Is this the man to solve Arsenal’s goalkeeping problems?
Posted by Cathal Breathnach on August 9, 2010 | 29 Comments
You may or may not have heard what this man has had to say this afternoon.
Shay Given has admitted that he will consider his future at Manchester City is he does not start in goal against Tottenham this weekend.
It remains unclear if Given or Joe Hart will start City’s opening game of the Premier League season this Saturday and one club who will no doubt be monitoring the situation is Arsenal.
Speaking earlier today, Given had this to say: “If I don’t start then I will sit down with the club next week and see where my future lies, and maybe it will be vice-versa with Joe.”
Personally, I have never really rated Given as a goalkeeper. There is no denying that he is an incredible shot stopper but his all-round abilities as a keeper have never impressed me.
So then, we want to know what you Arsenal and indeed City fans have to say on this one. Feel free to leave your comments below.
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29 Responses to “Is this the man to solve Arsenal’s goalkeeping problems?”
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August 9th, 2010 @ 5:38 PM
No.
August 9th, 2010 @ 5:40 PM
“Personally, I have never really rated Given as a goalkeeper. ”
Fucking hell! You must have been watching Superman in goal then!
August 9th, 2010 @ 5:40 PM
Arsenal should go for hart to solve the problem.
August 9th, 2010 @ 5:43 PM
I think Shay would be a great player for Arsenal and he wont cost much if he is left on the bench by City but we still need another top defender to challenge.
August 9th, 2010 @ 5:45 PM
shite article, shite goalie, shite team arse-nil
August 9th, 2010 @ 5:49 PM
I’m with you on Given – he’s not tall enough.
That’s Fabianski’s problem – he can’t command his area and fails to get hold of corners. Given is better but really more of the same.
Almunia’s problem seems to be a weak personality more than anything else – his goal-keeping skills are pretty good as evidenced in training all the time.
Szceszney is a monster which is why he will be great as long as his confidence is protected – remember Manninger!
If it’s to be one of the ManC keepers I would much prefer Hart – probably cheaper wages as well.
August 9th, 2010 @ 5:50 PM
Not rating Given? Have you seen what we have in goal???
Almunia and Fabianski are hazards easy to use to show that at least given is a much better keeper.
Unfortunately a Schwarzer is more in what Wenger has in mind as 15million for a keeper (likely price) does not sound like Wenger business.
We better get some centre backs (2 i think) as Djourou is a liability and Verminator and Kos will have problems without serious back up!
Wenger knows but wether he goes properly into the market is another issue.
August 9th, 2010 @ 5:56 PM
“Personally, I have never really rated Given as a goalkeeper. ”
Crazy statement. So who DO you rate as a goalkeeper?
August 9th, 2010 @ 6:22 PM
In response to your question Ken, I rate a number of keepers very highly, including the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Iker Casillas, Pepe Reina and Joe Hart. Hope that answers your question!
August 9th, 2010 @ 6:33 PM
I think that Arsenal should go for whichever one of Hart or Given is not playing for City. Hart and Given both need to be playing at this stage of their careers. Given is near the end of his career so wont want to be sat on a bench. Hart is too young to waste his time as a back-up. They have both proved themselves as great keepers. Hart, because of his age, would be a better choice but Given has been one of the best goalies in the Premiership. People make too much about his height!
August 9th, 2010 @ 6:36 PM
absolutely agree with you – given is well overrated. he’s a brilliant shot stopper, but the guy never comes far for crosses, and so for a team like ours he wouldn’t be any good. we need someone who can take charge and dominate, and has great concentration – not many of these around. even cech seems to have lost his aura. you can see why fergie wants to keep vds as his no.1. that was a really smart move in hindsight.
hence the preference for older gk’s who have the patience required. can’t think of anyone available in prem, hart no chance, won’t buy him and cut off sczesny, he’s too highly rated for AW to go out and buy a young gk like hart or akinfeev. explains why he wants schwarzer – i’d be happy with him as he’s a better bet than almunia, and surely fabianki is a goner now.
August 9th, 2010 @ 6:37 PM
People don’t make anywhere near enough about his height, or lack of it. I have never – in my life – seen him casually collect a ball from a cross aimed at the likes of Drogba or Crouch. His record as a ‘keeper is pathetically awful.
Awesome shot stopper though.
