News
LUN 29.04.2019
Jan Oblak is undoubtedly amongst the best stoppers in the world. His numbers speak for themselves; last week he played his 150th match in LaLiga Santander, in which he's kept 88 clean sheets and conceded just 90 goals.
In the current campaign he’s managed 20 shut-outs – the joint highest figure in Europe’s top 5 leagues. He also has the highest percentage of shots saved in LaLiga Santander (81%) and hasn’t made a single error leading to a goal all season.
It took Oblak a while to become Atleti manager Diego Simeone’s first choice. He arrived with an injury, and the good form of Miguel Angel Moya meant he didn’t make his LaLiga debut until the final few months of 2014/15. Since then he’s not looked back, and is on track to win a fourth goalkeeper of the season award, which recognises the ratio of goals conceded compared to games played, in as many years.
The role of the goalkeeper is ever-changing in modern football, but what is impressive about Oblak is how well he does the basics. Not just a formiddable shot-stopper, his handling is so good that it often goes ignored when discussing his strengths. Strong positional sense and clever reading of the game means he makes the easiest of catches look a commodity, a skill that for many observers tends to go unnoticed.
Simply put, Oblak is a ‘keeper that exudes confidence. Not just in his own actions, but also to his backline. If a defence can’t have faith in the man behind them it will show in their performances, but in the Slovenian they have giant figure who puts them at ease with his ice cool presence.
Bad luck with injuries, particularly in defence, has also meant that Oblak hasn’t played with a settled back four this season. Simeone has only been able to field the same defence in back-to-back matches on three occasions in LaLiga Santander, but thankfully, Oblak has been an ever present and his influence is growing and growing.
In March he wore the captain’s armband for the first time in Atleti’s 1-0 win against CD Leganes, and earlier in the month he renewed his contract at the Wanda Metropolitano until 2023. Still just 26 years of age, rojiblanco fans can look forward to Oblak defending their goal in LaLiga Santander for years to come.
© LALIGA - 2019