Guzan

[Somniloquism]

I've wanted Guzan to be first choice in the nets since his appearances last year and would be happy for him to continue. But we need to see how he reacts to dropping a howler before we can judge him for the long term.  Carson looked decent until the England debacle, Enkleman until the Blues matches, etc. He seems to have gotten over the Blackburn matches and the Euro match where he dropped easy catches/missed the ball but he didn't feature in the matches straight afterwards so we don't know if he would have picked himself up or did it take a while to come back to form?

Also, for those that watch him, is Ben Siegriest ready to be first team cover in goal?

[Legion]

Not yet.

[Shrek]

The comment by Shrek was" better than Given ever was" !

Yes, which I don't agree with. But my point is that Given at his very best (i.e seven or so years ago) still had some pretty massive flaws to his game, which he made up for by excelling at other parts.

Thinking about it, the Dunne comparison isn't particularly outrageous...

No I never said that.

Guzan right now on current form has a better 'ALL ROUND' game than Given ever has. Given has never come for crosses consistantly and has never commanded his area like 'world class' keepers do.

Obviously after a decade we will know if Guzan is in the Given, Friedal, Shwarser mould or the world class bracket of Van Der Sar and Cech etc.

Read what is said, then read it again before you comment and you won't get confused.

[N'ZMAV]

Brad is playing with confidence, that's the difference.

[Matt C]

Must make a big difference when you know if you play well you keep the shirt rather than however well you do, Given is back next game if fit.

[Dante Lavelli]

Y’know those worthless Youtube compilations that people find when we’re linked with players.  I think the two best I have ever seen  were for Victor Moses whilst at Palace(?) and Guzan in the MSL (MLS?).  He won best keeper the season before we signed him, making phenomenal saves.

I glad he’s with us.

[Karl Bridges]

He's made Garth's team of the week, along with Lowton.

[Ryu]

At similar points in the first half of our last 2 home games piennar and then dyer hit good, curling efforts from outside the corner of the area.  Given got nowhere near his one but guzan made a brilliant save.  Now maybe piennar's shot was a better hit but for me it showed where they both are as keepers right now. 

One guzan moment in the second half of the Swansea game that stood out for me as well was guzan rushin out to scoop up a through ball before a Swansea forward got on the end of it. I think it stood out so much because its not the sort of thing given does. Nor did friedel for that matter.   I think that sort of aggressive keeper really helps the defence and the rest of the team play a high tempo, pressing game.  The downside is its more likely to lead to obvious looking mistakes so I hope the manager and fans stick with him if he does come for a cross one day and miss it. 

[eastie]

In fairness I don't think any keeper would have stood a chance with pienaars goal or the goal Ben Arfa scored- both outstanding goals .

Guzan has made huge strides in his handling and assertiveness and let's hope he continues to excel- I certainly have been most impressed by him this season.

[Somniloquism]

In fairness I don't think any keeper would have stood a chance with pienaars goal or the goal Ben Arfa scored- both outstanding goals .

I just rewatched both and I don't know, faster reactions might have got Pienaar's goal although, tbf, Given was unsighted slightly. Ben Arfa's though went like a rocket and was higher and more in the top corner.

[OCD]

I would be more concerned about one of the other Everton goals Given conceded than the Pienaar one.

[N'ZMAV]

Most keepers would have saved Fellaini's goal

[Percy McCarthy]

Somebody with no arms would have saved that one, it was just going to hit his stomach/chest til he fumbled it in.

[Brend'Watkins]

Most keepers would have saved Fellaini's goal

The reason he was dropped I'd say.  Had he done so we would have still been in the game.

[Oscar Arce]

I've been Given's biggest critic, I never wanted him to sign for us in the first place and although he's a good shot stopper and excellent at 'Hollywood' saves, he's never been a goalkeeper that inspires confidence in any defence because he does not like to come off his line.
Guzan is more like the sort of 'keeper you need in a team like ours, he will come for crosses and although he might not get all of them, if you ask any defender they would prefer that.
Look at Given's record in the teams he's played for: they all defended deeply, like us last season, effectively asking for pressure on the defence.
Of course that suits the sort of 'last-ditch tackle' defenders like Warnock, Dunne and Collins, because it makes them look good.
I'm not sure if Guzan is Villa's keeper for Lambert's 'new' Villa, but he's the right choice for now.