Donnarumma is the most anomalous keeper I've ever seen.

[Fortitude]

An observation, really. Might be some who are taller, some who are wider (not really), but his combination of height, mass and obvious athleticism makes him look like some one who's come from a 100 years in the future and what all keepers will look like by 2121, that, or he was made in an Italian laboratory. <half-jokingly insert green laugh smilie here>

But seriously, normally, tall keepers are lanky and spindly and look like extreme ectomorphs (someone like Van der Sar being the poster boy of that build), or, they are 'short' for a keeper and squat. Can you think of another keeper who's over 6'4 and looks anywhere near as athletic as Donnarumma?

The penalty ratio save thing being over 68% to date in his career cannot be much of a surprise - he covers so much more of the goal than keepers of 2021. Lineker made a quip about keeping all penalties low, because normally, massive keepers have a tough time of getting low quickly enough. Donnarumma, however, not only gets low, he springs from the traps like he's pouncing; he gets his whole wrist behind low shots, which in turn means he can cup or palm them to make saves that look effortless.

I was informed by some people who watch the NBA that part of Lebron James' greatness comes from the fact he has unheard of athleticism for a man so big, so much so he stands out amongst others in his sport and has ridiculous physical advantages before skill and intelligence are factored in. If Donnarumma stays fit and keeps the absurd spring and natural athleticism he has, it's not going to be surprising if he shatters all kinds of records, is it?

 

[VorZakone]

I think you're exaggerating a bit here.

But he is mentally very strong, doesn't seem intimidated at all by any occasion.

 

[SER19]

I think it's scandalous that we seemingly weren't in for him this summer. On a free, and streets ahead of our current choices (obviously de gea at his best was superior)

 

[AjaxCunian]

Spot on, said earlier this summer that I have no clue why United weren't in for him, sell off De Gea and Henderson who are clearly not good enough.

He is a generational talent and already world-class.

 

[mu4c_20le]

We were never going to make a serious move for him with De Gea still on our payroll, and his mind was probably already made up. After so many barren years with Milan, can't blame him for wanting some of those easy trophies.

 

[izec]

We were never going to make a serious move for him with De Gea still on our payroll, and his mind was probably already made up. After so many barren years with Milan, can't blame him for wanting some of those easy trophies.

Also Raiola. I think we prefer not to deal with him

 

[Barthez]

Might not be popular but anything involving Raiola (Harland included) needs a wide birth regardless of the player or talent. The mans an absolute leach and troublemaker

 

[harms]

Absolutely, I think I posted on here about it as well. It’s really weird, as there are taller keepers like Courtois, for example, who is 2 meters tall (Dollar is 1,96m), but he doesn’t look quite as enormous as the Italian.

 

[Godfather]

He is an absolute tank. The way he easily deals with crosses makes me jealous.

 

[Godfather]

Absolutely, I think I posted on here about it as well. It’s really weird, as there are taller keepers like Courtois, for example, who is 2 meters tall (Dollar is 1,96m), but he doesn’t look quite as enormous as the Italian.

Much to do with the "lack of width". Courtouis looks like a lanky doodle and half his body is made of neck. More like a giraffe than an athlete

 

[Sylar]

Shaw and Maguire leading the way in showing how to score past him

 

[mu4c_20le]

Shaw and Maguire leading the way in showing how to score past him

That Trippier to Shaw goal looked like a move straight out of 2019 Liverpool's playbook. We must sign him.

 

[Brwned]

An observation, really. Might be some who are taller, some who are wider (not really), but his combination of height, mass and obvious athleticism makes him look like some one who's come from a 100 years in the future and what all keepers will look like by 2121, that, or he was made in an Italian laboratory. <half-jokingly insert green laugh smilie here>

But seriously, normally, tall keepers are lanky and spindly and look like extreme ectomorphs (someone like Van der Sar being the poster boy of that build), or, they are 'short' for a keeper and squat. Can you think of another keeper who's over 6'4 and looks anywhere near as athletic as Donnarumma?

The penalty ratio save thing being over 68% to date in his career cannot be much of a surprise - he covers so much more of the goal than keepers of 2021. Lineker made a quip about keeping all penalties low, because normally, massive keepers have a tough time of getting low quickly enough. Donnarumma, however, not only gets low, he springs from the traps like he's pouncing; he gets his whole wrist behind low shots, which in turn means he can cup or palm them to make saves that look effortless.