August 9th, 2010 @ 6:40 PM
Buffon – Was the worlds best now injury prone
Casillas – Was the worlds best only a year ago but has become error prone of late
Reina – Given’s too short but Reina’s not? Explain?
Hart – 1 full season of Prem football, his ability is without question but he cant match Given for experience.
Given is world class and there can be no doubts about that however he will not be signing for Arsenal, neither will Reina, Marchetti or Sketlingberg. Almunia will start against Liverpool, a sad fact im afraid
August 9th, 2010 @ 6:44 PM
No.
August 9th, 2010 @ 6:53 PM
When Given signed for City it was common knowledge that he would have walked from St.James’s Park to sign for Arsenal! But as usual Wenger baulked at paying just a few million to sign him! He is a class keeper in my opinion who saved Newcastle from relegation for several seasons.
He is head and shoulders above the gargage we have at the moment, and I’d love to see him sign.
August 9th, 2010 @ 7:13 PM
I’m sure that even manc fans would admit that last year given failed to command his box and was not dominat in certain cituations, given is a more consistant version of almunia both capble of great saves but lack dominance and a loud mouth, the answer to are problems friedel or Howard loud mothed dominat American gkeepers; friedel realistic now o’neill has left
August 9th, 2010 @ 8:03 PM
There can be no dobt, yet there are many many who doubt… Including every top manager in the World.
August 9th, 2010 @ 8:44 PM
Given is a quality keeper. He lets in more goals than other top keepers cos he has had terrible defenders in front of him, so he gets more shots at him. I’d welcome him with open arms.
August 9th, 2010 @ 9:00 PM
Isn’t it fair to say he looks good because he has lots of shots at him?
August 9th, 2010 @ 9:26 PM
Not rating Given as a keeper?? He’s widely recognised as one of the best in the league. He wins matches his team.
August 9th, 2010 @ 10:12 PM
Given is a great keeper! Has experince, hart has one good season an everyone saying he’s the best, arsenal need a keeper with experince, given has it,
quite moaning!! If he joins an we get a CB I can see arsenal cleaning up!! Come on the gunners!!
August 9th, 2010 @ 10:18 PM
Are you crazy not rating Given this keeper is the business and Mr Consistancy and great experience Arsenal please buy him and give our back four real confidence for the first time since 2006 when clown Almunia came on scene and since Fabianski has got serious confidence problems
August 9th, 2010 @ 10:30 PM
Given has been among the top three keepers in the world for a decade. Saved Newcastle, Blackburn and Ireland from certain defeat on dozens of occassions. Once had 14 clean sheets at Sunderland.
And he has, in general, played in front of defenders who were not the best, which makes him better.
August 9th, 2010 @ 11:26 PM
When Wenger, Mourinho, Ferguson and every other manager decide not to even consider you, maybe its time to accept he isn’t that fantastic.
August 10th, 2010 @ 1:12 AM
I don’t think there is any point in judging whether Given is good enough or not. That’s not the point. The point is we haven’t got the luxury of choice, particularly us fans. Almost 100% will be happier if hwe hav Given as our number 1 than having the current lot, so I can’t see any point in writing anything more.
We simply cannot go into the season without a new goalie and if you throw given at me now I would grab him!
August 10th, 2010 @ 1:15 AM
Theres a massive proportion of Arsenal fans who would rather Almunia.
August 10th, 2010 @ 8:28 AM
Your right i don,t either their all very good shot stoppers some great but its the air the command of the box that sets the greats from the rest Almunia is a V good+ shot stopper but confidence to the back line from set pieces ie. in the air that lets him down
August 10th, 2010 @ 8:30 AM
Well on that stand point there is no point cause neither of the 2 will leave Man C not 4 a 30+% pay cut at best
August 15th, 2010 @ 7:00 PM
I am in the mind of anybody other than our 2 ball stoppers will do, because a team with no faith in their keeper, must spell failure in my mind, how do the rest of the arsenal team play football when they are worrying about what’s going on behind them,
I am glad in a way that today at liverpool exposed Almunia’s weakness that he can’t stop a ball.
I agree wenger will no way, pay out 15 million for somebody who perhaps would help us win a trophy
,
he would rather mess about and pay out 2 million and get somebody in goal, that may not take us into a new world of trophy winning.