Gazzaniga

[Lovelocum]

I was the first to call for Gazza to be dropped this time last year, but that's an unfair assessment. If you were to judge De Gea on his first 10 games for United alone, you'd probably have to say he's a rubbish 'keeper too. I think Gazzaniga's errors last year were more to do with confidence, or a complete lack thereof, which was understandable given the inexplicable decision to consistently field a 20 year old with a handful of League 2 appearances, who hardly spoke any English, in the most unforgiving and high pressure league in world football. De Gea eventually adapted; so can Gazzaniga. As others have cited, he made one world class save against Newcastle which was no fluke.
I'm not saying he will be a Premier League goalkeeper, i'm just saying it's harsh to write him off based on his mistakes last year. As i said at the time, and i'll say now, Adkins is more to blame for those performances.
And yes, he could very much do with a loan to a Championship/League One side.

Well said. I agree he shouldnt have been exposed so early and his confidence must have been dented. At some point you have to take a gamble and force the step up but he wasn't ready. I sympathise with Adkins- kelv was very shakey, boruc was unfit and had bottlegate to deal with. He was in a loose loose situation. If we had stuck with SKD and shipped goals we would all be screaming play Gazza.

 

[rabbitspectrum]

?!

Theoretically. Clearly he is **** keeper but that's mostly down to him not knowing where to stand and how to goalkeep which could theoretically be taught in a couple of months.

Goalkeeping is a much easier skill than being in the outfield although the mental side is probably harder. If he was supremely confident in his decision making, something that requires no time to learn (the confidence that is), he would make a lot less errors and look so much better. Judging when to come and when to stay is all about confidence and is extremely important in goalkeeping.

He also needs to learn where to stand and how to save etc. but he could theoretically turn it around very quickly ala jrod who looked so much better when he was confident and running at defenders.

 

[RelentlessPressure]

Theoretically. Clearly he is **** keeper but that's mostly down to him not knowing where to stand and how to goalkeep which could theoretically be taught in a couple of months.

Goalkeeping is a much easier skill than being in the outfield although the mental side is probably harder. If he was supremely confident in his decision making, something that requires no time to learn (the confidence that is), he would make a lot less errors and look so much better. Judging when to come and when to stay is all about confidence and is extremely important in goalkeeping.

He also needs to learn where to stand and how to save etc. but he could theoretically turn it around very quickly ala jrod who looked so much better when he was confident and running at defenders.

???? Playing goalkeeper is the hardest position to play. You're trying to make it sound easy. If you make a mistake as a keeper you have almost always conceded a goal. In other positions players make several mistakes per game and get away with them. Keepers improve as they age for a reason. It takes years to master.

 

[rabbitspectrum]

???? Playing goalkeeper is the hardest position to play. You're trying to make it sound easy. If you make a mistake as a keeper you have conceded a goal. Keepers improve as they age for a reason. It takes years to master.

Goalkeeping is a much easier skill than being in the outfield although the mental side is probably harder.

Goalkeeping requires skills like handling, throwing, positioning, diving, spreading, that are much easier than outfield skills. Even controlling the ball first time requires more skill than pretty much every goalkeeping skill put together although I think the mental aspect particularly being confident in decision making is a lot harder.

 

[AshSaint]

Being a goalkeeper is so much harder than playing an outfield position. All the pressure on your shoulders. One mistake 99% of the time leads to a goal. With the exception of centre backs outside players can make several mistakes in a game and it not effect the scoreline.

 

[......loading......]

Goalkeeping requires skills like handling, throwing, positioning, diving, spreading, that are much easier than outfield skills. Even controlling the ball first time requires more skill than pretty much every goalkeeping skill put together although I think the mental aspect particularly being confident in decision making is a lot harder.

This clearly isn't true. I have met very few people who could keep goal but lots of impressive sunday league outfielders. Goalkeepers are gold dust because so few people have the right mix of judgement, bravery, positional nous and good handling. Experience is vital but the skills are hard too.

 

[Osvaldo#17]

Goalkeeping requires skills like handling, throwing, positioning, diving, spreading, that are much easier than outfield skills. Even controlling the ball first time requires more skill than pretty much every goalkeeping skill put together although I think the mental aspect particularly being confident in decision making is a lot harder.

Utter rubbish. Many goalkeeping skills are much more difficult to master than outfield ones. Perfect example is the split second decisions that could lead to a save or a goal.

 

[Downthe36]

Goalkeeping requires skills like handling, throwing, positioning, diving, spreading, that are much easier than outfield skills. Even controlling the ball first time requires more skill than pretty much every goalkeeping skill put together although I think the mental aspect particularly being confident in decision making is a lot harder.

With the amount of pass-backs that are made these days a keeper needs to have a pretty good first touch too, one of the more worrying elements of Kelvin's game.

 

[TheSecondStain]

...Goalkeeping is a much easier skill than being in the outfield although the mental side is probably harder...

Wow, I think that's a bit generalist. Goalkeeping is a skill very much to itself in football. There is no other position like it. In almost any other position, if the player makes an error, it can generally be recovered from, unless it is right in front of the own goal. A goalkeeper, by definition spends 99.9% of his time in front of his own goal and therefore any mistake from him can result in disaster for his team. He can also spend large amounts of time not being called upon, but must be absolutely in command of his concentration when he needs to be. A goalkeeper can also get away with not being a particularly good footballer, e.g. Kelvin Davies, but must be exceptional in all other departments, otherwise he simply will not get to play, e.g. Tommy Forecast.

