Marshall vs Jakupovic vs McGregor: Hull City goalkeepers head-to-head

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Mike Phelan has a decision to make at Hull City regarding who is his first choice goalkeeper, HITC Sport looks at the stats behind all three men.

Ten games into the Premier League season, both Eldin Jakupovic and David Marshall have played 5 games for Hull City. Marshall was bought after 4 games of the season, and quickly displaced Jakupovic in the Tigers goal. Given that both shot stoppers have played an equal amount of games and minutes, there is no better time to compare their key statistics.

In the 5 Premier League games that Jakupovic starred in, Hull City won 2, drew 1 and lost 2. In the 5 Premier League games Marshall has started, the Tigers have lost all 5. Clearly that is a far too simplistic indicator of either ‘keepers abilities or performances though, as it fails to take into account the opposition faced, how well the players in front of them performed and much more.

Comparing every key goalkeeping stat from aerial balls claimed to accurate goal kicks, we have created a far more in-depth analysis of the two men vying to start in goal for Hull City, as well as former number 1 Allan McGregor, who recently completed his rehabilitation and returned to action with the Tigers under-21’s side.

Above is the head-to-head comparison of Jakupovic and Marshall. As you can see, both players have an equal amount of games and minutes on the pitch, yet some of their statistics are considerably disparate, and confirm what most people would consider the two goalkeepers various strengths and weaknesses.

In terms of overall saves made, it’s a tight affair, but the former Swiss international Jakupovic comes out on top. The statistics for punches, standing catches and standing saves are all also either very close or tied, showing that there is little to split the duo in those respects.

The first stat of real interest is ‘Dive Save’. Firstly, it is worth clearing up any confusion caused by the use of the separate terms ‘Dive Save’ and ‘Diving Saves’. ‘Dive Save’ is the number of times the goalkeeper has dived/parried/deflected the ball into a safe area, whilst ‘Diving Save’ is a combination of all diving saves, from those actually caught to those parried back into a dangerous area.

Hull City’s current number one David Marshall

Marshall then, the stats would suggest, is more effective when it comes to parrying the ball out of harms way, whilst Jakupovic’s primary concern is simply keeping it out of the goal. Some supporters will be surprised to see Marshall ahead in both categories, given that there has been a general consensus that the Scotsman either doesn’t dive enough or is slower/less agile when going to ground than Jakupovic.

The two stats which probably confirm most supporters initial suspicions are successful high claims and accurate goal kicks. Whilst there are disputes regarding which ‘keeper is the better shot stopper, there can be few over who is better when it comes to claiming aerial balls and distribution.

Marshall is very accomplished when it comes to coming for balls put into the box, having regularly displayed excellent indecision making of when to come and claim a ball and when to leave it for one of his defenders. Jakupovic, on the other hand, can seem a little decisive, and is also a lot less prone to claiming the ball, preferring to parry, or if one was being critical, ‘flap’ at the ball.

Eldin Jakupovic saving a penalty from Alexis Sanchez

Likewise, when it comes to goal kicks, there is big difference between the pair, with Jakupovic being the much more accurate of the two. The former Grasshopper’s man has some of the best stats in terms of distribution in relation to minutes played in the division, and whilst that may be dismissed by some, as we saw in the summer at Manchester City, it is a major part of a goalkeepers game in modern football.

There is one aspect of Jakupovic’s game which many supporters feel could be crucial that cannot be quantified by statistics though. The 32-year-old is clearly a fiercely passionate, driven and fiery character, who appeared to lift his teammates and particularly the Hull City defence earlier in the season, and once again when he returned to the team for the Tigers EFL Cup tie at Bristol City.

Ultimately, Marshall is the more experienced goalkeeper who one might describe as a ‘safer pair of hands’. He is solid, if not spectacular, and will do a job for Mike Phelan. Yet, Jakupovic is the far more likely of the pair to pull of the most unlikely of saves. A thunderbolt that looks destined for the top corner or a diving header which is seemingly impossible to stop. You would back Jakupovic over Marshall.

Mike Phelan has a choice to make in the Hull City goal

There is also another matter which could have been detrimental to the Tigers team spirit, and that is the fact that Jakupovic was dropped despite doing very little wrong. He made a minor mistake in the 4-1 loss to Arsenal, although he also saved a penalty and pulled off a couple of stops which most ‘keepers in the world would have been proud.

That may be the crux of it then. In the early weeks of the season, Hull City’s success was built on a grit, a fighting mentality and excellent team spirit. Jakupovic’s seemingly unwarranted dropping in favour of a new signing is the type of little decision which can cause one or two disgruntled feelings to arise within a dressing room.

It has to be said that, despite shipping goals on an incredibly regular basis, one cannot attach a whole deal of blame on David Marshall. Scotland’s first choice goalkeeper may have been culpable for some poor positioning at times, but never any glaring errors or goalkeeping blunders worthy of making it onto the next ‘Funny Football Outtakes’ DVD.

Allan McGregor recently returned from injury at Hull City

One man who has to be re-introduced into the discussion is Allan McGregor. A compatriot and international teammate of Marshall’s, McGregor was previously Scotland’s number one. The 34-year-old former Besiktas man has spent three seasons as the Tigers number one when fully fit, with the exception of briefly being dropped for Steve Harper under Steve Bruce.

A return to first team action may not be imminent, but McGregor made his first appearance for the under-21’s last week, and will eventually be back in contention. He was very good during his first season at the KCOM Stadium, but following an injury in October 2014, his form was a little up and down, making a few memorable ‘clangers’.

In the interest of fairness, below we have created a table showing all three of Jakupovic, Marshall and McGregor’s stats in the Premier League per game. The former Rangers man actually comes out rather poorly in a number of areas, such as dive saves, accurate goal kicks and all diving saves, with much poorer statistics than both Jakupovic and Marshall, although it’s worth noting the much larger sample size McGregor’s statistics are taken from.