Guzan v Given

[TheMalandro]

I'd hate to see Brad go, if Sherwood has made his mind up on that one blunder, I feel he'll have made a huge mistake.

Over the past few seasons Brad has probably helped us achieve as many points as anyone behind Benteke. I rate him as highly as anyone in this league and he still has time to improve.

[old man villa fan]

I do not understand why people say that we would do well to get better than Guzan and then list a few playing in the PL.

The best goalkeepers are not British and have not been for years.  Most in the PL are foreign and we should be looking overseas.  As has been said about outfield players, you can get better value from overseas, so why not a goalkeeper.

[spangley1812]

I'd hate to see Brad go, if Sherwood has made his mind up on that one blunder, I feel he'll have made a huge mistake.

Over the past few seasons Brad has probably helped us achieve as many points as anyone behind Benteke. I rate him as highly as anyone in this league and he still has time to improve.

You think he is as good as De Gea, Lloris, Cech, Cortouis, Hart??

[spangley1812]

I do not understand why people say that we would do well to get better than Guzan and then list a few playing in the PL.

The best goalkeepers are not British and have not been for years.  Most in the PL are foreign and we should be looking overseas.  As has been said about outfield players, you can get better value from overseas, so why not a goalkeeper.

You are spot on mate but the issue is that bringing in a player from another league means they may take months to settle in, get used to playing in different league,etc

[Dave]

I do not understand why people say that we would do well to get better than Guzan and then list a few playing in the PL.

The best goalkeepers are not British and have not been for years.  Most in the PL are foreign and we should be looking overseas.  As has been said about outfield players, you can get better value from overseas, so why not a goalkeeper.

You are spot on mate but the issue is that bringing in a player from another league means they may take months to settle in, get used to playing in different league,etc

And when you take the risk then you sometimes end up with a Benteke, Carew, Mellberg or Yorke.

And it's not as if signing Premier League players is some sort of guarantee of success. Do you think if we'd spent the same amount abroad that we spent on Curtis Davies, Nigel Reo-Coker or Steve Sidwell that we'd have ended up with any worse value?

I'll take our chances with the foreign types thank you very much.

[TheMalandro]

I'd hate to see Brad go, if Sherwood has made his mind up on that one blunder, I feel he'll have made a huge mistake.

Over the past few seasons Brad has probably helped us achieve as many points as anyone behind Benteke. I rate him as highly as anyone in this league and he still has time to improve.

You think he is as good as De Gea, Lloris, Cech, Cortouis, Hart??

I do. It's easy to ignore the fact that goalkeepers in crap teams tend to see much more action than those at the top.

[spangley1812]

I'd hate to see Brad go, if Sherwood has made his mind up on that one blunder, I feel he'll have made a huge mistake.

Over the past few seasons Brad has probably helped us achieve as many points as anyone behind Benteke. I rate him as highly as anyone in this league and he still has time to improve.

You think he is as good as De Gea, Lloris, Cech, Cortouis, Hart??

I do. It's easy to ignore the fact that goalkeepers in crap teams tend to see much more action than those at the top.

We can expect bids from Real Madrid, Man United,etc for Brad then very soon then

[old man villa fan]

I do not understand why people say that we would do well to get better than Guzan and then list a few playing in the PL.

The best goalkeepers are not British and have not been for years.  Most in the PL are foreign and we should be looking overseas.  As has been said about outfield players, you can get better value from overseas, so why not a goalkeeper.

You are spot on mate but the issue is that bringing in a player from another league means they may take months to settle in, get used to playing in different league,etc

It is easier to adapt as a goalkeeper.  Scouting is the key into buying a keeper that suits the PL.  You do not buy one that that is very good at half the attributes required and weak on the others.  You go for good all round with potential to improve some to very good/excellent.

[TheMalandro]

I'd hate to see Brad go, if Sherwood has made his mind up on that one blunder, I feel he'll have made a huge mistake.

Over the past few seasons Brad has probably helped us achieve as many points as anyone behind Benteke. I rate him as highly as anyone in this league and he still has time to improve.

You think he is as good as De Gea, Lloris, Cech, Cortouis, Hart??

I do. It's easy to ignore the fact that goalkeepers in crap teams tend to see much more action than those at the top.

We can expect bids from Real Madrid, Man United,etc for Brad then very soon then

Real Madrid signed Jonathan woodgate so anything is possible.

[CorkVilla]

I wonder was Given actually fully fit yesterday? He seemed to be even less mobile than usual. It reminded me a bit of his performances in Euro 2012, he wasn't completely culpable for any of the nine goals he let in during those games but a fully fit keeper would have at least kept a few out (I remember the first goal Italy scored against Eire was a header by the smallest player on the pitch inside the six yard box). He admitted in a newspaper column a few months later that he lied to the medical staff about his fitness. Incredible really that he has managed to get back into the Irish team after that.

[PeterWithe]

I thought Given was as poor as everyone else yesterday, beaten at his near post twice, from 30 yards and a soft header.

[spangley1812]

I thought Given was as poor as everyone else yesterday, beaten at his near post twice, from 30 yards and a soft header.

Gotta disagree I am afraid he was completely unsighted for the first, second was hit so hard and swerved so much you could have had Given, Guzan and Steer in goal and they wouldn't have saved it, third was Bentekes fault for giving Mertesacker a free header and the fourth Bacuna gave Giroud the freedom of Wembley.....

[OCD]

For the one where he was beaten from 30 yards, it would be very harsh to blame him for that. Sometimes you just have to give the opposition credit for a top class strike.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Tony has a strop

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-keeper-blasted-tony-9387629

[PeterWithesShin]

Cascarino today

“I strongly resent Shay’s suggestion that I had no affiliation for Ireland.

“Because I have an Italian surname, I think I am an easy target when people discuss players born outside Ireland who played for the team – but I would expect more from Shay.”

He went on to say: "I am one for tackling things head on, so when we next bump into each other, I will have it out with him,” he said.

“He should check his facts, because I was not only proud to play for Ireland, but qualified to do so.

“I take it quite personally when people call that into question.”

Casacrino in his own book

Republic of Ireland striker Tony Cascarino has revealed that he was never qualified to represent the Emerald Isle.
The former Chelsea, Aston villa, Celtic, Marseille and Nancy striker won 88 caps for the Republic on the strength of a maternal grandfather from Westport, Michael O'Malley.

However, in his autobiography 'Full Time: The Secret life of Tony Cascarino', he now admits that O'Malley was not his mother's natural father, rendering him ineligible under international rules.

Cascarino's mother had been aware of the fact throughout his career, but only told him after he had retired from international football.

"I didn't qualify for Ireland," writes Cascarino. "I was a fraud. A fake Irishman."

Cascarino also reveals that he was turned down for an Irish passport in 1985, but carried on playing regardless.

"It seemed odd but I didn't follow it up," said Cascarino.

"I didn't need to. I had already won three international caps and for the next 12 years I continued playing for Ireland with my British passport."