Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham, and Aston Villa goalkeepers are all nearing the end? How much longer can they possibly carry on?
As the veteran keepers advance in age their mistakes appear to be advancing; is it time for the newer generation of goalkeepers to step in between the sticks?
Goalkeepers have held an unusually high esteem in the press columns so far this season and it is mostly due to their hapless early displays. Shay Given has been off form for a while and deservedly lost his place to Brad Guzan for the Newcastle game; the American took the opportunity with both hands (pun intended) and put in a sterling man of the match performance.
Meanwhile Tottenham have brought in Hugo Lloris as long term successor to Brad Friedel, the 41 year old veteran in the White Hart Lane sticks. Despite not personally being his biggest fan you can’t argue his point that being France captain entitles him to a certain degree of respect, and he will most likely prove me and any doubters of his class wrong when he inevitably usurps Friedel.
The Premier League is littered with veteran keepers with the likes of Mark Schwarzer, Jussi Jaaskelainen and Kelvin Davis coming to mind.
Schwarzer cut a forlorn figure against West Ham as his indecision cost them the Winston Reid goal (aided and abetted by poor marking), Jaaskelainen has made errors this season and lost his place in the Bolton line-up to a younger prodigy in Adam Bogdan. While at St Marys Kelvin Davis, despite his two penalty saves, appears to have lost speed and allowed too many shots in at his near post this season, as a former keeper I can tell you this is a cardinal sin.
Asmir Begovic has been preferred to Thomas Sorensen; Arsenal gave the nod to Szczesny after failing for Schwarzer with great effect, Newcastle went with Tim Krul over Steve Harper after Given’s exit and Sunderland showed faith to the young Simon Mignolet .
It’s even the small things that the newer keepers are doing well, like hitting the full-back from goal-kicks and clearances rather than the centre half. Joe Hart and Tim Krul can occasionally put a kick out of play but it is in the right mindset. Avoid the centre halves by hitting the (usually) shorter full-backs.
David de Gea and Michel Vorm on the other hand have better distribution and passing ability then some football league players, in particular Vorm, who strikes me as one of those young outfield players who would occasionally fill in between the sticks much to the embarrassment of the number one; who had to watch on as an outfielder outshone him, trust me it happens.
Even the ‘untouchable’ keepers such as Cech and Reina are not having a good 12 months and have young goalkeepers breathing down their necks.
It is obviously important to remember that these goalkeepers are some of the best to ever play in the Premier League. Given, Jaaskelainen, Freidel, Cech, Reina, Sorensen and Schwarzer especially have been stalwarts of our generation; but is the time coming for them to step, or be pushed aside?
So who are the young keepers who could swap with their older custodians? Here is a quick rundown…
Thibaut Courtois (20) – Chelsea
Stephen Henderson (24) – West Ham
Peter Gulacsi (22) – Liverpool
David Stockdale (26) – Fulham
Neil Etheridge (22) – Fulham
Sam Johnstone (19) – Manchester United
Paolo Gazzaniga (20) – Southampton
What do you think? Should any of these keepers be moved aside for younger prodigies?
images: © Ronnie Macdonald, © Alfonso Jimenez
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