EPL Team Of The Decade - Goalkeeers

Super-Rush

Right the formation is 4-4-2. Lets start with the keepers.

Eire-Dearg

Given is still going to get this, tbh.

Iang87

has to be given with a close second of friedel

The Volt

If we're talking goalies that were around for a sustained period of time, I'd like to think that would constitute 3 years or so?

Nigel Martyn FTW

Peyton Manning

Hehe, David Seman...

fkt

Shay Given for all the success he's had and the ability to attract the top managers.

With Ryan Giggs as the subsitute.

The Volt

Ronaldinho can lob Seaman for 40 yards. Strongest Mickey in the world

Soby

Peter Schmeichel 91-03

??Surely

Peyton Manning

Soby wrote: »

Peter Schmeichel 91-03

??Surely

Its for the best that Schmeichel is left off this list, trust me.

Super-Rush

Soby wrote: »

Peter Schmeichel 91-03

??Surely

Best keeper of the 90's, didn't make an impact for City or Villa

Peyton Manning

I found it quite funny that the OP misspelt Seaman, Reina and Van Der Sar, yet got Jääskeläinen spot on!

L'prof

1 Given, 2 Friedel

Super-Rush

Archimedes wrote: »

I found it quite funny that the OP misspelt Seaman, Reina and Van Der Sar, yet got Jääskeläinen spot on!

I hoped no one would notice that i havent been asleep for 43 hours and i had forgotten about this so i was in a hurry. I'm fluent in Finnishya gotta love copy and paste

Also i put Van Der Sar down as Edwin Van Barneveld and only just noticed it before i posted the poll.

Mitch Connor

actually a tough pick imo. Friedel, Given, Schwarzer and van der Sar have all been in the league for the majority of the decade, and have performed very well in that time. Not sure who I will vote for, to be honest.

I suppose Friedel was a bit of a flop at Liverpool, so that could count against him.

Given has performed consistently throughout the ten years playing in mostly every game each season. Schwarzer is the same, but I would prob rate Given's performances higher (maybe national bias....)

Cech and Reina have been fantastic in their time, but only been there half the time of the others, and you would have to say the last season and a half for Cech has not been great.

Spiritoftheseventies

For me Reina has been terrific. No messing about with him. Followed by Shay Given in second place. Ireland will struggle big time without him.

eagle eye

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I suppose Friedel was a bit of a flop at Liverpool, so that could count against him.

Not in this decade.

Peyton Manning

bayviewclose wrote: »

For me Reina has been terrific. No messing about with him.

Luckily for Andy Johnson, that's just plain false.

MrKingsley

Its friedel for me. For 2/3 years in the middle of the decade i think he was the best keeper in the league. Wasnt bad beforehand either and has been terrific since. Given a close second with Reina third for me

eagle eye

What did Jens Lehmann, Tim Howard and Nigel Martyn do to be left off that list?

Personally for me Nigel Martyn was the best keeper this decade.

Eire-Dearg

eagle eye wrote: »

What did Jens Lehmann, Tim Howard and Nigel Martyn do to be left off that list?

Personally for me Nigel Martyn was the best keeper this decade.

Look again.

eagle eye

Ok Martyn is there but no sign of Lehmann or Howard who both should be on that list and are well ahead of some that are on the list.

Mr Alan

expect Given to win this.

even though he shouldn't imo.

Quint

Shay Given for me, followed by David James.

Archimedes wrote: »

I found it quite funny that the OP misspelt Seaman, Reina and Van Der Sar, yet got Jääskeläinen spot on!

Guess which one he cut and paste from Wikipedia

SlickRic

Mr Alan wrote: »

expect Given to win this.

even though he shouldn't imo.

who should?

eagle eye

Mr Alan wrote: »

expect Given to win this.

even though he shouldn't imo.

Agreed but I would also be certain of who you are voting for. :pac:

And he shouldn't either.

Mr Alan

its a tough call.

based on clean sheets etc, it'd have to be Reina, although there has been busier goalkeepers who are brilliant, but imo it takes a really top keeper to be at one of the top teams as its a test of concentration & mental strength more so than at a midtable team where you're leathered with shots at you.

for me its between Reina & VDS with Reina the less mistake prone of the two.

flahavaj

Has Given really been better than Schwarzer or Friedel over the last decade, or is it just a case of green tinted goggles I wonder? I would be of the opinion they're pretty much even.

Mr Alan's point about the difference in being a keeper at a lower club and a top one is very valid though, which means VDS and Reina have a shout.

Horrendously difficult to call.

I'm gonna go with Schwarzer. Every bit as good as Given who'll walk away with this. Friedel's dodgy enough spell at Liverpool counts against him.

eagle eye

flahavaj wrote: »

I'm gonna go with Schwarzer. Every bit as good as Given who'll walk away with this. Friedel's dodgy enough spell at Liverpool counts against him.

He never played for Liverpool in the last decade so how does that count against him if you are picking a keeper for a team of the decade?

