Guzan v Given

[Risso]

I recall given was very lucky against Leicester with a bad clearance and the rebound went wide?  Not convinced by given at all. Stick with guzan who has been one of our best performers in recent years.

Quite. Guzan is a very good, if flawed goalkeeper.

Given is a competent goalkeeper.

I'd say stick with the very good one. Guzan shouldn't be dropped because he had a howler today, anymore than Benteke should be dropped because he missed a couple of great chances and couldn't stay onside.

The huge difference there is that Benteke has been in superb form and one miss doesn't change that  Guzan has been in poor form, and his dismal display today just put the hat on that.  A lot of places were carrying the story that Sherwood was thinking of replacing him with Given anyway, I bet he wishes he had now.

[Mister E]

I'd be talking to the CB o find put which keeper they have most confidence in right now. That relationship, and the quality of communications coming from the keeper, is critical. At the moment I'm not sure Guzan is inspiring confidence.

[Toronto Villa]

we have to remember that Given had a number of really bad games when he was starting for us. We were horrible at defending crosses and he didn't command the box very well. He stays on his line more than he should too. So while Guzan deserves criticism for today Given wasn't exactly superb as our starting keeper. For me it won't be a shock if Guzan keeps his place or Given is provided with the opportunity next week. I'm leaning towards Sherwood having a quiet chat with him and playing him again.

[ozzjim]

We all widely agreed that had Guzan played the Bradford semi we would have likely gone through. I think some decent displays have rose tinted the memories of Given. I will agree on the point picked up by Paulie, Guzan doesn't save some that I expect him too. I think that we could well see Sherwood go for his own keeper come the summer. But in fairness most top keepers have rough patches. Tim Howard was woeful for some of last season according to Everton fans, Hart was publicly dropped. Delph Gea still has big mistakes in him. I think Guzan has earnt a bit of an arm and a confidence boost.

[Chipsticks]

I'd be talking to the CB o find put which keeper they have most confidence in right now. That relationship, and the quality of communications coming from the keeper, is critical. At the moment I'm not sure Guzan is inspiring confidence.

If you watch them on the pitch Given seems to bring a calming influence to the defence, while with Guzan things seem to be more chaotic and unorganised.

[David_Nab]

we have to remember that Given had a number of really bad games when he was starting for us. We were horrible at defending crosses and he didn't command the box very well. He stays on his line more than he should too. So while Guzan deserves criticism for today Given wasn't exactly superb as our starting keeper. For me it won't be a shock if Guzan keeps his place or Given is provided with the opportunity next week. I'm leaning towards Sherwood having a quiet chat with him and playing him again.

The commanding of his box is why he lost his place to Hart at City.

Given is an excellent shot stopper but for a keeper he is quite small and high balls in the area fill me with dread with him in goal.Guzan 9 times out of 10 is going to mop up any high balls into the box.However this season he has been shaky culminating in the quite pathetic give away of a goal today.

I'd edge towards Given at moment but long term it maybe be they both need replacing.

[edgysatsuma89]

I'd have chosen Given long before today. I just don't think Guzman has been up to it recently. I think we could do with a new challenger next year. Not a vital pos compared to others but if the chance arises...

[Nelly]

Guzan for me. He has earned his number one spot at Villa through probably three or four seasons of great work and good form. I believe he has been a major contributing factor in us staying up in previous seasons. He's made some top saves in the last few seasons. I love his athleticism and his reaction speed. I think generally he does command his box well. Yeah okay, his form has dipped of late but not to the point where he should be dropped. That might be his undoing. I say we stay with him, give him the games to get his form back. I respect Given but for agility, shot stopping and world class saves, I prefer Guzan.

Also, Vlaar should never play the ball behind him, on his weaker foot with Man City's striker ten yards away. Ultimately it was Guzan's miskick but he was sold up the river here. He wasn't at fault for the second and third goals today.

[robbo1874]

On current form, I'd pick Given. I think Guzan on the whole, is a better keeper - just going through a shaky patch, but will back him to sort his game out and come good again. It's nice to have a backup keeper like Given to throw in when the goose is wobbling though.

[pooligan]

Given for me,i think Guzan has been poor in quite a few games this season and hardly inspires  any confidence.What ever happened to that England U21 keeper we pinched from Norwich?

[Chris Smith]

I would stick with Guzan but instruct defenders not to pass the ball back to him if there is an opposition player within 50 yards.

His cock up yesterday was all about panic in mind and body. He didn't want the ball in the first place and when it came to him he made the wrong decision and executed it terribly.

[bob]

Given should have come in after the WBA cup game.

[brian green]

I would drop Brad Guzan. His game is all over the place. It is not a sudden loss of form, he has been poor all season and steadily getting worse.

[SamTheMouse]

As good as Given is, I'm not sure you could rely on him week in, week out, as he's so injury-prone. He also makes mistakes when he plays, so is no different from Guzan in that respect.

Brad is a very good 'keeper. Everyone has a spell of iffy form at some stage, and he's having his. But he was consistently excellent last season, so we know what he's capable of.

[in exile]

I've gone for Given but I doubt it will happen.
Should we be looking for a new number 1 for 2015/16 given (no pun intended) the current choices of Guzan/Given/Steer ?