Speaking of getting down quickly, Celentano had a moment in the conference final this weekend where he dropped to save a shot at the near post from about 6 yards (which his defender ultimately blocked before it got to him). I don't know that I've ever seen a soccer goalkeeper get his ass to the ground and his leg fully extended as fast as he made it happen. Reminiscent of the best hockey goalies. I wish I could share a clip, but I don't even remember when in the game it occurred. But it threw me for a loop, and I rewound and watched a few times because I was so impressed by it.
Regarding the discussion above, I thought these stats might provide a helpful comparison at the club level of every USMNT keeper with at least 5 appearances in a Top 4 League. 1. Brad Friedel - 450 Premier League appearances (133 clean sheets) 2. Tim Howard - 399 Premier League appearances (132 clean sheets) 3. Kasey Keller - 330 Top League appearances (201 PL, 78 BL, and 51 La Liga) (84 clean sheets) 4. Brad Guzan - 154 Premier League appearances (29 clean sheets) 5. Marcus Hahnemann - 115 Premier League appearances (28 clean sheets) 6. Juergen Sommer - 33 Premier League appearances (4 clean sheets) 7. Zack Steffen - 19 Top League appearances (17 BL, 2 PL) (3 clean sheets) 8. Matt Turner - 10 Premier League appearances (2 clean sheets) 9. Ian Feuer - 5 Premier League appearances (1 clean sheet) Friedel and Howard each spent 11 seasons as the first choice starting keeper for a Premier League side, none of them involving relegations. For both keepers, their clubs finished in the top half of the table in 9 of those 11 seasons, and in the top 4 spots in 1 season each (for Man United and Tottenham, respectively). They were also each chosen once for official EPL Best XI honors. Keller spent roughly 9 and a half seasons as the first choice starting keeper for a PL, BL, or La Liga side. His clubs finished in the top half of the table in 5 of those 9 seasons, but never top 4. 1 of those 9 and a half seasons resulted in relegation. Guzan and Hahnemann each spent 3-4 seasons as the first choice starting keeper for a PL side, with both being relegated in one of those campaigns. Hahnemann had 1 season where his club finished just barely in the top half of the table, while Guzan had zero. Sommer and Steffen each spent one (or in Steffen's case, due to injury, half of one) season as the first choice starting keeper for a relegated side. Feuer only got a handful of games as a backup. Turner's the biggest unknown at the moment, since this is his first season getting minutes at that level. I don't think many are betting against him matching Steffen's or Sommer's numbers eventually, but after that, it's hard to tell. Reaching Guzan's and Hahnemann's level of 3-4 seasons as a starter for mostly bottom half teams is by no means a given, and those two are still pretty far behind Keller's accomplishments, let alone Friedel's and Howard's.
based on how he plays for the US national team compared to how Guzan did. based on how he played in MLS compared to how Guzan did and does. based on how he has played so far, in the EPL and various cups, compared to how Guzan did. Based on what? What's the word for it? Ah, Performance.
Kasey Keller was MUUUUUUUUCH better than a lot of the new generation of USMNT fans realize. When he was our starting keeper at the 2010 World Cup, he was over 40 years old. So many younger fans only saw him in his decline. His prime was at Leicester and Rayo Vallecano (late 90's/early 2000s), and there's very little record of it even on Youtube. The Brazilian legend Romario once said Kasey Keller had the best goalkeeper performance against him that he'd ever seen. Kasey Keller was every bit an elite keeper. There's a different discussion whether we're ranking our keepers by importance to the USMNT program or sheer talent. Cuz if you're talking importance to the USMNT program, you can argue Keller if you'd like. That's a Howard versus Keller conversation. If you're arguing sheer talent then it's a Howard versus Friedel conversation. But hell, feel free to argue between those three all you want. You won't be wrong. Shutouts: Keller 47 Howard 42 Meola 32 Friedel 24 Turner 23 Guzan 20 I don't think anyone here overvalues Turner. I would say the biggest disappointment was Guzan, and he wasn't bad. Its just that after the Friedel, Keller, Howard train...........we all expected Guzan to step up and be the next great. He was good.
Kasey Keller was a legend. Only a slight breath below Friedel and Howard. A truly excellent goalkeeper, and on his day, elite. I think the more fair comparison to Turner might be Hahnemann, and Hahnemann was not joke either. He had some great years with Reading and Wolves. If Hahnemann was one generation later, he is our ironclad starter and its not debatable. He would have been the clear cut best keeper during the time of troubles.
Kasey Keller played in the 2006 WC, when he was 36 years old. He continued to play professionally for 5 more years. He last played for the US in 2007.
Turner started today and had a good game. If Turner is starting at a good level, I'm happy with him for USMNT.
Same. This is natural goalkeeper competition people. Let it run its course. If Turner wins that fight, great. He did it on merit and he will be better for it.
I am certain that you'll have a lot of people here disagree with you. But I also know that you knew that before you wrote this.
Yeah, I dunno, but every time I’ve seen him from late summer through fall he’s been terrific. I want to see him with the Nats sooner rather than later, but hopefully he can make a strong move soonish as well.
As we were saying earlier in this thread................................ ..................there are GK watchers who think both Brady and Schulte might be better than Slonina. Slonina had the earlier breakout and has more name recognition amongst the folks that don't really watch MLS anyway. We have a nice little generation of keepers starting to break thru. Hopefully other guys in that generation like Pulskamp and Carrera will also fully break out soon. We just gotta keep pushing numbers and numbers and numbers forward. I think we're at the point of believing we don't need an overage keeper at the Olympics. That'll help us as the group has holes in other places.
That's too many keepers. Got to cut one. It'd be Brady for me. He should wait his turn. All of these are solid keepers by some measures. We need one or more to breakthrough and be more than that next season to project to be competitive w/ the likes of Turner. Freese doesn't deserve a call-up yet, but he could well join this mix very soon. Actually in a smaller sample he was the best. And he's up there in terms of potential. He was unfortunately stuck behind arguably the best keeper in the league at Philly. But he's seemingly found a home w/ NYCFC, who re-signed him, and have said he's their keeper of the (near) future. He'd be in the Turner and Callender category of later emergences.
Just depends how much the January camp is Olympics preparation................................... If we go whole-hog as Olympics preparation, then the three keepers could be Brady, Schulte, and Pulskamp.
That would be another example of how splitting the interests too much becomes a liability. Because Pulskamp is an unsuitable senior team option and we have to find out who's the best between the pack of solid MLS options, that includes Celentano & Callender. We're behind already in that regard.
And scratch Brady as well. Until he learns to play with his feet he is just a waste of talent, no way he should be in top 10 for the NT. Kochen is the one who needs to be called. The kid is eligible for 4 countries, and a major talent. Don't repeat Julian Araujo blunder.
The Araujo blunder was not playing him over less qualified players like an injured out of position McKenzie, Aaron Herrera, Cannon, etc. Ironically (since I know you're a Slonina skeptic), calling up and playing Kochen, would be most like deploying Gabe when he was in the Chelsea reserves, which was a waste. Though prior he had a sample of decent play at a respectable level so that wasn't even as bad. The chalk is Callender, Celentano, & Schulte. KISS method applies.