Mitch Connor

Mr Alan wrote: »

its a tough call.

based on clean sheets etc, it'd have to be Reina, although there has been busier goalkeepers who are brilliant, but imo it takes a really top keeper to be at one of the top teams as its a test of concentration & mental strength more so than at a midtable team where you're leathered with shots at you.

for me its between Reina & VDS with Reina the less mistake prone of the two.

if it is close between the two, would the fact VDS has been doing it for much longer in the league not put him over the top?

fkt

Shay Given is a one dimensional shot-stopper who doesn't have a goalkeeping brain. His kicking, positioning and organisational qualities are average. He has never won a trophy due to the fact not one top club have come in for him.

He is as good a shot-stopper as anyone but if you think he has been the best goalkeepers of the last decade then you should start watching Man City games for ninety minutes rather than five minutes MOTD highlights.

Johner

I went for Friedel.

Johner

fkt wrote: »

Shay Given is a one dimensional shot-stopper who doesn't have a goalkeeping brain. His kicking, positioning and organisational qualities are average. He has never won a trophy due to the fact not one top club have come in for him.

He is as good a shot-stopper as anyone but if you think he has been the best goalkeepers of the last decade then you should start watching Man City games for ninety minutes rather than five minutes MOTD highlights.

I have to agree with some of this. Given's command of the box is fairly shocking.

flahavaj

eagle eye wrote: »

He never played for Liverpool in the last decade so how does that count against him if you are picking a keeper for a team of the decade?

Thought as much but didn't care half enough to bother checking.

Guess he was better than Given as well this decade so.

Jazzy

brain says friedel, heart says given. went with brain


and hasnt friedel been in the PL since 97 ?

rednik

Given for being consistently brilliant even with several planks playing in front of him.

fkt

I'd love to hear a reasoned arguement for Given. More than "his the best eva nd he's oirish LOLZ" please.

fkt

rednik wrote: »

Given for being consistently brilliant even with several planks playing in front of him.

Scott Carson achieved this with Charlton.

Johner

Jazzy wrote: »

brain says friedel, heart says given. went with brain


and hasnt friedel been in the PL since 97 ?

It's a poll for the best since the start of the decade so its just from 00.

Headshot

went for Pepe Renia myself

given is a great keeper but for me he's still dodgy at the crosses

pepe is just a wonderful keeper

GLaDOS

I felt Given deserved his spot on the '09 team, but I really feel his impendnig victory in this is purely down to bias

curry-muff

Givens winning :eek:

Im not voting again :mad:

starbelgrade

fkt wrote: »

I'd love to hear a reasoned arguement for Given. More than "his the best eva nd he's oirish LOLZ" please.

I'd love you to give a reasoned argument to the contrary. Other than "heez not de best just cuz heez oirish", please.

LOLZ.

larchielads

the only howler i've ever seen given make was at newcastle and he rolled the ball ahead of him to kick it out without looking behind him and think dion dublin ran round him and tapped it in and that was in the 90's if i remember correctly (could be wrong). other than that i've never picked up a newspaper to read the headline GIVEN SHOCKER or anthin like that or turned on skysports news to hear of anythin like that. Friedel was a close second for me in this vote Given just edges it for doin all he could playin behind a newcastle back four who in all fairness should've been relegated years ago if it weren't for him, and a certain alan shearer if i'm totally honest.

all in all given for me for the 1 mistake he's ever made and keeping newcastle up for as long as he could!!

LuckyLloyd

Hint: Van Der Sar or Reina shouldn't win this award.

m@cc@

No Mark Bosnich? Spells at Man U and Chelsea, the teams of the decade?

pajodublin

i went for reina, not only because im a liverpool supporter but because i do think he has been the best GK of the decade.

Golden Gloves 2 years running and missed out on a 3rd by 1 game.

I knew given would get it here, Shamrock tinted glasses

Muff_Daddy

fkt wrote: »

I'd love to hear a reasoned arguement for Given. More than "his the best eva nd he's oirish LOLZ" please.

And how about a reasoned arguement against Given, rather than the usual one liners that pop up here like "oh he can't organize a defence" or " oh he can't deal with crosses"?

You claim he's not able to organize a defence properly? His last 15 years for Ireland - who have a bloody good defensive record when he's played would strongly put that theory to bed. Shey provides a calming influence on a back four. You never see him rushing out or flapping at crosses - you very rarlely see him make an error at all.

Re: the Man City defence. Millions of pounds were thrown at a couple of big names in the hope that they'd magically form a defensive partnership, while Richard Dunne, who's playing brilliant for Villa this season, was let go. That right there is the problem with the City defence. Toure and Lescott are too similar, and play at their best with a more defence minded CB, think of a Vidic to a Ferdinand. One without the other will tend to struggle. Look at how the City defence performed before Dunne left (zero goals conceeded) or since Kompany has slotted into CB.

