Playalikes: Number 4: Shay Given and Jussi Jaaskelainen

Lookalikes are ten-a-penny – anyone can make Dirk Kuyt look like Sloth from the Goonies, or Peter Reid look like a monkey. It takes more to put two people together stylistically and functionally; players who remind you of one another, players who play like each other – players that could be clones of one another. Number four in our series: Shay Given and Jussi Jaaskelainen.

It may seem strange to pick two goalkeepers, as all they do is keep the ball out of the net; but then all defenders do is stop strikers scoring, and all strikers do is try and score… but there are huge variations in the way they do it. There are also variations in goalkeeping styles, but Given and Jaaskelainen are firmly on the one side, the excellent shot-stopper who are fond of a punch, the slightly smaller than average but hugely athletic keeper with amazing reflexes. Pepe Reina is another in this mould.

Given is only 6″1, relatively small for a keeper, and Jaaskelainen is only slightly taller than that. Contrast that with Van Der Sar, 6″6, David James, 6″5, and Petr Cech 6″6, and you can see the difference.

They don’t have the height, but compensate aplenty with their speed and agility. Given has made a huge difference to Man City since going there, instilling much needed confidence into the back five, and Jaaskelainen has helped Bolton punch above their weight for several years now. By making the spectacular saves, made necessary by their size and possible by their ability, they inspire team-mates and demoralise opponents. They look unbeatable because the saves they make are harder than those made by the bigger keepers.

Springy and strong, and the masters of last gasp incredible saves – both are masters of the double stop, jumping off the ground to deny a striker a second time – they are actually better to watch than a huge keeper who dominates the box, getting in the way of more shots, but not actually making as many good saves.

Shay and Jussi, for being entertaining goalkeepers who have an influence far beyond standing between the sticks, we salute you.