Hopefully, we know what makes an outfield player, but the two general positions, in goal/outfield, can hardly be compared, in my opinion. One thing I can be reasonably sure about though. Goalkeeping isn't any easier than any other position. In fact, it's possibly harder.

 

[rabbitspectrum]

Utter rubbish. Many goalkeeping skills are much more difficult to master than outfield ones. Perfect example is the split second decisions that could lead to a save or a goal.

Yeah the decision making is harder but the skills required are easier to learn. Read what I said.

Goalkeeping is a combination of easier skills although it may be a harder position to play well in. **** me its hard to get a slightly complicated point across on this forum. How many times do I have to repeat myself?

WHo actually thinks the physical skills of goalkeeping are harder to learn than outfield ones?

 

[fran-MLs little camera]

Different skill sets required. Think some of you are just thinking back to childhood when the big lad who was crap with the ball always played in goal. The fact that goalkeepers improve with experience after the age when outfield players have peaked suggests their skills are as much in the brain as in the body. Also think about what a headache it is to get a top class goalie, using England as an example. Easier to build a team if you have a sensational goalkeeper.

 

[fatletiss]

Yeah the decision making is harder but the skills required are easier to learn. Read what I said.

Goalkeeping is a combination of easier skills although it may be a harder position to play well in. **** me its hard to get a slightly complicated point across on this forum. How many times do I have to repeat myself?

WHo actually thinks the physical skills of goalkeeping are harder to learn than outfield ones?

Perhaps it's the manner of your delivery and responses that does it rabbit, not the content of your posts. People are people. Make of this gentle advice as you wish.

 

[Lff]

With his size and decent athleticism he could develop into a top class keeper within a couple of months.

I'm not convinced he will ever be a top class keeper but even if he proves me wrong it certainly won't be in a couple of months.

 

[pass the football]

I reckon goalkeeping is harder than any outfield position, for all players except goalkeepers.

Flawless logic.

 

[fatletiss]

I reckon goalkeeping is harder than any outfield position, for all players except goalkeepers.

Flawless logic.

I played in goal once, in an FA Trophy match. It was very scary. I am not tall but had lost my place in the team a few weeks before, so before the game and at half time, I would go in goal and warm up the other subs. I kept giving the manager lip, asking when I'd get a game in goal and then one day, at this away FA Trophy 1st round game, our keeper fell ill on the coach and the boss threw me the gloves and said. "Come on then gobby, let's see what you can do."

 

[TheSecondStain]

I played in goal once, in an FA Trophy match. It was very scary. I am not tall but had lost my place in the team a few weeks before, so before the game and at half time, I would go in goal and warm up the other subs. I kept giving the manager lip, asking when I'd get a game in goal and then one day, at this away FA Trophy 1st round game, our keeper fell ill on the coach and the boss threw me the gloves and said. "Come on then gobby, let's see what you can do."

Well don't stop now..! What happened..?

 

[fatletiss]

Well don't stop now..! What happened..?

lol - it was frightening. It was like the script for a carry-on goalkeeping film, but with Norman Wisdom in goal. We lost one nil, but I made a few "unorthodox" saves. The funniest thing was that there were about 800 people watching and the year before, I had scored a hat-trick (against Tonbridge Angels) in the league and when the first corner came over, I went to punch it clear and the ball flew backward over my head and just over the bar. There was then a chant of "Dodgy Keeper, Dodgy keeper" from behind the goal, followed by a muttering and rustling of programs and people saying, "He's their striker... they've got a striker in goal"

I think they expected a hatful, but a combination of great defending and lucky goal keeping kept them to one goal. I remember saving a one on one against their striker and then I remember racing out of the area as I thought their player was through, only to find our left back got back and made a tackle. I was committed then and ended up taking our left back out and the ball fell to their winger. I was then stood 'jockeying' the winger outside the area, waiting for back up. Looking back it was comical goalkeeping, but I can now appreciate properly how tough a position it is to play.

The nicest part was that towards the end, their fans cheered each time I caught the ball cleanly and were willing me to make a save. All good fun, even if it did scare the crap out of me.

 

[brb]

Can't believe some of the few comments I've read on this thread about Gazza. Just wonder if those speaking detriment of him ever actually paid to go and watch him play, not a big kicker!?...what...lol

 

[Lff]

Can't believe some of the few comments I've read on this thread about Gazza. Just wonder if those speaking detriment of him ever actually paid to go and watch him play, not a big kicker!?...what...lol

Not a great kicker - no! He came with a big reputation for his kicking and I thought (having seen him!) that it wasn't great at all. Better than Boruc though!

 

[Lff]

I played in goal once, in an FA Trophy match. It was very scary. I am not tall but had lost my place in the team a few weeks before, so before the game and at half time, I would go in goal and warm up the other subs. I kept giving the manager lip, asking when I'd get a game in goal and then one day, at this away FA Trophy 1st round game, our keeper fell ill on the coach and the boss threw me the gloves and said. "Come on then gobby, let's see what you can do."

Were you at Tiss' testimonial when he went in goal? Brilliant of course. Shearer was desperate to score past him and he get stopping him.