Don’t think they are included in PSXG…….the Arsenal numbers are coincidental (to a degree).
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[Albion] Bart Verbruggen SINGS a 5-year deal
- Thread starter Stumpy Tim
- Start date
Imagine a player receives the ball unmarked on the penalty spot. That might have an xG of 0.8. Expected to score 8 times out of 10.
Now imagine they completely scuff it and it rolls down the middle. The keeper should save that 99 times out of 100 so the post shot xG is 0.01.
Clearly the second measure is more useful for comparing keeper quality as saying they've effectively prevented 0.01 of a goal makes more sense than saying they prevented 0.8 goals
Withdean South Stand
Well-known member
- Mar 2, 2014
- 427
Bart's a serious goalkeeper, forget all the rotation. He'll play every League game now unless he's not available and that's how it should be. Having a top goalkeeper will make a huge difference to our results this season and just improving that one position will get us in the top 8. To be fair to Steele, he was more exposed last season than Bart will be this, but if we'd played Bart every game last season we would have been top 10.
That’s a shame. Perhaps he should take some down time eg a night down Komedia or Selhurst?
Nobby Cybergoat
Well-known member
- Jul 19, 2021
- 8,192
Agree with you, with the proviso that he's still very young for a goalkeeper.
I'd imagine Steele will be used in the cups. But it's a new manager so I guess we'll have to see if that's the way he does things
Withdean South Stand
Well-known member
- Mar 2, 2014
- 427
No. He should be spending his time training and then watching the top goalkeepers in the world (there currently aren't all that many, looking at some of the clowns donning the gloves for supposedly top clubs - Onana for United can barely move!) to make sure he becomes one of them. He can have the occasional smile, but we've had a clown in nets for the majority of the last season and it's time for that nonsense to end and play a top end keeper.
He will make mistakes - he did last season and he will this season. But he will also make saves Steele can't, dominate his box in a way Steele can't and inspire confidence in his defence that Steele can't. That's what matters. I doubt we'll see a crumble in the manner we've seen a few times in the last couple of seasons.
I'm not sure how you'd measure this, but I feel like a good goalkeeper who positions themself well will encourage players to take on harder shots which are more likely to miss altogether.
So you could end up with a mix of total misses (nothing on PSxG), balls straight to the goalkeeper because they're stood in the right place (not much on PSxG) and an absolute screamer straight into the top corner (about 1 on PSxG, presumably). And then at the end of it the numbers would suggest you'd had a shit game.
pigmanovich
Good Old Sausage by the Sea
Worth pointing out he did in fact get his fingertips to the ball for Havertz’s goal, just not enough to stop it going in. If he’d remained in goal and let Havertz come at him he’d have been even less likely to save it.
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Just as well he didn't save it - he'd have been sent off for handling outside his area.
Machiavelli
Well-known member
I've just had a look back a few times, and that's far from conclusive. Have you got concrete evidence of this? What's also inconclusive is whether he's actually in the penalty area or not (looks like he's on the line which, I think, counts as in the area). If he wasn't in the area, and saved the goal, he'd have been sent off.
pigmanovich
Good Old Sausage by the Sea
I’ll have to watch it back again but I remembered Bart as being on the line and so in the clear. In any case, he certainly tried to save it, and it did look as though he had gotten his fingertips to the ball.
I realized! I suppose the part I left unspoken was that Steele probably wouldn’t have rushed out for the first goal, giving Havertz an even better chance of scoring.
pigmanovich
Good Old Sausage by the Sea
I'm not sure that is fair. Steele's starting position is very high generally, and he's actually pretty good at sensing danger and getting out. In fact he did so very well in the Manchester United game - getting there first and heading it out to the wing.
Farehamseagull
Solly March Fan Club
You’re calling Steele a clown?! Incredibly harsh, out of order in fact.
I agree that Bart is the better player and obviously has a higher ceiling but Steele is still a very capable keeper, has been a brilliant servant for us and if I’m not mistaken, was in goal for both of our league wins this season.
pigmanovich
Good Old Sausage by the Sea
Fair enough. For what it’s worth, I was pleased with Steele’s performances last month and wouldn’t have wet the bed had he started last Saturday. Just see Bart as more liable to rushing out.
Withdean South Stand
Well-known member
- Mar 2, 2014
- 427
In the context of that post I was, yes - which is clumsy wording because I don't intend to call Steele a clown. Graeme Smith was a clown. Steele is a very competent goalkeeper playing well above his standard but giving his best, obviously being a good character and generally being sound. He is pretty obviously below the standard you'd want from your goalkeeper in the Premier League but I've nothing against the man.
Agree. Very unfair comment. Steele has done a very good job already this season when called upon and has proven with the ball at his feet there are not many better in the world. We also became a far better team once he took over the season we finished in the top 6.
I thought Bart was partially at fault for their goal on Saturday, in that he made Havertz's choice for him. It would have been better for him to stay in his box and wait for Havertz to take a touch.
However, Bart's save against Havertz in the second half was absolute quality, and I very much doubt Steele would have made that save.
However, Bart's save against Havertz in the second half was absolute quality, and I very much doubt Steele would have made that save.