"Shay Given is Not a Good Goalkeeper"

[Robbo23]

Shay is truely class... all this organisation excrement that the Guardian's sports journalist says is awful. A good defender would sort that... John Terry would improve City no end. To suggest that Shay is anything other than an incredible goalkeeper is just... bull. The Guardian is my paper of choice... but definitely not for sports critique

 

[brianireland]

Ask 100 football fans to name their top 3 Premier League goalkeepers and chances are, at least 95% of those fans will include Manchester City keeper Shay Given in their top 3.

One man who certainly wouldn’t include Given in his top 3 is the Guardian’s Barry Glendenning. Anyone who listens to the Guardian Football Podcast will know exactly what Glendenning thinks of Given.

His theory is that it’s no longer a coincidence that every team Given has played for has a poor defence. Glendenning also feels that if Given was any good, a bigger club like Arsenal would have signed him by now. I must admit, I am starting to agree with Glendenning.

If you take a look at Manchester City’s goals against column this season, you will see that in 23 Premier League games, Given has conceded 32 goals. Compare that to the likes of Mark Schwarzer at Fulham who has conceded 28 goals in 24 Premier League games this season, whilst Joe Hart has conceded just 23 goals in 23 games at Birmingham.

The one thing you have to give Given is that he is a terrific shot stopper, however his lack of organisation and some of his decision making, which is quite poor at times, lead me to believe that Given is not an all-round good goalkeeper. Whenever the likes of Jamie Redknapp or Mark Lawrenson say something like : “Without Given, City could have conceded 4 or 5 today” it always annoys me. I always think the opposite : “Without Given, City may not have conceded 2 or 3 goals today.”

You may think I am being a bit harsh on Given, however, as an Irishman, who has been following Manchester City for years now, I strongly believe Given is not a good goalkeeper.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.football-corner.org/2010/02/07/shay-given-is-not-a-good-goalkeeper/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.football-corner.org/2010/02/ ... oalkeeper/</a>

agree? disagree?

In away I partly agree with that but in saying that the job or the style of goalkeeping has it seems changed. Ill give you my reason my reasons for saying so some may agree some wont.
There was a time I stood between the sticks myself. The emphasis on the training was based around a rule that inside the box the keeper was the boss what he said was the law. Communication between the backs and the keeper never stopped and the keeper’s job was not to punch the ball away at every opportunity but was to actually catch it. Smother it when required to do so. The punching of the ball away was actually found upon as it was considered if it did not go to one of your own side then it went to your opponents.

But a lot has it seemed changed the keepers of today don’t seem to have that controlling influence within the box and there is a lack of communication between the backs and most keepers these days. The amount of times a keeper seems to actually catch and smother the ball seems less. It seems that fisting the ball out of the box is preferred over catching it.

So next time you looking at a game keep an eye on the keeper and just for yourself see how many times he punches away a ball that he should have caught and taken control of the game by doing so.
As for is Given a good keeper compared to whom
It seems that writer has taken the amount of goals against and compared them.
But that’s just balls and comparisons in this way can and do give a false account.
When one compares the number of saves made that one would have bet there house on was going to go in.
So when this criteria, is used as the gauge. Then pound per pound that would make Given one of the best in the world at the moment.

 

[Gavin_mcfc]

This is laughably shocking

And why is that ? it's a forum, people have different opinions about players. Some people think Given is the best keeper in the league (or one of the best) so people don't and think he is overrated... It's similar with Ireland, again some people think he is one of the best midfielders in the country, I know many people who think he is overrated.

just stating my opinion

 

[Fulop's Reflex]

Which goal keeper could have stopped Boateng's shot

Freidel, Schwarzer, Green, Hart, Almunia, Howard, Jääskeläinen, ETC.

 

[ono]

Unreal.

The 'He would have played for a big club like Arsenal' comment is a joke considering who they've had in the sticks ever since Seaman left. Look how many shit keepers United took a chance on before VDS. Look at Valdes at Barca. Look at Dida at Milan.

It's a complete myth that top teams have top keepers. Some do, some don't.

It's also worth pointing out that our defence wasn't any better when Joe Hart was in net, yet he's obviously trying to make a point that Hart is better. He's conceded goals because the majority of the time, he's had a set of clowns playing in front of him....especially at Newcastle.

There have been plenty of games this season where Given prevented us from dropping points. Ok so he doesn't command his area so well, but the rest of his game is world class. Moaning about that is a bit like moaning about Tevez not scoring enough headers. Every player has faults with their game. For me, Given, along with Reina, is probably the best in the league

 

[Lucky Toma]

I agree whole-heartedly with Ono.
Also, I have seen criticism of Shay's distribution on here......utter nonsense. His distribution is one of the finest - and most reliable - in the Prem. As opposed to most keepers he often doesnt choose a specific target, especially when under any sort of pressure, he instead kicks to safe areas. This negates the chances of a miskick to a centre-forwards feet or a screwed clearance that gives our opponents a throw-in in a dangerous area.
Given is a truly outstanding keeper who I wouldnt swap for anyone.

 

[mxpx]

Which goal keeper could have stopped Boateng's shot

Freidel, Schwarzer, Green, Hart, Almunia, Howard, Jääskeläinen, ETC.

Bollocks.......

I truly believe Given to be the best keeper in the premiership. The amount of points/scary score lines he has saved us is massive.

 

[dref619]

shay is a great keeper but i think the distance between him and joe hart isnt massive tbh,
he does have a problem in that he is superglued to his line

 

[Carl_Man_City]

Which goal keeper could have stopped Boateng's shot

Freidel, Schwarzer, Green, Hart, Almunia, Howard, Jääskeläinen, ETC.

Now that really is ridiculous.

One thing you can't fault Given for is his shot-stopping

 

[Clubber]

He is far from being a bad keeper. He is a great keeper, but he does have his faults in not coming for crosses and not commanding the area.


It would be good to see what some geordies think, as they had a shocking defence (Which we do not, as some of our defenders are top draw).

Did they see him as great or just a glorified shot stopper, as they had him for long enough to judge?

For me, he is one of the best keepers in the prem.