This weekends other Prem Games 13-15 December

[sh249]

It's what people said about Casilas. He was a 'lucky' goalkeeper as well. The ball just seemed to always hit him.

Don't think anyone has said he's lucky. In fact, I wrote above that he is a very good shot stopper. But there hasn't been a save that he's made today that I wouldn't expect almost any top level keeper to make. The fact that he's made a number of decent saves doesn't, to my mind, provide evidence that he's world class, or the best shot stopper in the country - only that their defence is awful.

The Balotelli stop was world class. The way he dealt with Sterling's second one on one was world class. Though it depends on what you call a top keeper. I expect Neuer and Buffon to save them. However, being in that company means you deserve praise.

All about opinions, of course. For me, the Balotelli save wasn't world class, simply because it was such a nice height. Yes, he did well to get a strong hand on it, and the fact that it deflected onto the bar probably made it look more spectacular still. But I would still expect most decent keepers to have made it.

As for the one and one - he certainly did well enough, but Sterling had a fairly simple chance to roll the ball in rather than taking the extra touch.

I'm not saying that De Gea isn't a very good shot stopper; I just think that it is the sheer number of saves he's making, rather than their calibre, which is prompting people to currently rave about him as the best in the country (i.e. just been on the BBC site, and the header reads that De Gea made a "series of brilliant saves", which I don't think is true, but which fits the current media narrative).

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Re: The Red Lion Pub Team (Liverpool) Thread 2014/15

Bodgers' post-match interview bingo-lingo

"Really proud of the lads"

"Gave me everything"

"Fantastic effort"

"Really unlucky not to take something from that"

 

[Salford_Blue]

Their remaining fixtures look to be bunched into lower half teams first with the odd tricky tie chucked in, such as Spurs, WHU and Stoke away.

It is only around March when they start a run of tough games, including Newcastle (a), Liverpool (a), City (h), Chelsea (a) and Everton (a).

 

[IH8MUFC]

Don't think anyone has said he's lucky. In fact, I wrote above that he is a very good shot stopper. But there hasn't been a save that he's made today that I wouldn't expect almost any top level keeper to make. The fact that he's made a number of decent saves doesn't, to my mind, provide evidence that he's world class, or the best shot stopper in the country - only that their defence is awful.

The Balotelli stop was world class. The way he dealt with Sterling's second one on one was world class. Though it depends on what you call a top keeper. I expect Neuer and Buffon to save them. However, being in that company means you deserve praise.

Bullshit, 9 out od 10 keepers save that Balo shot and every other shot was weak and straight at him, disgraceful commeentary today, you would have thought the scum we're 1970 Brazil instead of with better finishing and line calls on the end of a 6-2 battering.

His positioning of shutting down the angles, staying big and how he is pushing the ball out of danger. Lots of one on one's go through the keepers legs. He is top draw unfortunately.

 

[Pastor Kidney]

Brenda's first sentence after losing 3-0.. "We did enough to win.." - I accept De Gay was MOTM but come on! Is he deluded!

 

[waspish]

Brenda's first sentence after losing 3-0.. "We did enough to win.." - I accept De Gay was MOTM but come on! Is he deluded!

Stats shows he is right but it's about being jammy fuckers

 

[bitsmith]

The Balotelli stop was world class. The way he dealt with Sterling's second one on one was world class. Though it depends on what you call a top keeper. I expect Neuer and Buffon to save them. However, being in that company means you deserve praise.

Bullshit, 9 out od 10 keepers save that Balo shot and every other shot was weak and straight at him, disgraceful commeentary today, you would have thought the scum we're 1970 Brazil instead of with better finishing and line calls on the end of a 6-2 battering.

His positioning of shutting down the angles, staying big and how he is pushing the ball out of danger. Lots of one on one's go through the keepers legs. He is top draw unfortunately.

Of course he is, people who don't want to recognize he is world class are just bitter ones. You can't have 50 shots in 10 games going straight to you if you are not great in positioning yourself for that.

 

[BigOscar]

Brenda's first sentence after losing 3-0.. "We did enough to win.." - I accept De Gay was MOTM but come on! Is he deluded!

I don't disagree with that for once. Take away the offisde goal, then not have Lovren lay on a perfect assist for no reason, then the rags only really created one goal. Liverpool had more than enough clear cut chances to score at least 3 or 4.

 

[supercrystal7]

Any team would be brimming with confidence if they had the same amount of flukey luck that this lot get.

It's not luck. It's top players carrying them and the rest playing decently, because of it. The United defence is crap, but De Gea is world class and saves them. Their midfield is crap, but they have good strikers that are clinical and save them. It's not luck that we have not won against Tottenham or Stoke yesterday. We are not getting unlucky we just lack quality. It infuriated me yesterday hearing fans say it's just down to luck we didn't win. United have quality in key areas and it makes a difference.

I don't entirely disagree with the theory of what your saying about quality players in key areas making up for deficiencies in other areas... but still to get 6 wins on the bounce whilst playing as utterly shit as they have done just doesn't add up... as you rightly say they have a crap defence and a crap midfield, City have quality throughout the side yet we're only 4 points ahead of them.
Frustrating to say the least.

Cheer up it's 5 points. City also have Europe. At the end of the day City will finish above United and are a better team. City and Chelsea are the only top teams in the league and you are 3 points away from them.

 

[everythingchangesbutblue]

The Balotelli stop was world class. The way he dealt with Sterling's second one on one was world class. Though it depends on what you call a top keeper. I expect Neuer and Buffon to save them. However, being in that company means you deserve praise.

Bullshit, 9 out od 10 keepers save that Balo shot and every other shot was weak and straight at him, disgraceful commeentary today, you would have thought the scum we're 1970 Brazil instead of with better finishing and line calls on the end of a 6-2 battering.

Most Premiership keepers can make a top save every now and then, but I said would expect top keepers to make those saves virtually every time. It's not making the save once, but the fact that he consistently makes saves like that and then makes even better saves on occasion. You don't think he is that special I do. We will agree to disagree.

I think he is a crackin keper but the shite spouted on him today was embarrassing, he made no world class saves. I have seen him have much better games this season alone, im not slagging De Gea im slagging the sycophantic commentary today aimed at nothing more the wankin off the scum