the g/k battle

No idea how this one is going to pan out...
But what's gonna happen once Gordon is fit, and he is still a sunderland player?


SIMON Mignolet is bracing himself for a fierce battle to be Sunderland’s number one next season.


 With highly-rated Keiren Westwood newly signed and £9m man Craig Gordon desperate to put his injury problems behind him, the Belgian will have it all to do.

But he hopes to build on an excellent first season in the Premier League which produced eight clean sheets in 23 outings.

The £1m bargain buy from lowly Belgian outfit St Truiden last summer was one of Sunderland’s successes of the 2010-11 campaign, featuring far more than he could have hoped because of established number one Gordon being so prone to injury.

But the 22-year-old faces a fight to feature as prominently for Sunderland next season.

All the 22-year-old’s appearances came when first-choice Craig Gordon was either injured, recovering from a lay-off or hampered by the knee problem which is likely to rule him out of the start of next season.

But with Westwood now introduced into the mix and the 26-year-old Irishman in pole position to start next season, Mignolet has a challenge on his hands.

It means a three-way battle to be Steve Bruce’s first-choice keeper and Mignolet says the competition for that spot will be intense.

“It won’t be easy for the gaffer to make that decision, but he’s going to have to do that,” the young keeper told the Echo.

“Hopefully, I will have made it tough for him with my performances last season.

“I was ready for a battle with Craig at the start of last season.

“If Craig is fit, it’s a tough decision for the manager.

“Obviously Craig is a good goalie, but I played the majority of games over the season.

“We work hard together in training but then the gaffer has to make a decision on a matchday and I’m sure that’s exactly how it will be next season.”

It is likely to be a two-way battle for the keeper’s jersey at the start of the season, with Gordon not expected to be fully fit until the Autumn.

Mignolet will hope he has done enough to justify remaining as the stopper on the opening day of the season but Westwood – though he was playing last season at Championship level with Coventry City – is the more experienced keeper and acknowledged as Shay Given’s long-term successor as Republic of Ireland goalkeeper.

Bruce has raved about the Belgian international’s development on Wearside and believes Mignolet can become one of the best keepers in the Premier League.

But Westwood will not be content to sit on the bench at the Stadium of Light.

The 26-year-old shunned interest to be number two to Joe Hart at Manchester City in favour of playing regular top-flight football and will hope to start Sunderland’s first game of the season between the posts against Liverpool.


Any idea's?

 

This is an old interview before the westwood signing. Notice that mignolet only refers to craig gordon as competition and seems unaware of the new signing.

 

I personally think Mignolet will start the season as number 1

 

i reckon gordon will be away, we may as well cash in rather than lose him for nowt next season

 

My guess is that they are hoping that Gordon can get back to full fitness so they can sell him.

 

Ming as no.1 with Westwood as second choice keeper, Gordon is still cream crackered so will probably have to prove himself all over again. Not seen too much of Westwood to be fair but reckon he'll be in for cup games and a couple of friendlies.
If Gordon goes he goes we'll not get anywhere near the 9mil we paid for him which is a shame because he is a very good keeper but, as with Kirkland has the bones of a sparrow and is injured more than fit.

 

For me, Ming was always intended to be number 2, he's still young but has shown great promise and in time will become a cracking keeper. Woody as number 1 with a more than adequate Ming as backup (should provide some good competition as to who gets the nod for certain games). I reckon Gordon is knackered and can generally be discounted, for as soon as he's fit he'll be gone if a reasonable offer comes in or if not off n a free at the end of his contract. Too injury prone to be counted upon, great keeper on his day, but those days are few and far between now.

 

As long as he's fit......

 

That'll be the big thing now mate at least his medical was passed unlike a certain teams latest signings.

 

But isn't he injured at the moment..

 

Don't know mate would have thought his medical would have highlighted that and would be a bit nicked off if we did sign an injured player. Suppose it saves us time he can go straight to the physios room from his contract signing.

 

Did he not pull out of the Ireland games recently...

Maybe i got it wrong, but read somewhere he was injured...Not sure what with though..