What is the most important position?

[Monkey Tennis]

27 minutes ago, HK Hibee said:

Central defence.  Get that wrong and you will struggle

thinking about this a different way I have recently been thinking about which player I would pick first, from any era, if I was trying to pick my best ever team. Wanted it to be maradona but have decided it would be Keane - not sure if this is a positional thing or that he is just a guy who would do anything to win. 

Maradona is an excellent example of how a brilliant attacking player can transform what a side is capable of.

[The Other Foot]

Disagree vociferously with the shouts for striker. You could have a goal scoring supremo in midfield who still does the business in the centre of the park 

[invergowrie arab]

1 hour ago, Estragon said:

Not sure this really supports your argument. They could start with an outfield player with a similar pedigree in any position and do the same.

Aye fair enough that's not a good example. 

An excellent keeper can make all the difference. Siegriest was the difference between us (briefly) appearing in Europe this year and possibly being relegated the year before.

Outside of the top keepers the rest are a much of a muchness.

Again I think the transfer fees and wages speak for themselves.

[NFL12]

9 hours ago, Richey Edwards said:

Missionary.

Ah, you meant FOOTBALL positions....

Ayr are always getting fucked, so I understand your confusion.

[stevieKTID]

From a Killie perspective looking back at the last 4 or 5 seasons I'd say a decent keeper makes all the difference.

We've had some good ones like Bachmann and Hemming, we've also had some utter donkeys like Branescu, Rogers and Doyle.

[Richey Edwards]

11 minutes ago, NFL12 said:

Ayr are always getting fucked, so I understand your confusion.

You're quite funny.

[G51]

2 hours ago, The Other Foot said:

Disagree vociferously with the shouts for striker. You could have a goal scoring supremo in midfield who still does the business in the centre of the park 

Not really though. Frank Lampard, for example, was a brilliant goal-scoring midfielder. He scored less than one non-penalty goal every four matches in the Premiership, which is a record even a mediocre striker would beat. 

[LIVIFOREVER]

A good solid defence can pretty much protect the keeper from even having to make a serious save, if your defence is shit though then obv a decent keeper is needed to make brilliant saves. You can def get by with a competent keeper if your defence is decent though.

So on that basis i'd say a 20-30 + goals a season striker, and the transfer market tends to put a higher price on goal scorers too, esp if they're strikers.

[Sortmeout]

For all the people saying goalkeeper (including me) I would like to ask who would you rather sign if you could. 
 

Either Mbappe (insert alternative top striker)

or

Ederson (or alternative top goalkeeper)

So even though I think goalkeeper may be more important I would have to say I would pick Mbappe over any goalkeeper in the world.

[Raidernation]

The journalist with his head furthest up the sevco/sellik arse

[boozyBJ]

The most important player in any team is the one who can supply, a half  decent striker, the chances to score. Eremenko made Conner Salmon look like prime Michael Higdon 

Edited August 19, 2022 by boozyBJ

[GAD]

If keeper was the most important position it would be the best paid with the highest transfer fees, but it's not, it's always high scoring attackers and creative, goal scoring midfeilders. These are the guys that win teams trophies. 

Keeper is important, but really it's just important not to f**k it up. You don't really need a superstar keeper, you just need one who'll do the basics well, make the saves you'd expect them to make, and not make many mistakes.

[DMCs]

The only correct answer is striker/forward. The players that get you goals. That's why they get paid the most. 

[dezz]

It’s goalkeeper for me.
Pereira at Hearts and Doyle at Killie played huge roles in those two being relegated in recent years. Siegrist took United from potential relegation to top 6 and Europe, and for my own team, I’m not sure we’d still be a Premiership club if Liam Kelly hadn’t joined in Jan 2021 when we were bottom of the league with Aaron Chapman between the sticks.

Keepers probably have the biggest impact on the confidence of their teammates to, a dodgy keeper can make even a solid back line fall to pieces if they’re forced to alter their game to protect a dodgy keeper. 

Edited August 20, 2022 by dezz

[The Great Stagsby]

I think if we pull everyone’s thoughts on this together nobody’s going to argue with the suggestion that the absolute ideal would be a totally reliable (between the sticks) goalkeeper who also chips in with 15-20 goals per season at the other end…?

[johnnydun]

100% a Keeper.

You get points if a Keeper is decent, even if you don't have a striker at all, a clean sheet guarantees points.

A decent striker helps to get all 3 points, but if your Keeper is shite, how many is your striker going to have to score in a game to get those points?

[Thenorthernlight]

In all my years, I only thought there was one. 
Missionary 

[Dons_1988]

52 minutes ago, Thenorthernlight said:

In all my years, I only thought there was one. 
Missionary 

3rd time someone has made this joke in 3 pages of content. 

Do better, P&B. 

[Kapowzer]

Thing is you ask people from different countries this question you get different answers, probably even supporters of different teams.

You ask an AC Milan supporter in the mid 90’s they’d say centre half and next in line would be the guy standing beside him.

Napoli, they’d say a number 10 because they seen how one player can lift a team of mediocrity to success.

Strikers, playmakers carry more of a premium because there’s less of them that deliver. The market is flooded with goalkeepers.

[Dons_1988]

On 20/08/2022 at 10:43, Kapowzer said:

Thing is you ask people from different countries this question you get different answers, probably even supporters of different teams.

You ask an AC Milan supporter in the mid 90’s they’d say centre half and next in line would be the guy standing beside him.

Napoli, they’d say a number 10 because they seen how one player can lift a team of mediocrity to success.

Strikers, playmakers carry more of a premium because there’s less of them that deliver. The market is flooded with goalkeepers.

Agree that the value of strikers is due to supply and demand, there’s just not that many guys out there who can do it. Additionally, these are the guys who bring spectators through the turnstiles. 

None of the above is evidence that it is the ‘most important’ position in a team structure. Saying that, I would still say it’s your striker/primary goal threat that is the most important individual.