The Brad Guzan Depreciation thread.

[Bottom Right 89]

I am seeing very little contrition from the loud voices who cast doubt on Guzan as our number one?

If I recall correctly - Paul Lambert was a fool for picking him over the legendary Shay Given?

Yet Guzan has become a world class keeper playing behind a young inexperienced defence.  And he has done that by learning from his own mistakes and working hard to improve both himself and his team-mates.  I think that the same process will occur with many of our young team.

'Not good enough' comes the myopic cry.  I would prefer to let professionals be the judge of that.  And I hope that Guzan and Lambert will build many years of success as an anti-dote to the angry negative finger pointing that has blighted so much of our clubs recent history.

You make some good points but anyone claiming Guz was a better player than Given until the start of this season is kidding themselves. After the Euros we had to replace Shay Given, his confidence was battered and combined with niggling injuries he was never going to perform like he did last season. Guzan faced with a drop down to the Championship was then handed a lifeline, he's got in and made a name for himself in the same way that Bosnich did when he replaced the Spink Panther, even Bozzie had his critics to begin with but with a decent run in the first team he improved beyond belief.

It's worked out but it could have easily gone the other way, we could see that Guzan was a good shot stopper but positioning for set pieces was attrocious based on his limited number of first team starts. He's definitely worked on his game and based on his heroics in recent weeks and all round consistency I'd now say that he edges Benteke for Player of the Season however if you'd said to me at the start of the season should we recall Guzan or sign a new Keeper, I'd have gone for the second option. Very pleased to be proved wrong and shows why Paul Lambert picks the team and not me.

I'd also like to be proved wrong by Joe Bennett, he's had a torrid first season but he's definitely got some talent and just needs to settle down a bit.

[Dave]

You make some good points but anyone claiming Guz was a better player than Given until the start of this season is kidding themselves.

He was. Given didn't just suddenly become a flawed goalkeeper at Polkraine and Guzan didn't just suddenly become a good goalkeeper when Lambert brought him back to the club.

Guzan did a very good job when needed last season and shouldn't have immediately been jettisoned as soon as Given became fit again.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I wonder if the credit actually belongs to Randy?

I bet he encouraged the deal.

Ultimately it would have been PL's call though.

If Randy did have a hand in Guzan coming to Villa, I doubt he will be shouting it from the rooftops.
Unlike Doug Ellis with Dwight Yorke. Who as we all know was spotted by Doug, coached and trained by Doug, introduced to the bicycle kick by Doug, and treated like a son by Doug. (Which in effect then makes Yorkie a brother of Brian Little).
 

[Somniloquism]

You make some good points but anyone claiming Guz was a better player than Given until the start of this season is kidding themselves.

He was. Given didn't just suddenly become a flawed goalkeeper at Polkraine and Guzan didn't just suddenly become a good goalkeeper when Lambert brought him back to the club.

Guzan did a very good job when needed last season and shouldn't have immediately been jettisoned as soon as Given became fit again.

My thought last year as well. But then we did have TSM in charge then and he had just spent how much in fees and wages to get him in so was always going to play Given first no matter what.

[oldtimernow]

from the Daily heil
But the American’s willingness to come off his line to deal with crosses and long throws at Stoke - highlighted on Match of the Day – was probably a bigger reason for Lambert’s decision.
Given caught 36 crosses and punched away another 11 in the entire of last season. This campaign Guzan has punched 25 and caught an astonishing 85.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2305467/Brad-Guzan-justifies-Aston-Villa-No-1-status-Jordan-Rhodes-rescue-Blackburn-Rovers-Jamie-Carragher-Liverpools-pass-master--What-learned-weekend.html#ixzz2PruGkr7T
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[eastie]

from the Daily heil
But the American’s willingness to come off his line to deal with crosses and long throws at Stoke - highlighted on Match of the Day – was probably a bigger reason for Lambert’s decision.
Given caught 36 crosses and punched away another 11 in the entire of last season. This campaign Guzan has punched 25 and caught an astonishing 85.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2305467/Brad-Guzan-justifies-Aston-Villa-No-1-status-Jordan-Rhodes-rescue-Blackburn-Rovers-Jamie-Carragher-Liverpools-pass-master--What-learned-weekend.html#ixzz2PruGkr7T
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Interesting figures- so last season we let 47 crosses into the box for the keeper to deal with and this season we have already let 110 crosses reach the keeper?
Seems we need to stop so many crosses and we may cut down the number of goals conceded.

[oldtimernow]

Well this summer the kids homework will be how to close down players and stop them crossing

[N'ZMAV]

Playing with no wide midfielders means our full backs are not protected - meaning the opposition will have more chances to get crosses in.

[eastie]

Would be interesting to know how many goals we conceded from crosses last season and this season so far .
Guzan has been immense in the air but no question we are allowing the ball to be crossed into the box too often.

[john e]

he's the best, I wouldn't swap him for anyone else in the world

even Charlie Nicholas said he's one of the very few goalkeepers now who actually come out for the ball, taking control and easing the pressure of the defence,
he's fantastic player of the season for me, incredible to think that we have let millions of goals in but he still the best in the team

[PaulWinch again]

He's top class now, in my opinion one of the top 3 in the league.

[Percy McCarthy]

Just because Guzan has dealt with 110 crosses this season and Shay dealt with 47 last, that doesn't mean that's the number of crosses that have come into the box. Given hardly comes for crosses for a start.

[eastie]

Just because Guzan has dealt with 110 crosses this season and Shay dealt with 47 last, that doesn't mean that's the number of crosses that have come into the box. Given hardly comes for crosses for a start.

Good point that Percy.

[Clampy]

Guzan has been top notch.

[LeeB]

Just because Guzan has dealt with 110 crosses this season and Shay dealt with 47 last, that doesn't mean that's the number of crosses that have come into the box. Given hardly comes for crosses for a start.

Or that we stopped more crosses last season because we played with a back 8.