The Premier League plays host to a number of a top class goalkeepers from all around the world. According to the Castrol rankings, however, Manchester City’s Joe Hart is the number one goalkeeper playing in Europe. The Castrol Ranking system seeks to give a ‘definitive answer’ on who the top performers are throughout Europe through the use of the latest technology and a team of well-equipped data-analysts. They track every touch of the ball and adjudicate whether the player in question has had a positive or negative influence upon the game.
Given the amount of time and effort that’s spent collating the data, the Castrol Ranking system has to be given some credence. Joe Hart’s had a fantastic season and is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, but are the lads working for Castrol right to suggest that he’s the very best European football has to offer?
Statistical analysis and data handling is one thing, but there’s also something to be said for gut instinct and the importance of things that can’t be covered in statistics. Data, for instance, can’t capture how well a keeper marshals their defence, how much confidence he inspires in the back-four and whether he’s a good motivator both on and off the pitch.
Given that the Castrol Ranking System judges Edwin van der Sar to be only the fourth best keeper in Europe at the moment, behind Hart, Idriss Carlos Kameni and Christian Abbiati, I’d say that something has to be amiss. That just doesn’t seem right to me. On what basis can we say that Hart has had a better season between the sticks than Van der Sar?
Whilst I’d certainly put Joe Hart up there with the likes of Edwin van der Sar, Petr Cech and Pepe Reina, he’s got some way to go until he’s the undisputed number one goalkeeper in the Premier League and Europe. I doubt for instance that any Manchester United fan would have been too keen to swap Van der Sar with Joe Hart on a season-long basis.
Naturally every fan brings bias to the proceedings in some way or another. I’m neither a City nor a United fan, but I can’t help but feel it’s wrong to favour Hart over Van der Sar. Perhaps this is merely a result of Van der Sar’s career coming to an end, whilst Hart’s career is just beginning to take off. Whether or not he’s the best in Europe as things currently stand, Hart has a huge career ahead of him and could well go on to become a City legend.
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Hart has more clean sheets and a higher saves to shots ratio than any other goalkeeper in the premier league. i dont know many utd fans who wouldnt swap a 40 year old on his way out for a keeper already established as his country’s number 1 with his best years ahead of him. van der sar has been superb for utd but anyone can see hart has surpassed his abilities nowadays.
Well I think Castrol are right as are most peoples gut feeling, Joe Hart is the best keeper in Europe. And to use a favorite expression of that famous dictator Sir Alex Ferguson ‘No Question’.
i think the fa cup semi illustrated that joe is better than old man edwin. also we are told constantly by the media (traditional and t’internet bollox) that camelgob and vidic are the best central defensive partnership in the galaxy. So, how come Joe has conceeded fewer goals than edween? maybe the castrol boys are right after all.
Hart is the best goalkeeper in the premier league more clean sheets than any other keeper and city have the second best defense so obviously he marshals his defence well and is great between the sticks. Its not a question of Why is he the best?? its Why would he not be rated the best??
I rate Cech and Van der Sar better than Hart. Hart is fantastic and will mature into the undisputed number one for England and City, but Cech and VDS have picked up medals and earned their teams 10+ points a season due to their heroics.
Cech>VDS>Hart for me currently, but Hart has a huge future.
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Message for Joe Hart
You ARE the best goalkeeper England has.
Make no mistake.
Others’ mistakes have thrown you.
We KNOW you are worth your weight in gold.
From a very loyal Man Utd and England fan.