Savazos Over Hand Strength

Savazo - (n) - A great save stopping a golazo.

We’ve all seen the ridiculous saves. Hamid criminally has a 76 in reflexes and a 74 in diving in FIFA 15. A 90 for both would be more accurate. He has the spring and the explosiveness to get a shot most goalkeepers would just watch sail into the net. But twice this year (first and second) we’ve seen Hamid struggle with shots hit with pace that were well within his grasp. Both times, Hamid is caught between looking to catch and wanting to parry away and both times the result is a generous rebound for the opposition. There’s not a ton to say or show on these. He either needs to corral them, which is preferred, or get them out of danger.

Moving Forward

Hamid is receiving an anti-Steve Clark season in terms of perception and laud. Both of the two goalkeepers have made highlight reel save after save but given up less than impressive goals along the way. Unfortunately for Clark, the media is equally unimpressed by him as they are enamored by Hamid. Hamid is 25 in November and people have been comparing him to Tim Howard for years now. But Howard, at this time in his career, had started for Manchester United about thirty times. (Manchester United was a very good team.)

Players are different and Howard had his struggles overseas, but it’s late in Hamid’s career to be making these mistakes if he truly is looking to play at a higher league and start for the US. He’s a fine MLS goalkeeper, one definitely contributing to DC United’s season, but if he wants to be something more he needs to hone in his mechanics. Hamid sits middle of the pack in MLS goalkeepers because the ones ahead of him have been playing great. Nick Rimando is still going strong. David Ousted is probably going to win Goalkeeper of the Year. Stefan Frei and Luis Robles are having great seasons. Even DC United Andrew Dykstra had the best game of any goalkeeper this year. If Hamid is really supposed to be the best goalkeeper in the league, and the eventual starter for the US Men’s National Team, he can’t be having these hiccups every other week.