But, judging by Alisson's performances for Roma last season, it seems entirely fair. The Brazil international wasn't just considered the best player in his position in Serie A, but the best in any position, such was his influence on Roma's play and results.
Alisson didn't just stop goals. He set them up. He played defence-splitting passes, inch-perfect long balls, completed more dribbles than a whole host of outfield players, and embarrassed opposition strikers with backheels under pressure and a 'sombrero' against Crotone.
At no point did Alisson's tricks cause a quick intake of breath or create a sense of panic. His actions were not frivolous. They were essential. The right decision under the circumstances.
Watch Alisson perform any of the skills listed above and you will not see a showman with a professional death wish, but a self-assured goalkeeper who has earned the complete trust of his team. "He's the goalkeeper of the future," Roma manager Eusebio di Francesco said. The evolution of the species in his position.
At least that is how Alisson is perceived in Serie A, where he distinguished himself as the most convincing interpreter of the sweeper-keeper role Italy has seen since Manuel Neuer made that style the benchmark by which goalkeepers are now judged.
Alisson rushed off his line and cleared the ball 41 times this season. To put that into perspective, the next best goalkeeper in Italy when it comes to sweeping was Pepe Reina - he managed 20. Alisson proved crucial in enabling Roma to play with an aggressive high line in defence.
For all the attributes that mark Alisson out as a thoroughly modern goalkeeper, it is the old-fashioned stuff that makes him a traditionalist's favourite as well. Tall and broad shouldered, he has an imposing frame and can seem like a magnet for the ball.
Alisson made 109 saves last season and was the only goalkeeper in Serie A with a shots saved percentage of 79% or higher. Limit that to attempts inside the box and his record is the best in Italy over the past five years.
More impressively, Opta's advance metrics show that given the quality of chances Alisson faced, the average goalkeeper would have conceded 36.31 goals. Alisson is no ordinary goalkeeper. He allowed just 28; a difference of eight, the biggest in Serie A.
As Roma and Edin Dzeko did not score as freely as they had done the previous season, his interventions assumed greater significance. Some were jaw-dropping.
Alisson's first Champions League game of the season set the tone for the rest of the campaign. Roma were out-played by Atletico Madrid but held out for a 0-0 draw thanks to a goalkeeper who made nine saves.