts – I’m thinking about Lionel Messi who was signed at a very young age, and of course he’s an Argentine.
Given your knowledge of world soccer and your background I was wondering if you could shed any light on the overall picture in La Liga and perhaps the other major leagues?
Get in touch if you can. Love to hear from you.
Regards
James Ryddel