Top Goalkeepers in MLS for 2022
The Major League Soccer scene is feeling more competitive than ever with the 2022 season. Many teams have stuck to their guns and showed the most powerful defensive capabilities through their goalkeepers. The results have been impressive. In this post, we decided to highlight a few of the top goalkeepers in MLS in 2022.
Andre Blake – Philadelphia Union
Hailing from Jamaica, Andre Blake has had a fantastic run as the Union’s goalkeeper, providing stellar performances in recent years. 2020 earned him the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award after saving 77.8% of shots on target. This year, he’s even more impressive, considering the year-on-year top-tier performance he has displayed.
Blake seems to be reaching his full potential, and fans are ecstatic. He has 30 starts in the season, and a fantastic save percent that sits at 83.9%. The consistency from Blake has helped Philadelphia succeed. Across the board, he’s a force to be reckoned with.
Sean Johnson – New York City FC
An integral part of the success of NYCFC, Johnson also serves as team captain. The Georgia native is a highly respected figure and one of the professional goalkeepers giving the MLS a good name internationally. Johnson has made 28 appearances this season, providing over 2,520 minutes in play. In all that time, he has managed to have 71 saves, giving his team a massive boost in morale. This is especially impressive when taking the 104 Shots on Target that he has had to contend with.
Johnson is a pretty creative figure in the MLS, taking the time to think through certain maneuvers and successfully save some otherwise decimating shots. His passing is also spectacular, allowing the team to make unpredictable plays against opponents at whichever chance they can. With Johnson giving it his all, he is currently the keeper with the highest Clean Sheet % in the MLS at 46.4.
Jonathan Bond – LA Galaxy
Big saves from a big man. Jonathan Bond is an English goalkeeper who represents his home country pretty well, especially considering the hyper-competitive football atmosphere. He can shine far more in LA than he could be playing for mid-tier clubs in England. His stellar stats across the board prove this.
Bond has taken on the onslaught of teams looking to destroy the LA Galaxy legacy. So far, this has been done with a save % that sits at 65.4 in the 27 games he has played this season. 2022 isn’t a sparkly experience as he began the year with a beautiful 0.91 goals-against average back in May. However, this number has only increased since then to 1.48. He’s still in the upper echelon of keepers in the highly competitive MLS, which deserves recognition. Seven clean sheets are also his flawless performances, and that number will only go up if he keeps up the passionate performances.
Joe Willis – Nashville SC
Rocking an enviable mustache and killing it in the post, Joe Willis is a genuinely professional goalkeeper, and easily one of the MLS vets that are ready to take on fancy new international players that make their way into the league. After experiencing a wide range of teams in his time, he has learned a lot, especially after D.C. United and the Houston Dynamos.
The 34-year-old is one of the few keepers that have played the entire 90 minutes in every game for his team. Nashville FC has a machine on its hands. His stats also help paint the big picture, showing that all those minutes are equally qualified as they are quantity. 73.6% of shots aimed at his post have been saved by Willis, playing with a solid sense of conviction in every minute. This performance has also helped him keep a goals-against average that currently sits at 1.14. Eight clean sheets further prove that Willis is not backing down.
Dayne St. Clair – Minnesota United
One of the younger keepers on this list, Dayne St. Clair, is already building a legacy that is bound to put him among the best goalkeepers ever seen in the MLS. The 25-year-old Canadian is impressive in the 27 games he has played, securing 90 saves against 126 shots on target. There is no denying that he’s got something special. Minnesota United never hesitates to celebrate that talent by putting him in every game of the season and playing the full 90.
While he’s a superstar for Minnesota, things could get a little shaking when he’s ready to play on the Canadian Men’s National team during the upcoming World Cup. There are also some rumors surrounding some possible transfers for the star. With all that out of consideration, the only sure thing is that he’s a talent that has proven his worth this season.
Steve Clark – Houston Dynamo FC
In the life of a professional goalkeeper, there’s a level of improvement that comes with time, and that improvement is easily well reflected in the MLS. Steve Clark is 36, but he can still keep up and outperforms many of the youngsters in the league, giving some stunning performances and showing endurance through the grueling 90 minutes on the pitch.
With a keeper like Clark, the Dynamos have secured a 70.1 save percentage, and while this hasn’t kept them from a slew of losses, it softened the blow by quite a lot. One thing is clear, though. Their keeper is not to blame. Clark is an excellent keeper who displayed leadership qualities and made things more interesting in the MLS as one of the best shot-stoppers.
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