18.01.2011 18:21
Valdés heading for Zamora
Sandra Sarmiento
Valdés has ended the first half of the season having let in 11 goals in 19 games, which is almost the same as last year. Such consistency makes him the overwhelming favourite to win the Zamora.
Víctor Valdés is as safe as houses. His reflexes, his agility, his positioning, all are impeccable
and this season he has once again produced some extraordinary saves. His stats this year have been
simply stunning, and he is indeed a noble successor to the great Antoni Ramallets following his 286
first team appearances and three Zamora trophies to date, making him one of the lynchpins of this
remarkable side. Once again, Valdes is almost a safe bet to win the award for the goalkeeper with
the least amount of conceded goals.
Regularity
Valdés’ hands are yet another reason for such a terrific
first half to the FCB season. In the very first game he saved a penalty from Tchité at Racing and
was providential as he saved a Callejón effort in the derby at Cornellà-El Prat. He has shown his
quality time and again, and is to be thanked for the team having the best defensive record so far
this season, with just 11 conceded in 19 outings. At this stage of last season, Valdés had let in
10 and had kept ten clean sheets.
Worst season 2006/07
Since becoming the first choice stopper at Barça, Valdés has just got better and
better. The figures show how hard he has worked to improve. In his first season, 2006/07, the team
finished second in the league and he conceded 17 goals over the first half of the campaign, which
was nothing to be ashamed of, yet pales in comparison to his later achievements.
Half a goal a game
Valdés won his first Zamora in 2004/05 when he conceded 25 goals in 35
matches, an average of 0.71 a game. Last year, the Catalans beat his own record by leaking just 24
goals in 38 games, an average of 0.63 goals. This season, Valdés is touching perfection. So far he
has let in an average of just 0.58 goals in league matches.