Coleman vs Southwood: The Battle of the Backups
Luke Southwood has been signed this season to replace Joel Coleman as the backup to Nathan Baxter. A new goalkeeper was seen as a priority for the Wanderers, so Southwood would have been heavily scouted and thought about.
Coleman played 13 league games for Bolton last season and fans were not convinced he was good enough for a promotion charge if Baxter were to get injured again. Southwood needs to provide confidence in the fanbase and the club that he can step up if required.
Taken from @JoelColeman33 on X
But what makes him the right man for Bolton?
The Mentality of a Backup Goalkeeper
A second choice goalkeeper is the most unique position in football: it requires great mental strength and character, as well as the ability on the pitch. They know they won’t play unless the first choice is injured or suspended, they know their role is to support the rest of the squad, and they know they won’t be valued: but they are as crucial as everybody else.
Some great goalkeepers have failed as backups because they aren’t playing regularly, then when they are needed they cannot perform to that same level. This is why it is typically older goalkeepers who fill this role, their bodies couldn’t keep up if they played every week and they have the experience to guide younger players.
In an interview with The Bolton News, Southwood immediately demonstrated that he is the right profile to be a second choice goalkeeper:
““My mindset is on proving what I can do, getting that opportunity, but also offering any help and assistance I can give to the other goalkeepers at the club”
He understands he might not play every week, he might not even play for a month, but he will do everything he can to deliver for Bolton Wanderers. Southwood is the right character to be the backup goalkeeper, but is he good enough?
How Good is Luke Southwood?
Last season Southwood made an average of 3.02 saves per 90 and Coleman made 2.69, however as Southwood played for a poor Cheltenham Town this statistic isn’t a clear indication of their shotstopping abilities. Goals prevented (per 90) and save percentage will be a much clearer representation of their true ability, meaning many would expect Southwood to outperform Coleman. The former Rochdale goalkeeper outranks Southwood in sweeper actions, high claims, and pass accuracy but this still doesn’t tell the full story.
Taken from @LukeSouthwood1 on X
While Coleman’s statistics suggest he is a better all-round goalkeeper than Southwood, he is certainly not a better shotstopper: Coleman faced 15.3 xGOT (a statistic measuring the quality of shot on target) and conceded 17 goals, 2 more than he should have. Whereas, the Cheltenham goalkeeper faced 60.6 xGOT and only conceded 56 goals, outperforming this metric by four.
It is also important to note that Southwood played for a team that averaged just 44% possession a game, meaning his ability to play from the back would rarely be used. He also wouldn’t be asked to act as a sweeper, but he has already indicated he is comfortable doing this in the EFL Cup game against Mansfield.
Analysing a goalkeeper is not as simple as outfielders but for a more in-depth breakdown of Bolton’s new number 20, read my player profile here.