Oliver Kahn was in the news again for a major mistake; this time his fumble of a late Roberto Carlos free kick gave Real Madrid a draw against Bayern Munich. It was the highly over-rated Kahn who botched the job on Brazil’s first goal in the 2002 World Cup final against Brazil.

If forwards are the positions most amenable to statistical evaluation in football, goalkeepers are the least. Goals conceded are not a good measure; they depend on the defenders in front of the keeper and there are significant era biases. In more recent years shots on goal figures are available but these don’t permit comparisons going back more than about 15 years. They also don’t take into account the quality of the chances.

I don’t have any doubt that the best goalie I’ve ever seen is Gordon Banks. Not so much for the “highlight reel” saves that he made that are still shown but for the way he commanded the penalty area. This is an area of particular contrast with Kahn. Kahn is a big man but he doesn’t make cross balls into the six-yard box his. Banks not only commanded the six-yard box, he clearly thought anything in the air out to penalty spot was his ball. In general, this is perhaps the one area in which football has not improved. My recollection is that 20-30 years ago, in English soccer at least, is was expected that goalies would go out and collect cross balls, not leave them to the defence. Moreover, they would rarely punch the ball.

Perhaps instructional techniques have been rethought. I need to be convinced that staying more on the line and punching at crosses are better goalkeeping.

Courage and command of the air are not the only factors that make a great keeper. Avoiding major blunders, reflexes, positioning are all important, too. Banks was great in all these areas. In terms of statistics, there is also the evidence of Banks’ record in the 1966 World Cup; he did not concede a goal until the Final – about 480 minutes, I think, before anyone scored on England. Granted the 1966 World Cup was probably lower scoring than 2002 and he had in front of him a superb defence (astoundingly under-rated, too – everyone seems to have forgotten the back line of Wilson, Charlton and Cohen, surely the best defensive back line ever assembled) but that’s also testimony to the guy between the pipes. Mr Banks, Bradmetrics te salute.

On an unrelated matter, I note with sadness the death of John Charles, another somewhat forgotten great. There’s a very good case that he was the best ever Welsh player. He was certainly unique: a world-class player at both center-half and center forward.