Sunday 7 November 2010

Is a new keeper our top priority?

Sure Green had a good game at Arsenal, but how many more bad ones can we allow him before he is replaced? Stech looks good but is still a kid and Boffin is third choice, so should we be chasing Given in the January transfer window?

Green's supporters will again make excuses for his performance yesterday, but the brutal truth is that he must carry partial responsibility for both goals and for the nervous way we defended the Birmingham lumps into our box. A confident and competent keeper would command his area, but Green is now neither. He looks anchored to his line and is in a state of mortal terror every time the devilish opposition park a tall guy up front and load balls into him. OK, he didn't do a Fabianski yesterday, but neither did he perform like Foster in the Birmingham goal.

For the first goal, Green twitched as the ball was headed down and took a step forward, but like a rabbit in the headlights, he froze, allowing Jerome the time and space to pick his spot. Had Green charged him, I would have had a lot of money on Jerome not scoring. In fact, my Internet stream froze as Zigic headed the ball down and I saw the step forward from Green. To be honest, as I hit refresh, I wasn't worried. When the stream returned with Birmingham players celebrating, I was horrified. When I watched the replay, and saw Green freeze, I was furious. In part with him, but mostly because we had retreated and invited the Birmingham goal. Remember the Bolton game? How similar was this Jerome goal to the Davies one when Upson collected his kick in the face?

As for the second, what was Green doing pushing that shot, two handed, back into play? He had done the same thing moments earlier and fortunately the follow up shot was blocked. This time Green's luck ran out.

Interestingly, according to official Barclays Premier League statistics, Foster has yet to concede a goal from a cross or free-kick this season. Green has now let in five.

I'm not blaming Green for the loss of the two points, the whole team sat back and invited Birmingham on, so Upson and Parker carry greater responsibility in my book. They are supposed to be the leaders on the pitch. But Green's keeping was suspect yet again and, with a twitchy keeper, uncertainty spreads through the team. And the fact that he is NOT a leader is also a problem. A keeper should be an obnoxious, arrogant son of a bitch; Green is too damn nice.

Personally, I think signing Given should be priority number one in January!

12 comments:

John said...

Given may not want to take a drop in wages

Anonymous said...

No i dont think tottenham need a new keeper at the moment HF but if your still making out that your a west ham fan then yes maybe we do.

Hammersfan said...

Ho ho ho 0254

Dirty Den said...

You may not be blaming Green... but I am!

People have just started to notice that he doesn't come off his line and command the area but our group have been watching him acting like this for years. He flatters to deceive by making a few saves, which are mostly run of the mill stuff, but always staying on his line especially when crosses are coming from his right eg Arsenal & Brum.

Anonymous said...

No.

Green showed against Arsenal that he is an excellent 'keeper.

The team as a whole are under performing and it is not fair to single out Green.

This is a tough spell for him and we need to support him.

Anonymous said...

Given is no better with crosses and high balls than Green is. I think Green is our answer, but he needs coaching help to understand how to command, how to manage the box and how to lead the back 4 properly...

Kareem said...

Given would be IDEAL. I hope that happens!

Anonymous said...

Blame Grant, he still picks him

Anonymous said...

Its a pity people are now just seeing his cement blocks he calls feet. The man rarely charges and if he does so, its an unnecessary and skittish way. I just dont see why Grant starts him, then again i dont see why we replaced franco with another if not worse franco.

Hammersfan said...

Come on, Piquionne is better than Franco!

John said...

I think Ilan was the one we should have kept

Anonymous said...

I was talking about Gianfranco not Guillermo. Yes Piqi is a step up from that Franco, but i thought and still do think Zola shouldnt have ever lost his job, especially comparing him to who they replaced him with. Mark Hughes, i would have understood, but like most Hughes turned us down. We then were left with a man who was chose the epl over championship league