After a brilliant start to the season, Marc-André ter Stegen is failing to sustain his form
At the beginning of the season, it is needless to say that Marc-André ter Stegen was experiencing the best form of his career. He saved anything and everything, and improved his ability to catch crosses considerably.
The German goalkeeper has kept 18 clean sheets this season, saving 78 shots in the process. But in the last five games, he has conceded 7 goals. The 25-year has slipped in a vein of poor form and he has been unable to get out of it.
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The shots from Luis Muriel and Edin Džeko have looked easy to save, while Ter Stegen has misjudged the flight of several aerial balls put into the box by opposition wingers. He has also shown poor reflexes.
Ter Stegen’s ball handling has also deteriorated, while he no longer has the same confidence when he is on the ball. José Ramón de la Fuente, the goalkeeping coach of the club, needs to inspire him like he did Víctor Valdés when he was going through a rough patch.
Valdés often suffered bad spells of form, but he always made a cracking return to the top. The legend either made a string of spectacular saves, or just generally looked calmer on the ball, with the latter being more usual.
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Marc-André ter Stegen needs to do the same if Barcelona is to win a title this season, and also, to firmly establish himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world going into the World Cup in Russia.