Shay Given

[Mazrim]

Cant see it with him. For one thing we're not likely to get a better keeper and Given actually wants to play.

I fail to see how with a transfer fee of £3.5M an similar wages we couldn't have gotten just as good a keeper from the continent, and maybe even signed a slightly younger player, who might have a bit of sell on value and not be made of glass. What are we going to do when he next dislocates his shoulder and has to sit out a season? Very risky signing IMHO...

I mean a better keeper now that we have bought him. In other words, we're not likely to go and buy a keeper to replace Given any time soon unless he is injured. Whereas with Beye we had better already.

[Dave Cooper please]

What are we going to do when he next dislocates his shoulder and has to sit out a season? Very risky signing IMHO...

What are we going to do if we sign N'Zogbia and the next day he gets hit by a badger and breaks his femur?

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

What are we going to do when he next dislocates his shoulder and has to sit out a season? Very risky signing IMHO...

What are we going to do if we sign N'Zogbia and the next day he gets hit by a badger and breaks his femur?

Fit all our players with badger padding.

[Mazrim]

What are we going to do when he next dislocates his shoulder and has to sit out a season? Very risky signing IMHO...

What are we going to do if we sign N'Zogbia and the next day he gets hit by a badger and breaks his femur?

Fit all our players with badger padding.

All our players should play in those big fuck off bubbles from The Prisoner.

[Concrete John]

What are we going to do when he next dislocates his shoulder and has to sit out a season? Very risky signing IMHO...

What are we going to do if we sign N'Zogbia and the next day he gets hit by a badger and breaks his femur?

Fit all our players with badger padding.

All our players should play in those big fuck off bubbles from The Prisoner.

I thought Dunne had swallowed one of those last season.

[cb]

Lads, that's not the point and ye all know it. The fact is Given has popped both his shoulders recently and medical or no medical, once you do that it's more likely to happen again, especially in a position where you have to dive onto the ground with your arms outstretched regularly during a game. He's only an OK keeper now (he was very good a few years ago, but I think has gone downhill since, prob not helped by all his injuries). My worry is that he's more likely to get injured than another keeper would have been. Anyway as Maz has pointed out we're stuck with him now and unlikely to sign another unless he does blow another shoulder joint, which is the scenario I am concerned about...

[pedro25]

At least we may now have a keeper that might get a sniff with penalties - Brad was awful with them and never got close

Anyone know Friedel's penalty save record whilst at Villa by the way?  I can't recall any saves or misses against him at all.

[Rich6by7]

According to this website, the last time anyone missed a penalty against us was in 2007/8, when Sorensen was the goalkeeper. The same website indicates six out of six for opponents in 2008/9, the same record in 2009/10 and four out of four last season, meaning that Brad faced sixteen penalties as Villa keeper and every single one hit the net.

We're due some saves next term, Shay!

</geek>

EDIT: One of them was let in by Guzan after Friedel was sent off (incorrectly) at Anfield when we lost 5-0. Just 15/15 for Brad, then.

[Mazrim]

The thing with Friedel was, if it was within his arms reach his reactions were superb, but he was as agile as the Queen Mary 2 and couldn't really move to anything.

That's at least not true of Given, who is very agile. Even with an extra chin. Probably.

[MoetVillan]

cb, how many shoulder joints does he have?

[nick harper]

Comments from The Fiver in Guardian about our new goalkeeper:-

"In his increasingly rare moments of clarity, the Fiver's drink-addled, pig-toting knobbly-stick-waving Irish cousin Theme Pub O'Fiver has a theory about Shay Given from the County Donegal. To borrow a phrase from his opinionated champagne-swilling brother in arms Eamon Dunphy, Theme Pub is prepared to concede that while Shay Given from the County Donegal is a good goalkeeper, he is not a great goalkeeper. It is a point of view that has earned poor auld Theme Pub the opprobrium and slaps of many compatriots who worship at the altar of St Shay of Given and will not hear a bad word said about the goalkeeper, who hails from the County Donegal.
What Theme Pub has noticed, albeit through half-open bloodshot eyes, is that Shay Given from the County Donegal has played behind some terrible defences in his time; terrible defences starring players who became a laughing stock when they played in front of Given, but strangely went on to resurrect their careers elsewhere, lining up in back fours that played in front of goalkeepers that conspicuously weren't Shay Given from the County Donegal. Yes, Titus Bramble the Fiver is looking at you. And you Fabricio Coloccini and Joleon Lescott ... the rest of you know who you are.

