Stathursday: Jean Butez does not give away free goals

Every Thursday, we zoom in on some interesting statistics provided by our data partner StatsPerform in the 'Stathursday' section. This week we take a closer look at goalkeepers, with extra attention for standout goalie Jean Butez. The R. Antwerp FC goalkeeper made most saves this season.

If you don't concede any goals, you get at least a point. This is how goalkeepers are able to win their team titles and cups. The number of clean sheets is typically used to assess a goalkeeper's performance. Anthony Moris heads this ranking in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League. The Royale Union Saint-Gilloise goalkeeper managed 12 clean sheets in 26 matches. Simon Mignolet (Club Brugge) and Jean Butez (R. Antwerp FC) have managed 10 clean sheets so far.

Moris made 61 saves in total, good for a save percentage of 73.5%. According to StatsPerform's algorithms and xGA statistics, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise should have conceded 26.85 goals with him in goal. In reality, Moris only conceded 22 goals, which suggests that his performance so far has been above average. It's important to know that poor finishing, for example, - which is not necessarily down to Moris - also affects xG-stats.

However, statistically, Jean Butez performs considerably better. Nobody has done better than his 112 saves in the R. Antwerp FC goal. He saved 80% of the shots on goal and is unparalleled in Belgium in that respect. Butez conceded 28 goals, but according to StatsPerform's calculations it should have been 38.74. The difference between xGA (expected goals against) and effective goals against is almost 11. Obviously, the Great Old owes many points to Butez. 

The only goalkeeper to come anywhere near this statistic is Marko Ilic of KV Kortrijk. The Serbian goalie made 84 saves with a save percentage of 72.57 percent. StatsPerform calculated that Ilic should have shipped 8.86 more goals than the 31 he actually conceded. The most underperforming goalkeeper is Maarten Vandevoordt. The KRC Genk goalie should only have conceded 32 goals, but he's already conceded 38.

Jean Butez' finest saves this season:

Vandevoordt (save percentage of 64.15%) shows his vulnerability outside the 18-yard box particularly. This is apparent from the so-called ‘Keeper Sweeper Accuracy’. This statistic shows when a goalkeeper rushes out at least to the edge of the penalty area under some pressure from an opposing forward racing to the ball, in which he reacts quickly and reads the play. In Vandevoordt's case, this goes wrong in 1 out of 3 attempts. Only Rafael Romo of OH Leuven (1 in 2) does worse. 

Guillaume Dietsch of RFC Seraing, who with 92 saves is only beaten by Jean Butez, came out of the 18-yard box most often (ten times). And his team gained possession of the ball every time. This means Dietsch is one of the better sweeper keepers in the Jupiler Pro League. He is not a penalty specialist though. Out of eight penalty kicks, he has only been able to stop one. Nobody has conceded more. Only Hendrik Van Crombrugge has not been beaten from the penalty spot yet. The RSC Anderlecht goalkeeper has stopped two penalties.

Also in the 'Stathursday' column:

• Nikola Storm (KV Mechelen);
• 'Tiki-Tariki' Tissoudali (KAA Gent);
• Defensive Powerhouses;
• Jelle Vossen (SV Zulte Waregem);
• Josh Cullen (RSC Anderlecht) & Hervé Koffi (Sporting Charleroi);
• 'Itonuachu' (KRC Genk);
• Foundations of the Westerlo title;
• Stats XI of the regular season;