Tim Howard is finally set to take the field for the Colorado Rapids.
The US national team goalkeeper signed with the Rapids on March 20 and could make his first start with the club on Monday against the Portland Timbers (9 pm ET; MLS LIVE).
The Rapids' VP of soccer operations called Howard the best goalkeeper in MLS, but is that really the case?
So we asked our editors: Who is the best goalkeeper in MLS?
BEN BAER: The One True King
Bill Hamid has been injured over the past couple of seasons, playing just four games so far this season and 25 last season. But whenever the D.C. United goalkeeper is on the field, there is little doubt in his immense abilities to control the game. The Homegrown Player has always been an exceptional shot-stopper but his progression at controlling his box and his technical skills are what allowed him to win Goalkeeper of the Year in 2014. He has saved 70.15 percent of shots inside the box since the start of 2014, the highest percentage in the league (min. 20 games played).
MATT DOYLE: The Ageless One
There's no doubt that Howard has the best resume of any MLS 'keeper, but many wondered whether his last season at Everton was a question of age finally catching up to him ... something that has yet to happen to Nick Rimando. And what separates the RSL legend from the rest of the pack is his ability to distribute like Juan Roman freakin' Riquelme:
You could argue that there are better shot-stoppers or guys who control the box slightly better, but in terms of the full package Rimando still stands alone because of plays like that.
SIMON BORG: The Gamebreaker
If you get to the professional ranks, most goalkeepers are good at the basics. That’s why I value the goalkeeper who can make the game-breaking play and that’s Andre Blake. Yeah, he sure broke the Union’s game the wrong way against the ‘Caps with his first-half drop that led to a goal, but with his reflexes and exceptional athleticism, he will win the Union a lot more points than he’ll cost them.
GREG LALAS: Mr. Consistent
Tim Howard will obviously go down as one of the best goalkeepers in US history, but right here, right now, it’s hard to say any keeper in MLS is better than Luis Robles. Consistency is the mark of quality for a goalkeeper, and Robles has been the bedrock of the Red Bulls success these past few years. He has not missed a league start since his arrival in 2012 — 136 games (regular season and playoffs) and counting — and he has the second highest win percentage all-time among keepers with at least 100 MLS appearances.
SAM STEJSKAL: Still The Man
He’s only played four matches this year and missed significant time last season, but Bill Hamid is still my top goalkeeper in MLS. He obviously doesn't have Howard's resume, but the 25-year-old D.C. United backstop has as much raw talent as anyone in the league, and has matured into a calmer, more controlling presence in the box.
Hamid finished with the best save percentage in MLS in his Goalkeeper of the Year campaign in 2014, was second in the category last season and has stopped 17 of the 19 shots he’s faced this year. In all, he’s saved 76.5 percent of the shots he’s faced since 2014. That absurd average hasn’t been bested in a single-season by any goalkeeper who made at least 24 starts since 2012, when Hamid racked up a 77.9 save percentage. If he could just stay healthy, he’d be challenging for the USMNT’s No. 1 spot.
