Yeah, about that.......
Gianluigi Donnarumma had the highest pass completion percentage by a goalkeeper in the Premier League in 2025-26, at 80.2 percent.
www.statmuse.com
Well good thing I have eyes.
Let me tell you why these stats don’t tell the full story.
Donnarumma has always had high passing numbers, mainly from short passing.
But when it comes of the way he passes the ball, it’s not like he picks a pass esp when we get pressed he launches it up the pitch and we usually lose it this happens against every team.
This changes how we end up playing as in the domestic cups it’s completely different we’re able to be more patient and trap teams into pressing us we beat it and we move the ball quicker to the other side which is how we were able to beat pool and Arsenal we wouldn’t have been able to play that football with Donna.
I prefer Trafford be cause when he’s there we look like our old selves a pep team that can play out from the back and doesn’t smash the ball long 20 times a a game.
The problem with Donnarumma is you can only accommodate for so many people. We have Haaland who isn’t the most amazing out of possession and doesn’t link up with other players but it’s fine because he can score 40+ a season, then there’s Cherki who isn’t a pressing monster but he can make something happen from nothing which is why we play the 424 passive pressing system that worked quite well towards the end of the season but not against teams that don’t care to have the ball and build out well. Now you have to change the system to accommodate a GK ??? That’s just nonsense, he is not a modern GK he’s good in one part of the game, but coming off his line is crucial nowadays, defending corners is extremely important nowadays, when almost every team plays man2man we have to create a spare man somewhere but with him that’s impossible. He’s not gonna get any better this is who he is and Trafford is gonna be England’s no.1 gk for the next decade.
So i’d love to know how anyone can argue against these points
Lack of Composure Under Pressure: City’s entire offensive fluidity is built on the goalkeeper acting as the crucial "spare man" in a man-to-man pressing system. Donnarumma's distribution under heavy pressure lacks the elite precision and composure required to consistently recycle possession.
No Long-Range Progression: Unlike Ederson, whose distribution acts as a primary playmaker to bypass high defensive lines, Donnarumma struggles with executing long, accurate passes
Command of the Penalty Area: English football and Guardiola's systems demand a goalkeeper who acts as a "sweeper-keeper," actively rushing off the line to clear through-balls. Donnarumma hesitates to play a high line, forcing defenders to drop deeper.
Struggles with Corners: In a league renowned for physical, congested penalty areas, Donnarumma struggles to claim high crosses and defend set-pieces effectively
Loss of Possession Control: Because Donnarumma cannot circulate the ball as securely as required, City loses their traditional dominance in territory and time, which impacts the fluidity of the midfield and attack
Accommodation Issues: Attempting to alter the team’s foundational possession style to mask a goalkeeper’s technical weaknesses requires City to compensate in other areas. This often means shoehorning players into uncomfortable roles to shore up the defensive transitions