Tim Howard is currently a top 3 GK in the world

Guzan > Howard

he isn't. i'm not even sure it's close.

eta: personally i'd put him in the around 6.

He's not top 3 in the EPL at this point although he was earlier in his career. I'm not one of those guys who will say Guzan > Howard just yet though.

It is interesting to see who the best keeper in the world is now, though. For the longest time you could say Buffon and Casillas, even if you hadn't watched a game in 4 years and not look the least bit stupid. Obviously that is starting to change.

I'd say Buffon is still top 3 though. I guess Neuer and possibly Courtois would be the others.

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he's been better than howard.

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by what metric? He makes at least one bone head move per game that scares the shite out of me and usually leads to an almost goal.

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Even as an Arsenal fan, LOL.

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Can we go ahead and on a moratorium on laughing off opinions in this manner? It's the antithesis of discussion and doesn't further anything but condescension. I'd like to hear reasoning one way or another.

The OP is guilty of it too, which is weird, because saying Howard is a top 3 GK in the world is a pretty controversial opinion, to the point where literally no one else in the world would ever think it. Goalkeeping talent is hard to judge because the responsibility for goals is spread across the whole team, and thus goals against is a terrible measure. Something like saves made is also an indication of pure defensive quality.

In my mind, Howard is definitely not top three. Neuer's game is pretty complete, and Howard is pretty clearly not on that level. Then there is Buffon, who has been fantastic for a decade. Casillas has been too, but he's been recently replaced by a damn fine goalkeeper in Diego Lopez, who has been fantastic for a while. Howard clearly doesn't have the ceiling of Szcznesy or De Gea, and Courtois is better now than Howard has ever been. Lloris reads the game better but also has much more responsibility for sweeping than Howard. Cech has been fantastic for the last ten years, and hasn't done anything to indicate he should be displaced. Mignolet is a magnificent close range shot stopper.

Basically Howard is a very good shot stopper with good control of his area with average distribution and reading of the game. Even whoscored rates Howard behind Mannone, Begovic, Szczesny, and the West Ham GK. It's certainly not a foregone conclusion that Howard is top three in the EPL. Objective, dispassionate analysis says otherwise. He's still a damn fine GK though.

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Can we go ahead and on a moratorium on laughing off opinions in this manner? It's the antithesis of discussion and doesn't further anything but condescension. I'd like to hear reasoning one way or another.

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He's a solid keeper and an anchor for our squad but no way he's top 3 in the world

pretty much yes to everything you've said. tough to measure. GK is pretty much like baseball D. there are metrics out there, but their reliability is questionable and needs context.

szcz's shot stopping has never been questioned, but his gaffes, aerial prowess and distribution have always been lacking. he's cut out the gaffes, has gotten considerably better at handling crosses and corners, and his distribution has been very solid this year. he's saved our asses repeatedly.

as BPG has pointed out, howard's dip in form has been much-discussed this season. i'm not sure he's ever passed many of the big GK names and his dip in form doesn't help his argument for top 3 in the world. he's exactly what crazy said. not elite, but very, very good.

Begovic anyone??