Given

[Mike J]

made a fucking belting save to keep us in it, but he needs to start coming off his line. he should of done for the final goal.

[david yearsley]

More chance of coming off lines than Wio !!

[Blue2]

Agree, he should have come for that cross, great shot stopper though

[dazby]

A lot of keepers would have swallowed it. It really makes you wonder why he doesn't.

[Mike J]

i love the guy but a truly world class keeper would have come for that. the defence fell asleep though as well.

fucking GUTTED.

[9secondlegend]

yep.
i hold him to blame for that goal.
it has happend before.
he definitly needs to come off his line and this has been said before in another thread somwhere.

[ross.mcfc]

There has never been a perfect keeper. Everyone has there faults. I am quite confident that we currently have the best keeper in the world in our nets.

No other keeper would have made that save from Fletcher before the goal.

[mcfc61]

Totally agree. Super glued to his line.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

A lot of keepers would have swallowed it. It really makes you wonder why he doesn't.

I think it's his hight Dazby that stops him coming for crosses, can any one remember if he did this at Newcastle or is it a new thing since joining us?

[globalbollox]

It wasn't his height when the ball first came into the area for their first goal. That ball should've been his.

[dazby]

I've had a theory that since they've gone for the lighter balls he has made a conscious decision to stay on the line. But there has to be some point that you come out and that cross, although it had pace was certainly gettable.

I don't think height has too much to do with it because even if he punches there is no way he's going to be stopped.

To the Given fans I fully acknowledge the brilliant saves he made. But this is becoming an issue and well done to the posters that picked up on it last season.

[Whassat]

I've had a theory that since they've gone for the lighter balls he has made a conscious decision to stay on the line. But there has to be some point that you come out and that cross, although it had pace was certainly gettable.

I don't think height has too much to do with it because even if he punches there is no way he's going to be stopped.

To the Given fans I fully acknowledge the brilliant saves he made. But this is becoming an issue and well done to the posters that picked up on it last season.

Spot on. If he continues with the habit of staying superglued to the line, that will make him, and us, so much more vulnerable. Why is he doing that?

[svengali]

It annoys the fuck out of me that he is cemented to his line, we can't always defend four yards out. It's a joke. Love him as a shot stopper but he can't command.

[Blue Blood]

I'm a given fan.

i think he's the best keeper in the league.

but he doesn't go for difficult crosses. he's too small he'd get beat. he knows it and we know it.

that said i wouldn't swap him for any other keeper.

[Dingus McDouchey]

i thought he was crap tonight. partly to blame for first and third goals.

[bobadji]

More chance of coming off lines than Wio !!

brilliant! ps im truely gutted.

[Hinch's 5 Fingered Salute]

i've been thinking the same thing, i shit it when crosses come in. James was brilliant at coming for crosses when he was with us, it must be a height think. He is super agile and can get down quick, but he never comes for crosses. The difference was evident with Van Der Saar plucking out the corners we had.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I don't think there is any doubt that Shay is a top keeper and isn't alone in being iffy at best at coming off his line for crosses but for me last night it was the first goal that concerned me most.

When a team makes a fast break from deep it's essential that the keeper has a high starting position and potentially acts as sweeper. When Shrek got the ball around the half way line and hit it over to Giggs , Given should have been roughly penalty spot if not a little further to anticipate the long through ball. Giggs first touch wasn't great and the ball ran well into the area and Given for me should have been able to pick it up easily but he came late from his line and the rest is history even if it did need a big slice of luck.

Yes he made some fantastic saves but that first goal was always going to be massive and I thought he simply got it wrong on this occasion.He has won games and points for us before but that one last night hurt.

[CityFanFromRome]

I'm not so sure I agree with criticism about the first goal, although when Giggs messed up his first touch I thought Given would get to it in time, but he didn't. But to me, that wasn't that big of a mistake, if even a mistake at all. What worries me is the third goal, because while the back line is at fault for leaving Rooney so free in the final minutes of the game just in front of the goal, Given really should have come out for it. He has the great advantage of being able to use his hands to get to the ball, he should use it to cut chances like those. Also, for those saying his height doesn't help him, Rooney is no giant, is he? I could understand this reasoning against a lad like Drogba, or Fellaini, but against Rooney any keeper should have no problem in getting the ball.

I mean, it also takes away from the brilliant save he did moments before, because what's the sense in making such a save if the next minute you don't come off the line and allow the striker such an easy goal?

[Mr Miyagi]

I've been saying it myself for months.
The last two minutes summed up Given's game: a wonder reflex save, followed by a failure to deal with a cross in the 6 yard box.

No it isn't a new thing either. He has been like this since his Newcastle days. Hence the reason no big club has ever bought the supposed best keeper in the league. If he was in the top 5 in the world he would not have languished at Newcastle for years.

Over that time Newcastle were hampered by a shaky defence. Central defenders who looked good before going to the club would look hesitant and lacking confidence (Boumsong is one who springs to mind). They had Given behind the sticks.

A good defensive line needs to be led by a commanding keeper behind them. Remember how good we looked in that season when Schmeichel played.

Anything in the 6 yard box should be contested by the keeper. Opposition players need to know that if they dare to go for a header in the 6 yard box they will get sore ribs, or be decked.

This isn't a heat of the moment post. I just don't think Given is good enough, even though he is a very dedicated professional.