Guzan v Given

[LeeB]

I think it sends a bad messaage, make a mistake and your out! Nah

Were he having a good season and made this mistake out of the blue then I'd agree. But he's been erratic to say the least. He has had good games, but he's had games where he's come out for crosses and been miles off, or charged out and been caught in no mans land or let in soft goals. He was poor against QPR. He's actually really got away with it in a couple of games where he's done something rash and not been punished. He's just not looking anywhere near as commanding this season as the previous too. But this can sometimes happen when you play every single game. Even Mourinho, who has two of the worlds best keepers, has had to switch between them at times.

He was dodgy against Hull, Stoke and WBA as well as I recall, and I said so at the time.  The thing for me is that most of our other players have upped their game under Sherwood.  Guzman hasn't in my opinion.  I think for the remaining vital games, confidence is king, and Guzan's will be low, and I don't think we can afford that.  I'm not saying that overall that Given is a superior keeper or should be our long term choice, but he's played well in the cups, and will be in high spirits.  There was lots of talk in the papers of Guzan losing his place anyway before yesterday, which would suggest that Sherwood hasn't been impressed with his form anyway.  Be interesting to see how Sherwood reacts to yesterday's dismal display by Guzan.

I agree with this, our kid's been in my ear about it for a while and he still goes every week.

I'd have still batted it off because I didn't rate Given but he's looked very solid when he's played in contrast to Guzan.

[Nelly]

I'll be glad if he does stick with Guzan.

[Risso]

Correct decision made today I feel.

[OCD]

Shows there are no favourites and everyone has to get in the side on merit.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Knee-jerk reactions...Given out!!!

[OCD]

He should have been stronger than he was for Jagielka's goal. I know it usually only takes the smallest of contacts for a free kick to be given in those scenarios but he should have dealt with it himself.

[eamonn]

Brad is more commanding under crosses and would likely not have conceded that. They're both good and a bit crap in different ways.

[aj2k77]

It was a foul, you can't really say he should have dealt with it and just got on with it when it was a blatant foul.

[Dave]

It was a foul, you can't really say he should have dealt with it and just got on with it when it was a blatant foul.

I don't think Guzan would have had any issues taking the ball in that situation.

[OCD]

You can't rely on a ref to get you out of the shit, as we saw today. Brad deserved to be dropped to get a kick up the arse and keepers usually come back stronger when that happens but Shay didn't look at all confident claiming that ball.

Shay's usually looks to stay in his 6 yard box. Brad looks to command the 18 yard box.

[aj2k77]

It was a foul, you can't really say he should have dealt with it and just got on with it when it was a blatant foul.

I don't think Guzan would have had any issues taking the ball in that situation.

Maybe not, but it was a foul. It's like having a nippy centre forward man handled to the floor when clean through, a big man would have maybe fought through but a foul is a foul and the ref should not be allowing that kind of contact in the box.

[OCD]

I don't think anyone's saying it wasn't a foul.

[aj2k77]

So how can we criticise a player for not dealing with being fouled?

[OCD]

Because he's got to be stronger than that. If you can't catch it or tip it over, put a fist on it. Even before Coleman did anything he didn't seem comfortable. Those situations just aren't something that are a strength of his game, never has been.

[Risso]

Well, we won the game with him between the sticks.  Guzan has been ropey in several games lately, and directly contributed to the defeat last week, so has been rightly dropped.