Most important/valued position in football (soccer to our american cousins)

[Munkymagic]

Well I'd go with a forward to be honest.

Not just because they score goals but clearly because soccer managers value strikers the most as they are prepared to pay millions for them.


I mean when was the last time you saw a goal keeper go for £30 million?

Here's a list of the most expensive transfers

Top 10 Most Expensive Football Transfers

Number 4 on that list is a keeper mate. Gianlugi Buffon. 4th most expensive player ever at 32.6m

[gudnite vienna]

im sorry but i think your all wrong... All the top teams have that holding midfielder who protecs the back 4 and breaks the play up... He is some times called the water carrier, and plays such as Hargreaves, Essien, Mascarano etc all preform this job for there club sides... Roy Keane and Patrik Viera were two of the best examples in recent years, just look how important they were...

[RozzySean]

im sorry but i think your all wrong... All the top teams have that holding midfielder who protecs the back 4 and breaks the play up... He is some times called the water carrier, and plays such as Hargreaves, Essien, Mascarano etc all preform this job for there club sides... Roy Keane and Patrik Viera were two of the best examples in recent years, just look how important they were...

I love this position (it was my favorite to play) and it's a great asset to have a great one, but I think it's easier to make up for a weakness in this position than it is to cover for a bad keeper or lack of a good attacking midfielder or forward.

[El Kabong]

Center Mid....they have the opportunity to touch the ball the most and have an effect on attack and defense.

PROOF
Can Liverpool win without Reina?
Can Liverpool win without Torres?
Can Liverpool win without Gerrard?


.....CENTER MID

[CGM]

I'd say keeper also. I used to play keeper when I was younger. When I watch soccer on TV, one thing I see goalies doing wrong a lot is they misplay the action when there is a breakaway, or if the ball is momentarily loose near the goal. Goalies miss the opportunity to attack the dribbler, dive at the ball, take the attacker's legs out, whatever. Do you agree?

[killersheep]

Manager IMO

[BIG H]

Peter Cech is Chelsea's most important player, him (and the back four) were the main factors in them winning their 2 titles. But Man Utd wouldn't have won the league last year without Ronaldo, so it's difficult. Keepers = more points per season imo

[Mikkel_K]

It's hard to single out a position that is not the keeper. But players in other positions might sometimes win games singlehandedly - strikers, midfielders or defenders (like Beckenbauer) for that matter.

Also, Brazil has never really had a world class keeper for example, and they've done pretty well over the years. Might have done better with a Schmeichel, Cech or Buffon though.

[RozzySean]

If keeper were the most important position, wouldn't the US team do better? We produce more good keepers than anything else.

Keepers can certainly steal a game (see Oliver Kahn against the US in the World Cup quarterfinals) and they are one of the most important. I guess it depends on how you think about it. It's probably impossible to win consistently at a high level with a mediocre keeper, but if you can't score or defend, the best keeper in the world can't save you.

I'll take a great center-midfielder anytime. I don't think any position can dominate a game like a great center-mid. A guy like Zidane can practically carry a whole team - like he did in the 2006 semi.

Perhaps I'm being biased, because the U.S. never seems to able to produce anyone decent at that position.

[C-Lo]

I think the keeper is too. I maybe a bit partial because the goal keeper in soccer is like the libero in volleyball and that was the position I played in college.

Offense wins games, Defense win championships...