How do we all think he is doing? He doesn't look better than Gomes to me: they've been a few shots bounce back off him but they've fallen safe. He doesn't seem to have a better command of the penalty area and is definitely worse as a shot stopper: I reckon Gomes would have kept out a couple of the goals we've conceded so far. However our defence does look a lot less panicky most of the time so perhaps that is down to him (or it could be King and Kaboul). Gomes played pretty well in the Kazan match - I guess he will be picked again on Thursday?
I'd like to see Gomes picked again and I'd like to see him try to force his way back into the team, but I definitely think that Friedel's had a positive effect upon our defence. He's played well in most games so far, too. I can't say that I agree about his command of the box not being better than Gomes', for a start.
PS I think Friedel is a calming influence on the defence ,aside from King, for instance have you seen him come for a corner and completely miss it or come hurtling out of his area and give the opposition a gift? Not yet anyway. However Gomes is a very good shot stopper, but he is a nervous player by nature and this contributes to his indecisiveness.
However our defence does look a lot less panicky most of the time. That's the clue and that is why it's Friedel for me. I don't want exciting saves and chaos in the box thanks.
Friedel has conceded goals agains tToon and QPR, that if conceded by Gomes would have had the media giving him plenty of stick. Brad is a calmer keeper, which is great but he gets away with mistakes that Gomes would be hounded for. I still want us to keep Brad in goal, but unless Sandro returns to the team to help the defence out, I'm very worried about set pieces. Good luck to Harry in calling it all correctly, he's doing it brilliantly ATM.
I think Gomes is the better shot-stopper, but Friedal has a greater all-round technique, and is less prone to eccentricity. On balance, I'd rather trust Friedal between the sticks than Gomes.
sure is PL, I expect Gomes to start on Thursday. If we get through the group stage, I hope Brad is added to the UEFA squad (VDV certainly will be , as if we do win the competition it wouldn't be fair on Brad to miss out on a medal.
I do not want to see Gomes in the PL unless we're forced too, the other teams know him and his weaknesses, and I've noticed we're not battered with high balls so much. Very harsh to mention the goals conceded by Toon and QPR. Toon's equaliser came from 1. A Scott Parker up n under, that ricochted itself to Ameobi and he'll never connect with a shot like that with his wrong foot in another 100 attempts. QPR's was down to Ledders, as in organisation, 2 headers were reached by R's before our defenders, with shortarse Benny being given 6ft 3 Jay Bothroyd to mark! Friedel is everything Gomes isn't, and is only a marginally less shotstopper. Did you hear Friedel shouting instructions for setting up the walls for FK's. I actually heard it on the TV coverage. Last season I thought perhaps there weren't any Microphones behind the goals Gomes stood in!
Can't say I agree to be honest, as good as a shot stopper Gomes is (arguably THE best shot stopper in the league on his day), he cost us too much last season with the ridiculous mistakes - Chelsea away, Real Madrid home (even though the tie was over after the first match) his constant flapping was aggravating the fans. Friedel has a much calmer influence and when crosses, corners, long shots and long balls are whipped in against us, he's far more reliable in terms of knowing he's actually going to catch the darn thing! I think he's dropped one clanger in the games he's played and luckily nothing came of it. Perhaps Friedel has had a stroke of luck in terms of the form of current back four, but that could well be down to the fact that they feel more comfortable knowing there's a more reliable keeper in between the posts and is taken a lot of pressure off of them as they may have been trying too hard to prevent the opposition which may have caused mistakes and lapses in concentration. Only criticism I have of Friedel is his age! Wish we had him years ago!
Why would anyone want to change anything about the team at the moment? 19 points out of 21 is one of the best runs i've ever seen us have in the league. We've played 5 of 6 of the other top 7 too!
I can't remember the Ba goal too well but he can't be at fault for Ameobi's, he'll never hit a sweeter shot with his left foot again and I don't think many, if any keepers would have saved it. QPR's was bad defending for me. King and Kaboul shouldn't have allowed Helgerson to get the first header, especially being 3/4 inches smaller than the pair of them and then having Benny marking Bothroyd, who must be 4/5 inches taller, was just suicidal. Although Friedel did flap at one ball which luckily the defence dealt with, bar that, he's been very steady in the sticks and a welcomed addition.
I know - but one thing that the really top managers know (watch Ferguson and Mourinho particularly) is 'always change a winning team': If you've got enough strength in depth it's the best way of keeping all the players sharp and on their toes. We should play Cudicini or Gomes against one of the weaker PL teams so they get game time in case they are needed for one of the crunch matches.
Now that Jeff Brundle isn't using his teleporter machine, perhaps we could shove the pair of them in there and hope for the best?
Cheers PS I don't think it's harsh to mention the goals conceded against Toon or QPR at all, because I know full well had Gomes been in goal they'd have been mentioned frequently and loudly.
The Ba goal was carried into the net by Friedel, had Gomes done that, you'd have never heard the end of it. The Amoebi shot, if anyone can save that Gomes is your man. The QPR goal regardless of bad defending would have seen Gomes get it in the neck big-time. I'm perfectly happy that Brad is our 'Prem' keeper but the double standards regarding goals conceded by Brad & Gomes is laughable and shows the inherent bias of the media against HG. It was right that we dropped him, it was wrong the way the media led a 'witch hunt' against him. It's another of the many ,many good things about the EL (and the forthcoming FA Cup) that Gomes and Cudicini can get game time in those games, so no need to rest Brad for any Prem games IMO. Though I do hope he is included in the EL squad if we get through the group stages.
Friedel was scrambling across the goal to make a point blank save from Ba. It'd have been a brilliant save if he'd kept it out but unfortunately he couldn't on that occassion. You can't compare that to the reaction to a Gomes clanger where he makes a mess of a routine save. Even against Hearts he looked very edgy flapping all over the place and not holding onto shots. Gomes will save and lose you points but I'd rather go with steady Brad and I think the defenders would too.
Gomes takes lots of risks as a keeper so will save more goals and make more mistakes - the only issue for me is the net outcome. The goal yesterday was a case in point. Friedel could see that his path was blocked so stayed on his line and could do nothing about either header. Gomes would likely have come a bit further out and had more chance of getting to the ball before the second header. However if he hadn't got it he would have looked a complete plonker and would get stick from all and sundry. So what Friedel did guaranteed that he couldn't stop the goal but absolved him from blame and what Gomes might have done would have saved a goal about one in three times and got himself dropped two out of three times. So choosing your goalkeeper on the basis of the fewest errors leads to more goals being conceded..... There was a similar discussion on here about taking corners and why they don't always clear the first man - its quite simple really - the best corner clears the first man but only just, so that it is at the right height for the attackers. So if you try to hit the best corner and make a small error you will hit the first man nearly half the time but the other half will be extremely dangerous. If on the other hand you aim high enough to always clear the first man then most of your corners will be rubbish. Getting the right level of risk v reward is very difficult in any sport but measuring people by errors encourages safety first plays which can't be the optimal strategy.
