Goal Keeper - the importance of good GK in SESL

   - by Athol Kay 

Goal Keepers are Important 

If you've read the article on "Goal Scoring" you will know how potent a star FW can be.  Now imagine that the defender was playing an SL10 GK instead of an SL20.  The number in the score column would be 20% larger.  Meaning that SL20 shooters would beat the keeper 60% of the time instead of 40% of the time - a 50% increase of goals scored.  Also SL10 shooters would increase from 20% to 40% - doubling goals scored.

Now imagine that the defender was playing an SL30 GK.  The number in the score column would be 20% smaller.  Meaning that SL20 shooters would reduce from 40% to 20% - chopping their goals scored in HALF.  Even SL30 shooters would drop scoring 50%, and anyone SL15 or below can only score by PURE LUCK thanks to the maximum save rate of 90%.

SL10 FWs, of which their are an abundance are basically worthless for scoring against a good team.  Their sole value lies in some OFF production.  Think very carefully before shelling out for anything other than a fully trained/coached FW (or MA or UT), or before selling one to another team.

Three Season Rotation Goal  Keeping Plan

Without good goal keeping no matter how good the rest of the team, you aren't going to get anywhere in SESL.  So creating and maintaining a solid stable of GKs is central to success.  By and large I think that a three year age rotation is the best plan.  The GKs have to be the stars and with their ages three apart.

Note that during season 1 that the age 6 GK is still very useful despite getting no coaching.  The age 3 GK would play 2 whole matches, the age 6  45 minutes, and the age 0 an average of 45 minutes each 3rd game.  This is called "covering" when the older GK plays part of a match to allow just enough playing time for a younger lower skilled GK to get Training, and spacing GKs closer than three years tends to result in having a season or two where three GK are needing TP or CP to stay up to speed with star status.  Unless you are prepared to use the oldest as a covering GK for the youngest for a season it starts getting too expensive to maintain.  Try and trade to a three year rotation.

GKs spaced more than three years apart run into a problem season where the oldest GK is maybe not that great, and the next oldest is not up to speed yet, and you are getting close to being forced to perhaps bring in an apprentice GK less than three years apart from the younger one.  E.g. age 1 and 5.  The 5 will be on the way out next season, and you will have to bring in an apprentice or Bosman GK while the oldest is able to cover as an age 6.  That would mean next season you would have age 0, 2 and 6.  It gets a little messy.  Try and trade but you may have to bite the bullet and suffer a tad.

Also if you are going to have a "rebuilding season" do it when you have an age 0 GK.  At least you can blame bad results on him!  And for goodness sakes STALL when you have a weak GK and rest your star FWs.  Go for a draw, and save up EL for the star FWs to try for a pair of wins in a session.

 - by Athol Kay