We all love to get a bit too over excited about players, but the goalkeeping zone seems to be the position that a rose-tinted view is focused on at the moment. Aside from the David De Gea saga (which we all need to end soon for our collective sanity) we are getting a little bit silly about the men between the sticks. They are, of course, hugely important but many great sides did not have the world’s best goalkeeper, and it can be argued that a truly brilliant side shouldn’t need their stopper to save them too many points.

The image of the greatest goalkeepers, such as Gianluigi Buffon to Iker Casillas, has declined, naturally, with age, while the next generation of stoppers have taken the position to another level. Personality is a factor, but this transition is epitomised in Manuel Neuer’s rise as he pushed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the Ballon d'Or. Neuer’s shot stopping is excellent at times, but his reputation growth has been far more about his outfield game.

This is where a new, bizarre approach to goalkeeping begins. Neuer, although usually successful, takes an unnecessary amount of risks for a man charged with protecting the goal. Risk taking should not be applauded in a goalkeeper and the idea of ‘revolutionising the position’ would be laughed off if it were not for Pep Guardiola’s management. Neuer’s antics are spectacular, and usually work, but when it goes wrong he looks like a bit of a fool. And how satisfying is it to see it backfire (just look below).

https://vine.co/v/OuAlaLdned9

Neuer is the root of the problem, but he is not the only goalkeeper who is getting over the top praise. It might be a tactical revelation from Guardiola, or it could just be a goalkeeper who enjoys seeing his play in the highlights a little bit too much. A goalkeeper’s role is not to be the star man in the side and there is a reason that the men in goal rarely win the individual accolades. If a goalkeeper is not going about his business in a slightly under the radar manner then questions should be asked.

So many of the highest rated 'keepers are loved by their respective fans for flashy saves, with their flying stops 'earning' back page credit. Both David De Gea and Joe Hart are world-class goalkeepers but their reputations seems unnecessarily enhanced due to their goalkeeping style. The flick of their legs as they dive for a ball that is within comfortable reach may not be deliberate, but it has added to a footballing society where we overvalue the importance of a goalkeeper.

A manager should not want their No.1 to make a star of himself. The most reassuring of 'keepers should bring a sense of calm to the defenders in front of them and the supporters around them. Disappointingly, the men who are most adept at relaxing their fans are not getting the recognition they deserve. Saves for the cameras are all well and good, but a giant of a man catching the ball with ease has a far more demoralising effect on the opposition (step forward, Thibaut Courtois).

Goalkeepers are key, yes, but their importance to a side depends on the quality of the defence. If a team is truly the best they can be then the goalkeeping position should be one that holds little relevance to their success. A lock-tight defence, which every side should aim for, does not require one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

Stats have taken control of the modern game and the key to any successful defence is about its value as a unit. Each component of the unit is nothing without the system and their colleagues, but we seem to have gone crazy for 'keepers and at prices (£30m+) that could be spread across developing a stronger defence.

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