I was informed by some people who watch the NBA that part of Lebron James' greatness comes from the fact he has unheard of athleticism for a man so big, so much so he stands out amongst others in his sport and has ridiculous physical advantages before skill and intelligence are factored in. If Donnarumma stays fit and keeps the absurd spring and natural athleticism he has, it's not going to be surprising if he shatters all kinds of records, is it?

It should sound surprising! In his career he’s saved about a third of the penalties he’s faced, not two thirds. It’s just penalty shootouts where he’s overperformed for a short period.

The longer timeframe and wider variation from normal penalties suggests his frame doesn’t actually give him that big an advantage. The main difference between shootouts and normal penalties is more mental than technical or physical so I think it’s more likely his confidence and composure counted for more there. That plus a statistical aberration: not much time for regression to the mean.

 

[redshaw]

Romero is similar but instead of using him to win the Europa we make De Gea the highest paid keeper in the world in 2019 after not saving pens for years and playing poorly and then put a short thin lad in Dean Henderson above Romero. He looks tiny in goal and don't think he is on a level or size that the top clubs have. I worry PSG getting Donnarumma and Wijnaldum will really improve while we watch all kinds of shots and pens go past our keepers.

 

[Gio]

Aye, his record from penalties is good, but not that exceptionally impressive (15/44 saved for in-match penalties).

But I've noticed him repeatedly make saves look straightforward that smaller (or more normal-sized) keepers are stretching every sinew to reach. Good example would be the Kevin De Bruyne left-foot shot from the edge of the box in the quarter-final. It was fizzing towards the top corner and he repelled it with ease. Sometimes you get the impression he's playing in 7-a-side goals.

To make another parallel, Usain Bolt was unique for his combination of size, cadence and acceleration. I'm not sure if we'll get more copycats, but such freaks will always remain outliers within the pool of talent harnessed to become top goalkeepers.

 

[Godfather]

It should sound surprising! In his career he’s saved about a third of the penalties he’s faced, not two thirds.

Still a very good stat

 

[padzilla]

He's exceptional, Italy always seem to produce great goalkeepers. I read somewhere that in Italy a keeper is more lauded for making routine saves and that if he has to dive at full stretch then he misread the shot in the first place, compare that to us where DDG has rightly been heralded for making breathtaking saves but once that dried up the rest of his game looked very limited to say the least.

 

[Bole Top]

massive, massive signing for PSG along with Ramos and Hakimi.

 

[Lay]

Might be the reason PSG might win the UCL in the next couple of seasons. They’ve lacked a world class goalkeeper

 

[Nick7]

Weirdly enough, given his height, I think he’d been rather poor coming out for the ball on crosses until the final. Has misjudged a few crosses and flapped. If he sorts that and his work on the ball he’ll be brilliant.

 

[mu4c_20le]

There's always the chance that he'll eventually let himself go and blow up a bit, affecting his speed and reflexes. He's still very young now.

 

[hasanejaz88]

Manuel Neuer is only 3 cm shorter than Donnaruma (also 6'4), and weighs more. He is just as athletic as, if not more, than Donnaruma. This is typical knee jerking after a tournament.

He certainly looks set to be a great keeper though, still only 22! Neuer was just in his second professional season at that age playing U-21 football.

 

[Trezeguet17]

Might be the reason PSG might win the UCL in the next couple of seasons. They’ve lacked a world class goalkeeper

Why is Navas so underrated? Easily a top 5 Goalkeeper for the last 5+ years

 

[Adam-Utd]

Manuel Neuer is only 3 cm shorter than Donnaruma (also 6'4), and weighs more. He is just as athletic as, if not more, than Donnaruma. This is typical knee jerking after a tournament.

He certainly looks set to be a great keeper though, still only 22! Neuer was just in his second professional season at that age playing U-21 football.

It's not really at all. Donnarumma is absolutely huge.

Just look at him next to Chiellini, he makes him look like a little brother.

As the OP said, it's no surprise he's so good at penalties. Rarely do you get that mixture of size and agility. He has cat like speed along with being a giant.

