The Football Thread 2008/09

[Jango]

James - no CL football, error prone at times
Foster - not first choice at United, so not playing regularly
Green - no CL football, error prone
Robinson - no CL football, can be error prone
Almunia - playing regularly at top club level, history and reputation of being error prone but has been solid for past two years, kept out of Spain squad by Casillas, Reina, Valdes and Palop

you say they are all are error prone but that Almunia has improved. Have the others? I mean, that is quite biased, really. You could say all have improved really, apart from James who's regressed imo and Foster cus he hasn't got games. Robinson has really turned it back on and I could easily see him get into the squad, maybe even at the expense of James. Robbo, Green and Foster would be a pretty decent squad of keepers who could be there for a good few years to go.

[PES Fan]

I think the uproar for the inclusion of a foriegn keeper (who may not even WANT to play for England lets not forget) of questionable class when we have a fair few keepers playing Premier League football themselves would make it not worthwhile.

Apparently if Spain don't want him he'll play for England
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Alm ... nal_career

So are we taking wikipedia as gospel? Also why does having not played champions league football have a bearing on not picking a goalkeeper? Maybe on a outfield player it does. But if the goalies play regularly then he should be considered. Remember Almunia plays for a side who tend to dominate the game, and in most the games won't have much to do. Where as these goalkeepers play for mid-table teams and are going to be tested in games. Green has most likely made less errors then Almunia has in the last 2 seasons. If it worked like the way you suggesting that we should start picking keepers who play in champions league first, then why can't Valdes and Almunia get ahead of Palop in the Spain team? Because they are both error prone.

[bear]

DML, do you honestly believe Northern Ireland are better than the Republic of Ireland?

[Dowbocop]

James - no CL football, error prone at times
Foster - not first choice at United, so not playing regularly
Green - no CL football, error prone
Robinson - no CL football, can be error prone
Almunia - playing regularly at top club level, history and reputation of being error prone but has been solid for past two years, kept out of Spain squad by Casillas, Reina, Valdes and Palop

you say they are all are error prone but that Almunia has improved. Have the others? I mean, that is quite biased, really. You could say all have improved really, apart from James who's regressed imo and Foster cus he hasn't got games. Robinson has really turned it back on and I could easily see him get into the squad, maybe even at the expense of James. Robbo, Green and Foster would be a pretty decent squad of keepers who could be there for a good few years to go.

I did say I was biased in the first sentence of that post. Basically my point is that Almunia can only strengthen the England squad by increasing competition for a position, so should be considered. Green and Foster can (and probably will) be better than Almunia in the future, but if the World Cup was tomorrow and I was in charge, I'd honestly take Almunia over them.

I think the uproar for the inclusion of a foriegn keeper (who may not even WANT to play for England lets not forget) of questionable class when we have a fair few keepers playing Premier League football themselves would make it not worthwhile.

Apparently if Spain don't want him he'll play for England
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Alm ... nal_career

So are we taking wikipedia as gospel? Also why does having not played champions league football have a bearing on not picking a goalkeeper? Maybe on a outfield player it does. But if the goalies play regularly then he should be considered. Remember Almunia plays for a side who tend to dominate the game, and in most the games won't have much to do. Where as these goalkeepers play for mid-table teams and are going to be tested in games. Green has most likely made less errors then Almunia has in the last 2 seasons. If it worked like the way you suggesting that we should start picking keepers who play in champions league first, then why can't Valdes and Almunia get ahead of Palop in the Spain team? Because they are both error prone.

No, I'm not taking Wikipedia as gospel. The specific bit I'm talking about was actually cited from the Sky Sports website, so it's hardly unarguable fact, but it's not totally inaccurate.

As for Almunia not getting tested, have you seen our defence this year ? You would never have levelled that argument against David Seaman or Peter Schmeichel, and they both had far superior defences in front of them than Almunia does. I may have appeared to have put too much emphasis on the CL in my earlier post, but my point was that it's all about experience. Almunia has played against Premiership opposition on a week in week out basis, just like Green, but he's also played against top class sides from all over Europe on a regular basis, which Foster and Green haven't.

I think that the keepers Capello will take to South Africa will be James, Robinson and Green. Do I think they're good keepers? Yes. Do I think that at in 2010 Almunia will be a better choice than at least one of those keepers? At the moment, yes, I do. Do I think that considering Almunia for caps will make England's goalkeepers better overall? Yes. That is my argument in a nutshell.

It's ten to three and I'm talking about goalkeepers, I'm going to bed

[RogueLeader]

Almunia is better than any of the alternatives, and it's tough to call who's better between him and David James. Basically it doesn't seem worth the hassle and controversy for a keeper who may only be slightly better than what's already there.

As for Spain, Victor Valdes has never even played for them, they're always happy with Casillas and Reina, so Almunia will probably never get a call-up. People like Lopez and Palop are always in the mix too.

[Starbreaker]

While we're (kinda) on the subject of Arsenal, just came across this on Rllmuk:

By the way, the Arsenal season stats are up on the website.

This allows us to calculate the all important offsides/minutes played ratios for our strikers, and I can tell you it's been a close run thing.

Arshavin - 997 minutes - 3 offsides - 332 minutes per offside
Bendtner - 1758 minutes - 7 offsides - 251 minutes per offside
van Persie - 2213 minutes - 11 offsides - 201 minutes per offside

but clinching it this year by the skin of his teeth:

Adebayor - 1906 minutes - 43 offsides - 44 minutes per offside

...offside more than twice as many times as everyone else added together.

In HALF THE TIME!

[Irene Demova]

ronaldo's talking to madrid according to ssn

[Zartan]

Aye its 80Mil
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 094720.stm

Oooo

[Irene Demova]

I take it city aren't killing football anymore

[Christopher]

80mil

[Stig]

Now you mention it, he's probably the best equipped in the squad in dealing with higher temperatures
I wouldn't mind knowing who our 1st choice keeper is going to be. Let's see what kind of 12 months Ben Foster has.

On the bench. Unless VDS has a serious injury.

The number of people banging on for an extremely inexperienced keeper to go to 2010 is ridiculous. Hes one for the future, but he ain't playing in the present! Its only a year away now!

Agreed with you here.

Also, cheerio C Ronaldo .

[Stig]

I agree, Beckham fan here.
My only concern would be the climate over in SA next year with regards to his age. I'd say that 90 minutes in thst heat is beyond him.

He's still fit though. Plus he's going back to LA and has been in Italy too which aren't exactly cold places. He'll probably be more used to the heat than the other England players. He better be there or I will be furious!

Plus the fact that it's actually winter in South Africa!

Except it really isn't.

SA has more like two seasons, a dry one (our summer) and a wetter one (their summer).

The dry season is hardly "winter" as we know it. I didn't see any clouds for a week and a half while I was there in 2007, and was in t-shirt all the time. Mind you, it did snow in Johannesburg while we there for the first time in 50 years.....

(This is when Red Devil comes in and tells me I'm wrong!)

[Count Nood]

£80M, Christ on a bike.

[sw26]

£80M, Christ on a bike.

This. Absolutely insane money, and Man United would have been crazy not to take it.

[Cropolite]

WOW

[Mockmaster]

Ronaldo and Kaka. Blimey.

As much as I hate to admit it, the Premier League will sorely miss the smug bastard.

[Steve]

£80m?

[Irene Demova]

this means united are going to try and get tevez back sharpish

[Photek]

Don't mind Tevez, they can now get Ribery AND Benzema...

I was hoping they'd keep the lil barsteward!

[Cropolite]

This also means if they want, they'll take Mascherano.