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Author Topic: Shay Given  (Read 15343 times)

Offline eastie

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #30 on: April 10, 2012, 09:18:28 AM »
Yesterday would have been a good time to play Guzan.

Given is good at shot stopping but Stoke don't shoot.

Brad would have been better dealing with the rough stuff.

In 35 yrs watching villa guzan is the worst keeper on crosses i have ever seen down here -stoke would have had a field day against him.

Admittedly he has improved since last season but not good enough to be a number one keeper at premier level in my view.

Offline garyfouroaks

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #31 on: April 10, 2012, 09:24:10 AM »
I used to think the same about Brad Friedel. But, look at his performances for Spurs this season. Villa keepers are under so much pressure these days due to a weak midfield and poor defending. Given is a top goalkeeper.

I agree.

Offline philthebar

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #32 on: April 10, 2012, 09:41:31 AM »
You can count the number of keepers that dominate their space on one hand the reason being the opposition place a forward immediately in forn of him to stop his run, a few years back it would be penalised for obstruction but it's gone the way of shirt pulling and holding on. He saved a couple against Pool that not many would have had the reflexes to save, of all our problems he comes way down the list.
Add to my list the inability to muscle his way through the opposition.   ;)

They used to put a big guy in front on me when I started in goal in the eary 60's, nothing new there.


Offline ozzjim

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #33 on: April 10, 2012, 10:02:32 AM »
Yesterday would have been a good time to play Guzan.

Given is good at shot stopping but Stoke don't shoot.

Brad would have been better dealing with the rough stuff.

In 35 yrs watching villa guzan is the worst keeper on crosses i have ever seen down here -stoke would have had a field day against him.

Admittedly he has improved since last season but not good enough to be a number one keeper at premier level in my view.

This the Guzan that AT Stoke, who would have had a field day, kept a clean sheet by coming and taking crosses and taking the pressure off his back 4?

Offline ormskirkvillan

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #34 on: April 10, 2012, 10:04:57 AM »
Given is a great shot stopper and a good keeper.  The problem is that he does not dominate his defence. Our back 4 needs someone to get them by the scruff of the neck and tell them what to do, when to clear the ball, when they have time etc. I did a Uefa coaching course and there were a few former pros on it and a number said that if Given was louder he would be world class. The problem is you either have that or you don't, you can't really coach that.

Offline luke25

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #35 on: April 10, 2012, 10:06:22 AM »
Yesterday would have been a good time to play Guzan.

Given is good at shot stopping but Stoke don't shoot.

Brad would have been better dealing with the rough stuff.

In 35 yrs watching villa guzan is the worst keeper on crosses i have ever seen down here -stoke would have had a field day against him.

Admittedly he has improved since last season but not good enough to be a number one keeper at premier level in my view.
I don't think he's as bad on crosses as alot make out, it was only that 2nd leg against Blackburn were he had a shocker.

Offline eastie

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #36 on: April 10, 2012, 10:13:06 AM »
Yesterday would have been a good time to play Guzan.

Given is good at shot stopping but Stoke don't shoot.

Brad would have been better dealing with the rough stuff.

In 35 yrs watching villa guzan is the worst keeper on crosses i have ever seen down here -stoke would have had a field day against him.

Admittedly he has improved since last season but not good enough to be a number one keeper at premier level in my view.
I don't think he's as bad on crosses as alot make out, it was only that 2nd leg against Blackburn were he had a shocker.

point taken, that blackburn game was awful but although guzan has improved hes not a number one at this level in my view, im happy to stick with shay.

Online nigel

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #37 on: April 10, 2012, 10:26:57 AM »
I wish that he would come out for a cross and smash James Collins in the back of the head
I think James Collins would like that too! Coming out for a cross that is  :)

Offline john e

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #38 on: April 10, 2012, 11:04:35 AM »
i would go with Guzan, and have always said that, for people to keep banging on about the Blackburn game is rediculous, Friedal himself missed a few in the air last season and Given who is very good is more yesterdays man whereas Guzan is the future.

experience over youth, this is the same desision AM has to make when he has a fit squad to pick from, and he goes with experience nearly every time, where i would take the oposite view


Offline darren woolley

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #39 on: April 10, 2012, 11:33:24 AM »
I would still have Shay as my number one.

Offline villanic

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #40 on: April 10, 2012, 12:37:00 PM »
Given is a very good keeper but I don’t think he is the same keeper he was at Newcastle and doesn’t seem to have the confidence to come and get crosses.

I think he has changed as a keeper since being dropped by Citeh and playing with our back four is not going to help get any confidence back.

I thought Guzan played really well when he came in earlier in the season and seems that we are on a mission to slash the wage bill I would not mind if Given went and Guzan got offered a new contract which would free up wages to strengthen in more important areas.

Online Dave

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #41 on: April 10, 2012, 12:45:00 PM »
Yesterday would have been a good time to play Guzan.

Given is good at shot stopping but Stoke don't shoot.

Brad would have been better dealing with the rough stuff.

In 35 yrs watching villa guzan is the worst keeper on crosses i have ever seen down here -stoke would have had a field day against him.
Even though when Guzan played against Stoke earlier this season we looked far more comfortable than Given looked yesterday. What do you put that down to?

As for not wanting him in the first place, I am still exactly where I was back in the summer. I think he's a solid keeper who makes up for short-comings in some areas of his game by excelling at others. It's what he always has done and exactly what he has done for us this season. The overall consensus on this thread seems to back that up pretty well.

As Mazrim says, we could probably do better but it's fairly low on our list of priorities. I just don't think he's some sort of goalkeeping Superman like you incorrectly do.

Online PaulWinch again

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #42 on: April 10, 2012, 02:31:00 PM »
He's not the best around, but he's pretty good and certainly good enough for us at the moment. I'd say this is a very low priority position.

Offline TheSandman

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #43 on: April 10, 2012, 02:37:34 PM »
The problem is the defence , not shay given, he has been a top keeper for over a decade , hardly mediocre , yes he struggles at times on crosses but who doesnt , shay given is our best keeper since bozzy.

we need a total new back 4 in the summer but i have no worries about the keeper.

The problem has been the defence at every club Given has been at. Newcastle were often laughed at for their comedy defending and when Given was at City Lescott and Toure often looked very poor in front of him. Why has he never played in front of a competent back four? Maybe his own weaknesses as a goalkeeper have exacerbated those of his back four. However, as he is such a good shotstopper these tend not to be noticed as stopping shots are what is tended to be highlighted when talking about a goalkeeper.

Offline eastie

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Re: Shay Given
« Reply #44 on: April 10, 2012, 02:49:19 PM »
The problem is the defence , not shay given, he has been a top keeper for over a decade , hardly mediocre , yes he struggles at times on crosses but who doesnt , shay given is our best keeper since bozzy.

we need a total new back 4 in the summer but i have no worries about the keeper.

The problem has been the defence at every club Given has been at. Newcastle were often laughed at for their comedy defending and when Given was at City Lescott and Toure often looked very poor in front of him. Why has he never played in front of a competent back four? Maybe his own weaknesses as a goalkeeper have exacerbated those of his back four. However, as he is such a good shotstopper these tend not to be noticed as stopping shots are what is tended to be highlighted when talking about a goalkeeper.
.

If he had played in front of a competent back four id expect to concede far more goals- id much prefer him between the sticks please than in front of the defence!

 


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