Best goalkeeper of all time?

[rurikbird]

That’s some endorsement coming from Kahn himself. I can’t really compare players of different eras, but I think you can make a serious argument that Neuer is not only Germany’s but also football’s best. Among the keepers I’ve seen play for an extended period of time, he has won more titles than Buffon and redefined the position more than Casillas or Schmeihel.

Neuer was key to Bayern edging this game - Neymar and co couldn’t score past him even from an offside position and you felt by the end their heads dropped. And the way he slowly managed to get back to the very top of his game after everyone thought he’ll never be the same post-injury deserves respect.

Having said that, I wouldn’t trade Alli for absolutely anyone.

 

[juniormember]

He certainly didn’t look the world’s best against us when we twatted them. 🙂
Great goalkeeper, but not sure how we can objectively judge things like this. XG can be pretty misleading, as the attacker can put in a crap shot on goal when expected to be in a scoring position, while a worldly from outside the area might beat all goalkeepers..
As you say though, I wouldn’t swap Alisson for anyone.

 

[gene hughes]

It’s Pat Jennings, you maniacs.

 

[StevieM]

It’s Pat Jennings, you maniacs.

That’s “Big Pat” to you...

 

[RedStar]

Cant really compare across different eras due to rule changes and completely different tactics. In the 30 years Ive been watching football there have been some great keepers, Schmeichel, Buffon ,van Der Sar, Casilas but Id take Neuer ahead of any of them. Allison has a way to go to get into that sort of company but hes certainly capable if he keeps pushing himself.

 

[juniormember]

 

[refugee]

Buffon for me. Over 900 appearances, and won the Italian Goalkeeper of the year Award 12 times spanning two decades (he won the first in 1999 and last in 2017).

*I'm choosing to ignore some of his off field activities.

 

[Fallon]

His reaction for Neymar's shot was good, I don't recall him having too much to do otherwise. He's in a special bracket for some thanks to a world cup, and he is obviously brilliant, but you can't have the goat tag while still playing IMO and even then there's a few keepers at peak powers that I'd prefer.

 

[tombrown]

Buffon for me. Over 900 appearances, and won the Italian Goalkeeper of the year Award 12 times spanning two decades (he won the first in 1999 and last in 2017).

*I'm choosing to ignore some of his off field activities.

You undersell him - that record spans three decades

 

[rurikbird]

Well, Buffon won the World Cup too. The big advantage Neuer has over him is 2 CL titles. He plays well in the finals too - clean sheets last night at the WC final, and one goal conceded from the penalty spot in the final vs Klopp’s Dortmund (where he made several key saves from open play). Buffon has been unlucky in the finals.

 

[refugee]

You undersell him - that record spans three decades

Good point!

 

[Roopy]

Neuer is a top top goalkeeper - a very technical goalkeeper. He's been taught a specific style and it's been drilled through excessive repetition.

That style is highly effective but I feel it has no soul to it.

Watch Neuer and Ter Stegen closely - they both came through that same school of coaching. They both have identical styles.

When covering a shot on the near post, or in a 1v1, they both get down low, put one leg out wide, puff their chests out and arms spread wide.

It's like watching a GK in the NHL.

When I say there's no soul its like comparing the natural skill of Messi to the clear and obvious technical training of Ronaldo.

Nothing wrong with either - both effective but also very different.

 

[peekay]

Well, Buffon won the World Cup too. The big advantage Neuer has over him is 2 CL titles. He plays well in the finals too - clean sheets last night at the WC final, and one goal conceded from the penalty spot in the final vs Klopp’s Dortmund (where he made several key saves from open play).

I think Neuer's ability to play as a sweeper keeper edges it. He is crucial to Bayern's high line.

 

[tomasjj]

I was never sold on Buffon.
Maybe I can only remember when he was in his older years, but he didn't seem particularly agile.
Yes, a ridiculous thing to say.

 

[Roopy]

I was never sold on Buffon.
Maybe I can only remember when he was in his older years, but he didn't seem particularly agile.
Yes, a ridiculous thing to say.

Never sold on Buffon - blasphemy!

Buffon consistently played against top quality strikers in Serie A across 2 different generations - whereas you cannot say the same for Neuer in the Bundesliga

Ronaldo
Hernan Crespo
Christian Vieri
Filipo Inzaghi
Andrei Shevchenko
Batistuta
Ibrahimovic
Francesco Totti
Adriano
Roberto Baggio
Ivan Zamorano
George Weah
Roberto Mancini

The difference is - I challenge anyone to name me an absolute howler by Buffon across his entire playing career.

Of course he's made a few but can you really remember one clearly over a 25 year period?

You can't say the same for Neuer and that's where the difference lies.

 

[rurikbird]

Any Casillas defenders here? By trophies won he's second to none.

 

[Roopy]

Any Casillas defenders here? By trophies won he's second to none.

I would say he's another ahead of Neuer as well - and pretty much for the exact same reasons I speak so highly of Buffon.

The calibre of attacking players Casillas played against in La Liga dwarfs the calibre Neuer played/plays again in Germany.

 

[rurikbird]

For me personally, I don't have a particular emotional connection with either Neuer, Buffon or Casillas. Esthetically, the GK I've liked most has been probably AC Milan's and Brazil's Dida – too bad his peak lasted only around 3 seasons, but he was almost a perfect goalkeeper during that time. When the Milan-Juve CL final went to penalties, I had absolutely no doubt that he would save more than Buffon.

Alli is continuing that underrated Brazilian GK tradition. Even if he didn't play for Liverpool, he would be my favorite GK now.

 

[tomasjj]

Never sold on Buffon - blasphemy!

Buffon consistently played against top quality strikers in Serie A across 2 different generations - whereas you cannot say the same for Neuer in the Bundesliga

Ronaldo
Hernan Crespo
Christian Vieri
Filipo Inzaghi
Andrei Shevchenko
Batistuta
Ibrahimovic
Francesco Totti
Adriano
Roberto Baggio
Ivan Zamorano
George Weah
Roberto Mancini

The difference is - I challenge anyone to name me an absolute howler by Buffon across his entire playing career.

Of course he's made a few but can you really remember one clearly over a 25 year period?

You can't say the same for Neuer and that's where the difference lies.

My post was not a defense of Neuer btw.
Just an isolated ignorant opinion.

 

[rurikbird]

I would say he's another ahead of Neuer as well - and pretty much for the exact same reasons I speak so highly of Buffon.

The calibre of attacking players Casillas played against in La Liga dwarfs the calibre Neuer played/plays again in Germany.

Not sure if that can be a major factor – surely it's not Neuer's fault that Ronaldo and Messi don't play in Germany. If regularly playing against best strikers of an era is a key factor, then the likes of Yashin should never have even been in the conversation.