Shay Given To Consider His International Future.

[OCD]

Can't say that I think buying Given was the best bit of business.  He's a decent keeper, but for every world class save that makes him look good, there's often a piece of keeping that is equally bad.  He's a good shot-stopper, but not as good at other areas.  At his age and with his injury problems I think his contract was very generous.

A 5-year contract for a 35-year old was insane.

[danlanza]

It was but i still say that some of his saves last season were world class and i think that he is one of the best keepers in the Premier League.

[glasses]

The facts are that he isn't going to get any better, and will only decline. At the moment, he isn't totally shit. I think we could sell him and replace him with someone approaching their best years (Foster, Ruddy. I quite like Bogdan at Bolton tbh), for not much more of an outlay.

He makes some unbeleivable saves at times, but doesn't command his area well enough at set plays. We conceded a shed load from corners last year

To say he was player of the season last year is fair enough, he probably was, but it was slim pickings. Steven Davis was our Player of the season one year if we recall in a similarly bad season.

[PeterWithesShin]

Dan - are you saying we should re-sign Guzan, or do you not know he's left?

Saying that we should never have let him go mate.

We may have had no choice in it if he wanted to leave.

[London Villan]

I'd snap QPRs hands off. I think Given is one of the issues with our poor performance at corners as much as anything else.

[olaftab]

He waas far from great last season also. 

One of the most bizarre statements I've read on this forum I must say.  He was player of the season by some distance and we would be in the championship now if not for him.

Not bizarre at all. He was the best of a very bad bunchlast season. He was not great at all. Sitting on his line not dominating the box etc etc. most  in fact all keepers in the PL are capable of pulling off the sort of saves he made.

[Percy McCarthy]

Not impressed to be honest. The odd miracle save followed by long periods of looking fairly dodgy, interspersed by injury.

Thought the contract was a bit mad at the time.

[PeterWithesShin]

The 5 year contract was a bit OTT to say the least but he did only miss 6 league games last season. It's not like he missed half the season.

Personally I wouldn't be devastated if we moved him on this summer, although it would depend who his replacement was.

[Salsa Party Animal]

I think Given would benefit from retiring from international football as his body can't cope with both demand for club and country. If I got a good offer from QPR, I would take it and promote Ben to no 1 and hope he will be our Iker Casillas or Victor Valdes.

[brian green]

I am firmly in the itbrv and Riss faction.   Given is yesterday's man and apart from his shot stopping ability (not readily spotted in the Euros) his abilities are in decline.   A five year contract was excessively generous and may well contribute to him playing like a player who likes the comfort zone.

[john2710]

If those in front of him defended better, we wouldn't have conceded half the goals we did. Can't think of many goals that were conceded because of Given but I can remember plenty because of Collins (in particular), Warnock, Hutton & Dunne.

Five year contract was extreme, injury record won't improve nor will his agility or command of the box. Would sell if a decent offer came in, but the priority is replacing those in front of him.   

Given & Dunne should now drop out at international level.

[Brend'Watkins]

I'd snap QPRs hands off. I think Given is one of the issues with our poor performance at corners as much as anything else.

Not sure about snap QPR's hands off as I think he's still very good in 75% of his game.  Do agree with the last bit though as he has no presence from corners.  It's almost like the goal is empty some times.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

Shay is a superb keeper. His weakness is probably from dead ball delivery when played into the 6 yard box. - Crowd him, and he struggles to be dominant enough. I think he is partly responsible for us conceding so many goals from corners last season.. albeit unintentionally. I think unless we got a big 6'4" bastard who would clatter the fuck out of everyone who got in the way we should stick with what we have

[Dave]

It was but i still say that some of his saves last season were world class and i think that he is one of the best keepers in the Premier League.

"One of the best" - if you mean there are more keepers in the league that are worse than him than are better than him then I'd agree.

If you mean "in the best three or four" then you must be insane or suffering from sunstroke.

[Vegas]

I'm not even sure he's in the top half anymore - everyone agrees he makes some great saves, but has other weaknesses particularly commanding the area / corners; that's not enough to be considered a great keeper. 

He's not a massive weak link but I agree with the earlier poster who said he wasn't great last year.  And a 5 year contract was daft.