 

[BlackShark_80]

Might be the reason PSG might win the UCL in the next couple of seasons. They’ve lacked a world class goalkeeper

What do you mean? they have Navas who is still world class. PSG failed to win the CL because their midfields and fullbacks were shite.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

There's always the chance that he'll eventually let himself go and blow up a bit, affecting his speed and reflexes. He's still very young now.

I doubt he’s going to turn into Peter Griffin over the next 10 years

 

[Acrobat7]

What do you mean? they have Navas who is still world class. PSG failed to win the CL because their midfields and fullbacks were shite.

Navas has no standing on this forum. I agree with you that he has been one of the best keepers of the last decade.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

Over exaggeration.

Little, tiny Pickford saved as many pens as him. Rashford missed yes, but sent him the wrong way.

 

[Piratesoup]

Manuel Neuer is only 3 cm shorter than Donnaruma (also 6'4), and weighs more. He is just as athletic as, if not more, than Donnaruma.

7 years ago maybe.

 

[hasanejaz88]

It's not really at all. Donnarumma is absolutely huge.

Just look at him next to Chiellini, he makes him look like a little brother.

As the OP said, it's no surprise he's so good at penalties. Rarely do you get that mixture of size and agility. He has cat like speed along with being a giant.

Another thing about penalties, I think the stat is being mislabeled. The penalty save ratio isn't 68%, is the penalty conceded percentage. He's saves 33% of penalties, which is still really high but again not as insane as the 68% incorrectly bring mentioned.

EDIT: The most you can credit is 45%, which includes penalties missed as well and not only saved by the keeper.

 

[VivaObertan]

Peter Schmeichel and Neuer are two goalkeepers with the same characteristics as Donnarumma. Oblak could if he decided to bulk up a bit too.

 

[ekestubbe]

Physically he sort of reminds me of another old Milan keeper, Dida.

 

[VeevaVee]

I'd have him at United, for sure.

 

[pastyfool]

Might not be popular but anything involving Raiola (Harland included) needs a wide birth regardless of the player or talent. The mans an absolute leach and troublemaker

I agree with you.

 

[NoLogo]

Spot on, said earlier this summer that I have no clue why United weren't in for him, sell off De Gea and Henderson who are clearly not good enough.

He is a generational talent and already world-class.

Was a bit surprised by that as well, maybe the fact that he is a Raiola client had something to do with it.

 

[Ibn Battuta]

Manuel Neuer is only 3 cm shorter than Donnaruma (also 6'4), and weighs more. He is just as athletic as, if not more, than Donnaruma. This is typical knee jerking after a tournament.

He certainly looks set to be a great keeper though, still only 22! Neuer was just in his second professional season at that age playing U-21 football.

This will be subjective as all things, but Neuer is not and has never been as athletic as Donnarumma imo. Neuer is slower, much slower. And 3 cm might sound like little, but that can be the big difference in a game of inches.

I am with OP here, Donnrumma is a keeper you would expect to see in year 2100 when sport science has reached its pinnacle or something. The guy has this bounce on him which is crazy for someone with his size and frame. You can just see that he moves too easily for someone that big. I posted in another thread that he has all time great potential, and that is just facts. What impresses me so much is that despite that frame and athleticism he is also very good at the technical aspect of goal keeping already. At age 22...

What worries me is how dominating he can become for PSG, and eventually Real Madrid. In a game of small margins, having a keeper like him really can be the difference that matters in the end.

 

[AjaxCunian]

Was a bit surprised by that as well, maybe the fact that he is a Raiola client had something to do with it.

Probably, I hate that it is, but that's a fair argument. I think the keeper position will be a huge problem for us, they are both not good enough on quite high wages. There is also a few of top goalkeeping talent available.

 

[Varun1]

Spot on, said earlier this summer that I have no clue why United weren't in for him, sell off De Gea and Henderson who are clearly not good enough.

He is a generational talent and already world-class.

I'll give you one clue, maybe you're not aware that represents him.

 

[Piratesoup]

He's great, but not anomalous. Being tall and strong is the norm for keepers. Jorge Campos was 1,68. Now THAT'S an anomaly.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Something about seeing great players sign elsewhere on a free is always annoying.