Looks like VDS is out for Bolton.

he's a decent enough keeper to have as backup. he'd probably get into most premiership starting elevens.

Originally Posted by rhodzy

Foster will be our number 1, i'm 99.9% sure of it, hes a tremendous keeper, he been the best in the league this season.

I agree, except perhaps for the last bit - Scott Carson has been infinitesimally better.

borsuk makes a good point, Kuz hasn't done much wrong to warrant being a goat. I think the problem is he looks and acts nervous. You never like to see a keeper exploding with nervous energy. His eyes always look like they're going to pop out. Other than when he's yelling at his back four, Edwin looks like he just took a huge drag from this:

I worry about the game on Saturday full-stop.
We need to get a couple of early goals to settle everything down...but I've got that worrying feeling we'll start with the 'European Walking Pace'..always suicidal when we do that.
A high tempo & a masterclass from Ronaldo & Rooney would be nice.

Bolton worry me because they're playing so badly at the minute...& we're shite at set pieces...It's the sort of game that could kick us in the %@#$&!s.

Bolton were worrying folk earlier in the season too and we took them to the cleaners. Same concerns too, we don't look good at set pieces (never have been etc), they're a physical bunch etc.

We'll miss Saha on Saturday. His pace would have pulled their fairly slow defence all over the shop and allowed Ronnie and Rooney some space.

I suspect it won't be a vintage performance and a 1-1 draw to boot.

Originally Posted by dodger

So was Jim Leighton...

Well, whatever.

If you can't see that Barthez was a quality goalkeeper then there's something wrong with you.

He had the personality. He was just too prone to errors, too small and never recovered from that nightmare spell.

My general point is that plenty of goalkeepers have the ability, but it's about so much more than that.

This

Mr. Mxyzpltlk

GNev Rio Vidic Gaby

Park Carrick O'Shea Giggs

Rooney

Ronaldo

would be the best case scenario that I can think of. Even if it does contain Park, who will be bullied off everything. But there's nobody else. Even Fletcher would be handy to have available right now.


This

Mr. Mxyzpltlk

GNev Rio Vidic Gaby

Ronaldo Carrick Giggs O'Shea Rooney

Smith

is almost certainly what we'll get, though. A stronger line-up, but an easier one for Bolton to contend with.

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Well, whatever.

.

He was. And your description of Barthez suggests he didn't the personality of backbone to get over his errors.

Anyway...

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Best defence in the Premiership. As I've said before,you should probably watch the games before spouting £#%&!ing nonsense like this you senile old @#%&!.

Thats because of the goalkeeper, inspite of the 4 dollies in front of him.

Originally Posted by Gog Coch

Thats because of the goalkeeper, inspite of the 4 dollies in front of him.

You're an idiot.

Originally Posted by Gog Coch

There are 4 guys in front of the keeper who dont know which way is up, left or right or how to mark the most obvious best header in the opposition's team.
Gary is usually motormouthing with somebody and last the plot, the rest are like f'n goldfish.

when you're right, you're right. if we got pulled up every time neville g cuddled someone or john o'shea was tugging a shirt, we'd concede five penalties a game. and the marking at set-pieces is shit.

Originally Posted by rhodzy

Foster will be our number 1, i'm 99.9% sure of it, hes a tremendous keeper, he been the best in the league this season.

um... that's pushing it. he's a good shot blocker.

Originally Posted by borsuk

but i don't have a problem with him, tbh. he's made, what, one serious error so far? and already quite a number of superb stops. doesn't seem like we're getting a particularly balanced view here.

indeed. foster's the best keeper in the league, but kuszczak is shit? seems like it's more than just edwin taking a drag.


barthez was a short-arse, but he was the best short goalkeeper in the world. if we could have played with smaller goals, we'd never have been beaten.



team v bolton (he started it)

kuszczak

neville g - snoop - vidic - heinze (evra, if fit)

carrick - nu-o'shea

ronaldo - rooney - giggs

smith

Originally Posted by jem

when you're right, you're right. if we got pulled up every time neville g cuddled someone or john o'shea was tugging a shirt, we'd concede five penalties a game. and the marking at set-pieces is shit.

um... that's pushing it. he's a good shot blocker.

indeed. foster's the best keeper in the league, but kuszczak is shit? seems like it's more than just edwin taking a drag.


barthez was a short-arse, but he was the best short goalkeeper in the world. if we could have played with smaller goals, we'd never have been beaten.



team v bolton (he started it)

kuszczak

neville g - snoop - vidic - heinze (evra, if fit)

carrick - nu-o'shea

ronaldo - rooney - giggs

smith

FOSTER NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY AGAINST US!

......................................Nutsack

.............Neville ....Ferdinand ....Vidic...... Heinze/Evra

......................................O'Shea

...........................Carrick .............Park

..............Ronaldo ..................................Rooney

...................................... Giggs


4-3-3. Fluid as you like. Bring the £#%&!ers on!

Originally Posted by dodger

He was. And your description of Barthez suggests he didn't the personality of backbone to get over his errors.

Anyway...

I think back to times of his gamesmanship at Fulham, where he £#%&!ed around and delayed the taking of a penalty and then saved it.

Stuff like that. He was a character and liked the big stage. It was just one error too far for him.

Look, I'm not a massive Barthez fan and I don't want the thread to deviate into a discussion with you about him. My point was that he had the type of personality to succeed here. For a while he was the best keeper since Schmeichel. This was due to his character and experience as much as anything else.
Many goalkeepers have gone before and since who have had more natural and technical ability, but not the bottle.

That's what seperates the good from the great. All premiership goalkeepers are decent shot stoppers - I hate it when people describe keepers as good shot stoppers. They all are. That's the fundamental element to their job.

The difference is the subtle elements. Positioning, organisation etc. This breeds confidence throughout the team.

Ben Foster breeds confidence at Watford because he makes save after save. At United he won't be required to do that. He'll be required to stay sharp, organise a defence of high profile & experienced players and rise to the big stage.
There's only one way we'll find out if he can do that. I really hope he can.

Originally Posted by Gog Coch

FOSTER NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY AGAINST US!

See what you've done jemima, you tried to agree with a senile idiot who rarely watches more than 5 minutes of a game before throwing his toys out of his massive pram then stops watching entirely and what happens? He starts angrily arguing against you and a point you didn't make, fatal error.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

See what you've done jemima, you tried to agree with a senile idiot who rarely watches more than 5 minutes of a game before throwing his toys out of his massive pram then stops watching entirely and what happens? He starts angrily arguing against you and a point you didn't make, fatal error.

indeed. (he's wrong, too, of course!)

Originally Posted by jem

indeed. (he's wrong, too, of course!)

Originally Posted by rhodzy

Foster will be our number 1, i'm 99.9% sure of it, hes a tremendous keeper, he been the best in the league this season.

Let's hope so, but goalkeeping for a top club like United is a very different prospect to playing between the sticks for a relegation bound team like Watford. As nice as it is to have a good shot stopper, it's extremely important to have someone there who communicates well, positions himself well and almost never makes a mistake. A presence if you like, with good concentration, rather than someone that can dive around saving shot after shot.

where's Paddy Roche when you need him?

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Many goalkeepers have gone before and since who have had more natural and technical ability, but not the bottle.

That's what seperates the good from the great. All premiership goalkeepers are decent shot stoppers - I hate it when people describe keepers as good shot stoppers. They all are. That's the fundamental element to their job.

The difference is the subtle elements. Positioning, organisation etc. This breeds confidence throughout the team.

And on that point I'm in complete agreement

Originally Posted by dodger

And on that point I'm in complete agreement

Hooray.

Let's be friends.