For the love of god what has happened to goal keepers in the MLS. The goal keeping (along with the general play of the MLS) has been behind what is up-to-snuff so fare this year. Even the big money, "big name" goal keepers like a: Matt Reis, Kevin Hartman, Troy Perkins, and Nick Rimando have been getting fewer clean sheets than they had the previous season at this point and allowing a shocking amount of multi-goal games. In the 79 games that have been played to this point (6/29/2007) There have been a combined 39 cleansheets and only 22 games where there have been fewer than three goals scored combined between both teams.

There has yet to be a week where the combined number of goals in the league hasn't reached double digits. I'm not saying that offense isn't exciting, but c'mon, I've seen alot of cheap goals been scored this season when the keeper and his defense have been sleeping. And my MLS fantasy keeper has yet to net me positive points since week 1 (im at -11 this week, with Bouna Condoul allowing 4 goals his last start. In all Condoul has netted me -14points on the season) so I've decided to hold a grudge against MLS keepers until further notice.

But I digress from my grudge, my feelings aside, the goal keeping has been less than satisfactory. I can't pick out a singal game and remember it for is dominate goal keeping this year. Look back at 2006 when Matt Reis saved two direct kick penalty kicks against the Colombus Crew, or in the Championship game where Onstad and Reis kept the net so well it had to be decided in penalty kicks. This season so fare has been missing those type of proformances.

Look at Week 11 where there were 28 goals scored by 12 teams. Thats two and a third goals per team. The league has been averaging 18.5 goals combined per week, in about 6 games per week.

I'd like to leave you with some truely inspiring fantasy proformances by keepers throughout the MLS:

Matt Reis- 5/26/07 -11

Brad Guzan (actualy one of the better fantasy keeepers)- 4/28/07 -6

Brad Guzan- 6/21/07 -11

Kevin Hartman- 5/26 -6

Kevin Hartman- 6/16 -6 (week before and after this game -1)

Bouna Condoul (my man)- 4/22/07 -6

Bouna Condoul- 5/5/07 -6

Bouna Condoul- 6/28/07 -11

Matt Pickens- Three -6 point apperances

Ronald Watterus- After allowing one goal in his first 5appearences Ron turned in a -11 and -6 point appearences.

The scarry thing is, these are the 6 best fantasy keepers to date.

So my advice?

1) Never make a keeper your team captain, even if he cleansheets he wont score much more than your forwards.

2) Give me advice on picking my keeper!