BBZ8800
Senior Member
We are exaggerating currently, yes.
But something is still wrong with Mats' reactions.
For example, you know that thing when Xavi receives a ball and he naturally sees 3-4 moves in the future.
He does it naturally.
Some other players can copy it, but they are doing it because they have learned it and they want to do it in a forced/conscious way.
With Xavi, it just comes natural.
Or how just players naturally "know" how to move insanely well off the ball, while others have to "learn" it and try, try, try to get into good positions.
With Mats, I have a feeling that he either doesn't see a ball way too often (until it's too late), or that his reactions (reflexes, jumping) are somewhat slower naturally.
Or to some extent, that he doesn't have that "unconscious/natural DNA" instinct to jump on every ball.
For example, look at Curtois in a goal no1 here.
He will concede a goal, but he tries to do everything to save it, even though the ball is too far from him:
That's a natural instinct to jump and try to save a shot EVERY SINGLE time, no matter how far the ball is from your reach.
Imo, there is no way that Mats would have jumped here.
He would just stay on his feet and watch the ball.
Further, I tried to remember Mats's saves and conceded goals at Barca, and it seems that:
1. he is GOOD in positioning himself, and he creates a good "angle", so majority of shots are aimed straight at him.
Also, he is good at saving close range shots.
But then, he saves "only" shots which are aimed straight at him, which are aimed at his near post or if he is at his near post, then he saves shots which are aimed at center of a goal (so, he saves shots which are aimed only straight at him, or which are aimed not too far from him)
BUT, if he at the near post and a shot goes to a far post=he won't even jump, he gives up and he gets frozen and concedes.
Also, if he is standing at the center of a goal and if a shot is aimed at far corner, he will again usually just get frozen and look at the ball.
So, he doesn't instictively jump to save shots aimed far from him (usually aimed at far post).
For example, if you look at videos from Stegen's saves at Barca, 99% of saves are of the same type of saves:
1. close range shots
2. shots aimed at his near post
3. or shots aimed at the center of a goal
4. or he rushes from a goal line, he creates a small angle for an attacker and saves a shot
Whenever a ball is aimed to Stegen's far corner, he either:
1. freeze and conceded a goal
2. or freeze and watches a goal, who luckily goes off target (like Vela's shot in the 82 minute this weekend)
For example, these are best Stegen's saves in the last 2 years:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqxCJCQSd78
-- here he makes one semi-jump towards his far post against Juve. Woohoo!
The same:
Some may reply now: but it is the hardest to save a shot aimed at Gk's far post.
Well, of course it is.
But then, what is the point of having Mats?
So that he can save "regular" near post shots, shots aimed at a center of a goal and to make some awesome close range saves (and to make good passes, lol)?
I mean, that is good, but this is all good, but these are skills or every average 7/10 or 8/10 rated Gk (except good passes, he is 10/10 in that area, until he creates a mess, lol).
As others have said during previous weeks, when was the last time when he made a crucial save?
He is saving only what every other Gk would save.
Plus, he concedes all "tougher shots". Plus, I would add: he concedes every single shot aimed at his far corner.
Even in a match against Bayern, a match which was hailed as his best match here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaHKKY8hc3A
He jumps once (and that ball is a somewhat slow), and all other shots are his classic: close range saves and reflex' saves when a shot is aimed straight at him.
Try to find some saves when a Mats is on his near post and the shot is aimed at his far post, and he: makes 2-3 steps, jumps at a far post and makes a save.
You won't find too many of that.
In majority of far post shots: he will stand frozen at a near post, look at the ball, and a ball will either end in our net or luckily go off target.
This guy doesn't like jumping.
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