Players must select two goalkeepers in their 2011-12 Fantasy Premier League team, although only one can score points in a gameweek.
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.
Last season's top scoring goalkeeper was Manchester City's Joe Hart with 175 points. He was followed by Petr Cech of Chelsea and, surprisingly, Birmingham City's Ben Foster. The former Manchester United stopper has moved to West Bromwich Albion on loan for the season, and costs £5 million. West Brom conceded a lot of goals last season, though, and would have to improve significantly at the back to tempt me into signing Foster.
Cech and Hart are the two most expensive at £7 million, and I'd certainly go for the latter if I was looking to spend heavily on a goalkeeper. Roberto Mancini's City are notoriously tight at the back, with the Italian known for his cautious tactics. Last season City drew 0-0 away to Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, and also at home to Manchester United as Mancini risked little against those teams around them in the table.
David De Gea (£6.5 million) is likely to be Manchester United's main goalkeeper this season, and with Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic ahead of him, there should be plenty of clean sheets in the offing, particularly at Old Trafford.
If Martin Jol can maintain Fulham's defensive shape, Mark Schwarzer looks good value at £5 million, while Aston Villa's new signing Shay Given (£5 million) has at least two good years left in him. He will need central defenders Richard Dunne and James Collins to perform better than they did last season if he is to pick up points.
Elsewhere, Stoke City are an organized team at the back, meaning Asmir Begovic could be a bargain at £5 million, while Wigan Athletic's Ali-Al Habsi was one of the best goalkeepers in the league last season and looks good value at £4.5 million.
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Comments
The goalkeeper is the most specialised position in football. A goalkeeper’s job is mainly defensive: to guard the team’s goal from being breached (to not let the other team score). Goalkeeper is the only position defined in the Laws of the Game. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands and arms, however they are restricted to doing so only within their penalty area; for this reason, they must wear jerseys that distinguish them from other outfield players and the referee. If a goalkeeper is sent off or injured, and there is no substitute goalkeeper available, an outfield player must take the goalkeeper’s place and put on the appropriate identifying uniform.
The discipline of goalkeeping is so specialised that it is very rare in the professional game for a goalkeeper to play in any other position. One notable exception is Jorge Campos of Mexico, who played effectively as a striker when called upon. A goalkeeper with good technical skill may opt to take his team’s penalties and free kicks though this is rare as the goalkeeper would be caught out of position if possession is conceded immediately after the kick. José Luis Chilavert (now retired) of Vélez Sársfield and Paraguay, and Rogério Ceni of São Paulo and Brazil are well-known free-kick and penalty specialists with over 60 goals to their names. Hans-Jörg Butt is the goalkeeper to have scored in the most different competitions, having scored in all of Germany’s top four divisions, the German cup and the UEFA Champions League.
Brian Raymond Callahan
Brighton, MA
^ HAHA what?