But while Given has been described by Roberto Mancini as "one of the five best goalkeepers in the world", he is not the best goalkeeper at Manchester City and has subsequently been shipped out. As is customary, no club that Jamie Redknapp would describe as "top top top top" has come in for him, so instead he has been sentenced to five years at Aston Villa for a fee believed to be in the region of £4m. It's a good bit of business for Villa, who have got themselves a goalie renowned as "a great shot-stopper", but whose ability to command his six-yard box is a mite questionable.

"Aston Villa is a huge football club and I'm really excited to be joining," said Given upon inking his contract, as you do. "I'm looking forward to training and playing with the players here. They're a good bunch of lads, very talented and I know several of them already which will help." Be afraid Richard Dunne and James Collins. Be very, very afraid. For that man in green anchored to his goalline not coming for that cross is Shay Given from the County Donegal."

[Greg N'Ash]

Lads, that's not the point and ye all know it. The fact is Given has popped both his shoulders recently and medical or no medical, once you do that it's more likely to happen again, especially in a position where you have to dive onto the ground with your arms outstretched regularly during a game. He's only an OK keeper now (he was very good a few years ago, but I think has gone downhill since, prob not helped by all his injuries). My worry is that he's more likely to get injured than another keeper would have been. Anyway as Maz has pointed out we're stuck with him now and unlikely to sign another unless he does blow another shoulder joint, which is the scenario I am concerned about...

think you've a good point. Shoulder injuries are pretty bad anyway. On a 'keeper doubly so and there's always the fear of dislocation again and restrictive movement. However hopefully's he's really been put through the mill by our medical team to even get the necesssary insurance for the deal to go through. If he did break down with a recurrance they'd oughta be shot for allowing it, so i doubt they'd have given the go-ahead if there weren't convinced

[MoetVillan]

Well, if the Fiver is correct, we have experience of a goalie being rooted to the line for every corner/set piece over the last 18months so at least we know what to expect

[Le Lapin]

Comments from The Fiver in Guardian about our new goalkeeper:-

"In his increasingly rare moments of clarity, the Fiver's drink-addled, pig-toting knobbly-stick-waving Irish cousin Theme Pub O'Fiver has a theory about Shay Given from the County Donegal. To borrow a phrase from his opinionated champagne-swilling brother in arms Eamon Dunphy, Theme Pub is prepared to concede that while Shay Given from the County Donegal is a good goalkeeper, he is not a great goalkeeper. It is a point of view that has earned poor auld Theme Pub the opprobrium and slaps of many compatriots who worship at the altar of St Shay of Given and will not hear a bad word said about the goalkeeper, who hails from the County Donegal.
What Theme Pub has noticed, albeit through half-open bloodshot eyes, is that Shay Given from the County Donegal has played behind some terrible defences in his time; terrible defences starring players who became a laughing stock when they played in front of Given, but strangely went on to resurrect their careers elsewhere, lining up in back fours that played in front of goalkeepers that conspicuously weren't Shay Given from the County Donegal. Yes, Titus Bramble the Fiver is looking at you. And you Fabricio Coloccini and Joleon Lescott ... the rest of you know who you are.

But while Given has been described by Roberto Mancini as "one of the five best goalkeepers in the world", he is not the best goalkeeper at Manchester City and has subsequently been shipped out. As is customary, no club that Jamie Redknapp would describe as "top top top top" has come in for him, so instead he has been sentenced to five years at Aston Villa for a fee believed to be in the region of £4m. It's a good bit of business for Villa, who have got themselves a goalie renowned as "a great shot-stopper", but whose ability to command his six-yard box is a mite questionable.

"Aston Villa is a huge football club and I'm really excited to be joining," said Given upon inking his contract, as you do. "I'm looking forward to training and playing with the players here. They're a good bunch of lads, very talented and I know several of them already which will help." Be afraid Richard Dunne and James Collins. Be very, very afraid. For that man in green anchored to his goalline not coming for that cross is Shay Given from the County Donegal."

Barry Glendenning, the writer of this shite article, is a bulshitter and a failed stand up comedian. From this writing you can see why.

[garyshawsknee]

I've heard Glendenning say this about Given months ago,i dont think he has a hidden agenda about him,he's just commenting on a player who plays for his country. Others have had this view about Given,that he's not too commanding off his line.

If this is true,at least the centre backs will know where they stand with him,and will have to deal with crosses themselves. What he lacks in catching crosses,he'll make up for in organisation and shot stopping.