Thibaut Courtois vs David De Gea: Who is the better goalkeeper?

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea (L) and Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (R)Debates are what make us football fans. We simply love arguing over who is better, who is not and who is the greatest of all time. While these debates can sometimes go off-track and descend into mud-slinging and name-calling, it is still an important part of being a football fan. After all, if you can’t disagree with other fans and argue loudly over a glass of beer, then why bother watching the game, right?The raging debate of these days, apart from the tedious Ronaldo-Messi w***fest, concerns two very young yet quality goalkeepers currently plying their trade in the Premier League – Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois and Manchester United’s David De Gea.So, let’s see if we can try to separate the two and end the debate once and for all. Scoring systemBoth keepers will be judged on the following aspects: Reflexes, Reach, Concentration, Long Passing, 1-on-1, Aerial abilityFor each aspect of goalkeeping, marks will be given out of 10.For each aspect, if the keepers are evenly matched they both get a point.If one goalkeeper is better than the other in one aspect, then he gets a point while the other doesn’t.Final score to decide the better keeper.

#1 Reflexes

Reflexes are one of the most important aspects of goalkeeping. Pretty obvious, right?

Thibaut Courtois:10

The Chelsea keeper is simply excellent at keeping out shots with his bucket-side hands and huge frame. For such a huge frame, he sure does cover the goal very quickly and is always in the right position. Full marks for him in the reflexes department.

David De Gea: 10

De Gea has seemingly turned his weakness into his strength. Even though he relies on his feet far too often to get out of trouble, there’s no denying he has made vital and seemingly impossible saves with his cat-like reflexes. Full marks for him as well.

Verdict: Equally matched in this area – 1 point to both.

Score: Courtois 1-1 De Gea

#2 Reach

How much of the goal a goalkeeper can cover is vital. That’s why you don’t see goalkeepers shorter than six feet tall.

Thibaut Courtois:10

At 6’5”, Courtois is one of the tallest players around. And this frame helps him cover a large area of the goal, thereby making it even more difficult for a striker hoping to score. With his reflexes and reach, Courtois can cover the entire goal in a matter of seconds. Full marks then.

David De Gea: 9

At 6’2”, De Gea falls short of the ideal height for a goalkeeper, but makes up for his smaller reach with his reflexes in position. While De Gea has a better reach than most keepers, he falls short when compared to Courtois.

Verdict: Courtois has a better reach – 1 point to Courtois.

Score: Courtois 2-1 De Gea

#3 Concentration

For a goalkeeper playing for a big team, a team that is expected to dominate, is a difficult task as he will only be called into action sparingly. So concentration is a key factor.

Thibaut Courtois:10

Full marks for Courtois. He is alert when called upon, and makes decisive actions when the opposition gets through on goal.

David De Gea: 10

Ditto for De Gea. Although this season he has been called into action often more than usual, De Gea ranks high in the concentration department.

Verdict: Equally matched in this area – 1 point to both

Score: Courtois 3-2 De Gea

#4 Long Passing

With the advent of sweeper keepers and tiki-taka, building attacks from the back is of paramount importance. This means goalkeepers are expected to spread the ball accurately and quickly to start attacks and counter-attacks.

Thibaut Courtois: 8

Courtois’ distribution is questionable and erratic. Still, he is only 22, and has a lot of time to rectify it. For now though, it is not of the highest quality.

David De Gea: 10

Here’s where De Gea ranks high. Distribution is one of De Gea’s strong points at Manchester United and he gets full marks.

Verdict: De Gea has better long passing – 1 point to De Gea

Score: Courtois 3-3 David De Gea

#5 One-on-One

1-on-1: An area where goalkeepers truly earn their bread. There is no better sight than watching a striker bearing down on the goal, with only the keeper in his way. A fantastic duel, with the winner remembered and the loser forgotten.

Thibaut Courtois: 10

Supreme decision making and quick reflexes - Courtois is a striker’s worst nightmare.

David De Gea: 10

De Gea has saved United’s blushes too many times to bother counting. He is very, very good in 1-on-1 situations. Full marks to him as well.

Verdict: Equally matched in this area – 1 point to both

Score: Courtois 4-4 David De Gea

#6 Aerial Ability

Collecting crosses and punching the ball away like a boss, while not making a fool of yourself, are two very important aspects of goalkeeping.

Thibaut Courtois: 10

Imperious in the air, his huge frame helps him nudge players out of the way during set-piece situations. With great decision making skills, Courtois rarely fluffs his lines. Full marks to him.

David De Gea: 9

The Spaniard is not invulnerable in the air. There are still times when De Gea makes mistakes when rushing out to punch a ball or collect a cross. Hence, he doesn’t get a perfect score.

Verdict: Courtois is better at collecting and punching away high balls – 1 point to Courtois

Score: Courtois 5-4 David De Gea