"Shay Given is Not a Good Goalkeeper"

[Anonymous]

If Shay Given wasn't such an superb shot stopper he would be an average keeper in the lower leagues.

He'll do for now but we can do alot better, i'm not sure if Hart came back he would be number two.

 

[Fat Chance]

And asking why doesn't he jump. It's ridiculous. It's laughable.[/quote]

Is it really....is it more ridiculous than asking 'can he jump'....cause i dont see him doing a lot of leaping except when the ball is directly over his swede or within easy enough arm shoots to his position. In case you did'nt know this very trait or lack off (playing the quick step with your feet/jumping and catching in the same move) was the actual reason ferguson went through an handfull of GK's in quick succession...they had all explained how they had been coached to cover a numbers game and Ferguson very correctly explained in that case your not fucking good enough...pack 'em and fuck off. Find one that jump and catch he did.

While were on the catching caper...is there a specific reason Given punches balls that arrive in or about his mid-rift at an average pace when the flight is uninterupted and visual? If i recall correctly in days gone by Gk's were billie big bollox in the catching caper....is this punching lark to add to the drama for us fans?

 

[Fat Chance]

He looked bonny at defending the other week v blackburn when he dropped Kompany right in it by giving him the ball back whilst he was twisting to offer an outlet to givens left...all he had to do was cut right and the opponent was rubbed out but no....he did'nt like the heat and ultimately he ain't no Fonzy when the heats on.

But he's a good shoot stopper.

 

[bridgeblue]

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?[/
Given is a top shot stopper, needs to come off his line more though!

 

[dannybcity]

“Oh, people can come up with statistics to prove anything. 14% of people know that.”

 

[silverback]

What exactly does this mean:
"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."
Are you positing that Given is not a good keeper or that we are not as big as Arsenal?

 

[blue jim]

The Guardian shoud stick to reporting about Iran, Syria and other politically charged areas and less about football

Who actually reads the Guardian for football?

Given is not just a good shot stopper. He is probably the best shot stopper in the world. He is easily one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

 

[JUSTBLUE08]

The people who post threads of this type ..trying to knock the talents of true top professionals are not worth a second of our time. GIVEN is rated in the PREMS TOP 3 maybe number 1 ..enough SAID.

 

[Hes the left back remember]

Wow! Seems some people are buying into this no marks opinion.

Make the same report after Shay had performed superbly e\lier in the saeson and those same 'fans' would be saying this reporter is a knob.

 

[ozzie2920]

Finally " the thing we shouldn't speak about " is getting an airing .

Great shot stopper but that is where his ability ends , and even that has now got to be called into question with his new found knack of pushing every shot towards oncoming attackers .

He is a liability on any crossed ball and to make him Captain is a joke when he can't even command his area and organise defenders .

His kicking isn't that great either .

I'm certainly in the bring back Joe Hart or sign Buffon camp