When the City defence have made basic errors/bad decisions, there is absoloutly nothing Shey Given can do to 'orchestrate' that. He is powerless, unless he has some sort of magic wand in which to prevent the defenders in front of him from performing brain farts. To blame Given on Man City conceding so many goals this season shows a lack of knowledge on the basic concept of defending.

As for another agruement "oh no top manager has looked at him" - firstly, how does anybody know this to be fact? Maybe he has been approached but he chose to be loyal to Newcastle and stay there his whole career, until he eventually got fed up. Secondly, yes Van Der Sar, Cech and Reina are all fantastic keepers but remember how many keepers Fergie went through before he found his replacement for Schmeichel? What I'm saying is, just because he's not playing for a top 4 team doesn't automatically mean he's any worse than any of the keepers who are. Does anybody really think Given is worse than Almunia?

Ireland have a genuine world class keeper, one we should be proud of - yet it seems any time somebody from our country awknowledges this it is somehow looking at it through 'green tinted glasses'. Bollox to that.

curry-muff

Muff_Daddy wrote: »

And how about a reasoned arguement against Given, rather than the usual one liners that pop up here like "oh he can't organize a defence" or " oh he can't deal with crosses"?

You claim he's not able to organize a defence properly? His last 15 years for Ireland - who have a bloody good defensive record when he's played would strongly put that theory to bed. Shey provides a calming influence on a back four. You never see him rushing out or flapping at crosses - you very rarlely see him make an error at all.

Re: the Man City defence. Millions of pounds were thrown at a couple of big names in the hope that they'd magically form a defensive partnership, while Richard Dunne, who's playing brilliant for Villa this season, was let go. That right there is the problem with the City defence. Toure and Lescott are too similar, and play at their best with a more defence minded CB, think of a Vidic to a Ferdinand. One without the other will tend to struggle. Look at how the City defence performed before Dunne left (zero goals conceeded) or since Kompany has slotted into CB.

When the City defence have made basic errors/bad decisions, there is absoloutly nothing Shey Given can do to 'orchestrate' that. He is powerless, unless he has some sort of magic wand in which to prevent the defenders in front of him from performing brain farts. To blame Given on Man City conceding so many goals this season shows a lack of knowledge on the basic concept of defending.

As for another agruement "oh no top manager has looked at him" - firstly, how does anybody know this to be fact? Maybe he has been approached but he chose to be loyal to Newcastle and stay there his whole career, until he eventually got fed up. Secondly, yes Van Der Sar, Cech and Reina are all fantastic keepers but remember how many keepers Fergie went through before he found his replacement for Schmeichel? What I'm saying is, just because he's not playing for a top 4 team doesn't automatically mean he's any worse than any of the keepers who are. Does anybody really think Given is worse than Almunia?

Ireland have a genuine world class keeper, one we should be proud of - yet it seems any time somebody from our country awknowledges this it is somehow looking at it through 'green tinted glasses'. Bollox to that.

Thats exactly the point, Given looks good when he has Dunne to command the defence and deal with crosses.

Muff_Daddy

curry-muff wrote: »

Thats exactly the point, Given looks good when he has Dunne to command the defence and deal with crosses.

And Van Der Sar looks good with Vidic, and Cech looks good with Terry......I could go on. It's a team game after all. Of course a keeper with good cover is going to 'look' better, in so far as his goals against ratio is concerned. But as I said, if a defender makes a bad call, what is the keeper supposed to do about it from his goal line?

Where the feck has this noition that he's somehow not good at crosses come from I would really like to know?

Xavi6

It really is a pity that Given's nationality has to be brought into the equation here. The fact is that he has been an outstanding keeper for over a decade and deserves ever plaudit in his direction.

I don't buy the accusation that he is poor on crosses. In fact I would say he is an excellent judge of when and when not to come. His stature has always counted against him in comparison to the likes of Cech and Van der Sar. He gives away 5 inches on them (in height, lol) and is therefore not going to be as dominant in the air.

I think Given picks his battles. He comes out when he certain that he will take the ball. When was the last time he conceded a goal having made an error in judging a cross? How often has he flapped at a ball into the box? Not often.

Sure it can be said that by not coming he is appearing to be less commanding but I would rather my keeper stay on his line and save the resulting header than come racing out to clutch at thin air.

His kicking has also been criticised and this one genuinely baffles me. Since joining City I have missed two of his league games for us, and in every other one he is constantly looking for the short option to his full backs or centre halves and isn't just a hoof merchant. Can't see anything wrong with that.

I think some people are purposely playing devils advocate in response to what they believe are green tinted specs. Both are unnecessary, and Given should be judged honestly.

Is he the best keeper of the decade? Possibly, possibly not, but he is a model of consistency and an example for the young keepers in the game now.

Spiritoftheseventies

Xavi6 wrote: »

It really is a pity that Given's nationality has to be brought into the equation here. The fact is that he has been an outstanding keeper for over a decade and deserves ever plaudit in his direction.

why is it a pity his nationality is been brought into it. He is Irish we should celebrate the fact. Again I will say we will miss him loads when he goes.