Rangers fans can turn anything into a debate, and to be fair, that’s not always a bad thing. But with Jack Butland, I sometimes feel the criticism starts in the wrong place. Goalkeepers will always have quirks. They’ll always have a couple of things that make you inhale through your teeth. The key question is simple: does he stop goals more often than he costs them?
What defenders actually want from a keeper
I’m not a goalkeeper, but I did play all across the back line, and there’s one thing every defender recognises instantly: a keeper who talks. Not the odd shout either. Proper organising. Letting you know if you’re a yard out of position, telling you to clear it, telling you he’s coming, telling you he’s not. The whole back line needs that constant noise behind them, because when the ball’s dropping and you’re half-turned, you’re guessing unless somebody gives you the call.
From the outside, it can be hard to judge how vocal a keeper is on a matchday, especially through TV coverage. But I’d be amazed if Butland isn’t at it. Every keeper I’ve ever played with, even the quiet ones off the park, turns into a different animal once the game starts. It’s part of the job.
Shot-stopping still matters most
There’s a modern obsession with keepers being extra centre-halves, pinging passes about and starting every move. It’s fine if you’ve got it, but the bread and butter is saving shots. That’s where most goals come from and that’s where most points are won. If your keeper is reliable when you’re under pressure, that settles everyone in front of him.
That’s why I tend to defend Butland when the criticism feels a bit forced. It doesn’t mean he’s flawless. No keeper is. But it does mean we should be careful about acting like one imperfect aspect makes him a problem.
Distribution and crosses: the trade-off
If you’re looking for a weakness, I’d say his distribution is the roughest part of his game. The decision-making, the consistency of the pass, the risk level. That’s the area where you can see room for improvement. As for coming for crosses, I can live with a keeper who prefers to hold his line, as long as the rest of the box defending is switched on and the communication is there.
Truth is, he’s still our best keeper, and he’d be difficult to replace without taking a chance. The sensible approach is competition: bring someone in who can push him, and ideally someone you can build up over time to be the next long-term answer. That’s how you keep standards high without throwing away what you already have.
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