Given-New Keeper?

[Dubciteh]

Looks like Shay Given is def on his way out as hes been left off the US tour, shame really but we have gone from a position of strength in the goalkeeping department to one where we desperately need a second choice as imo Taylor isnt good enough.

Any suggestions on who's out there? The couple i thought we may have gone for are now gone (Westwood to Sunderland and Sorenson new contract).

Seems like we may have given(excuse the pun!) ourselves an unnecessary headache,I would of personally kept Shay(although i do understand he may have asked to leave)

For the record the full squad in america at the moment is:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, Stuart Taylor, Eirik Johansen, and Loris Karius.

Defenders: Micah Richards, Jerome Boateng, Vincent Kompany, Joleon Lescott, Dedryck Boyata, Gael Clichy, Aleksander Kolarov, Ryan McGivern.

Midfield: Shaun Wright Phillips, Vladimir Weiss, James Milner, Gareth Barry, Yaya Toure, Nigel De Jong, David Silva, Adam Johnson, Denis Suarez.

Strikers: Mario Balotelli, Edin Dzeko, Andrea Mancini, John Guidetti.

[twosips]

Given was never gonna stay. Everyone knows that.

[ross.mcfc]

It was one thing that did annoy me about last season was how little games Given played.

Hart is our number 1 and Mancini got that decision 100% and he will hopefully be our number 1 for the next 10 years.

Both keepers are number 1 for their respective countries. Given should have played in the Europa Cup and the early rounds of the FA Cup. There were a enough games to go around. He didnt even get a game in the meaningless group stages games.

Look how happy Given was at the end of the FA Cup final on the pitch and in the dressing room. That's the type of commitment I want to see from our squad players. Compare it to SWP who looked like he was at a funeral. At his age he wont get another chance to play at this level I am confident if he was given assurances of playing in the Cup games and meaningless CL ties (not to many I hope) with his international commitments he would have stayed.

I know there is an argument for not swapping keepers all the time, however finding a good number two is a very very hard thing to do. I cant think of a team with a better set of keepers than us. Dont even Real Madrid have that useless ex Liverpool keeper as back up? United for years have had a sucsession of terrible back up keepers. Arsenal havent had a good number one for years!

Anyone fancy going into a must win away game in the CL with Taylor in the nets?

[Esky]

Is Assulin still injured? Surprised that Suarez travelled and he didn't. Ditto Nimely and Ibrahim. Is Mancini Jr. a genuine talent or is that just not wanting to leave him behind with family traveling?

As for Given, contract or not, can't expect him to stay. Hahnemann's the only free agent I can think of within the Prem that could do a job. Maybe look to the Championship or the continent - has Doni signed with Liverpool yet?

Emiliano Viviano was impressive for Brescia, has caps for Italy but hasn't been able to dislodge Julio Cesar or Buffon. I know he arrived after Mancini came but it's another option - maybe Hart and Taylor would be easier competition than Cesar and Castellazzi.

[HeyMark]

Sorry off topic but does Mancini's son have any chance of ever making it with us, or is he just there because of who his dad is?

[Moonchesteri]

Sorry off topic but does Mancini's son have any chance of ever making it with us, or is he just there because of who his dad is?

I've never seen him play but from what I've heard he's defo there just coz his old man is Roberto. I'm a bit disappointed with that. It should've been Harry Bunn there with the squad who'd be there on merit

[Goaters 103]

Reserve keepers are like arseholes, everyones got one, so we should have much trouble getting a serviceable one when Seamus heads out.

Stuart Taylor is absolutely fine, just so long as he doesnt have to actually play.

[Dameerto]

Alex Smithies, quite highly rated young first-choice keeper for Huddersfield who could keep Joe on his toes in training and might be wiilling to wait for his chance. He probably wouldn't have to move house either (and his familiy is in Huddersfield)

[Mike J]

read a story somewhere we might try and get craig gordon as back up.

andrea mancini is supposed to be absolute dog shit. id also like to know wat is happening with assulin.

[Dameerto]

He's not really here.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

There's no way Craig Gordon will agree to be a back up keeper.

[Chinners]

He might just be that at Sunderland now they've signed Keiren Westwood, so getting a payrise to do the same at City is possible. Been too injury prone over the last 18 months for my liking mind.

[Mike J]

There's no way Craig Gordon will agree to be a back up keeper.

erm hasnt he done that for most of last season?

[twosips]

With Assulin I'd guess he's just getting his fitness back still. Having not played for a very long time I suspect he won't be quite up to the fitness of some of the first team yet. I know that's the point of pre-season, but I guess they'd just rather look after him back at home for now.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

There's no way Craig Gordon will agree to be a back up keeper.

erm hasnt he done that for most of last season?

He was injured wasn't he?

[HeyMark]

There's no way Craig Gordon will agree to be a back up keeper.

erm hasnt he done that for most of last season?

He was injured wasn't he?

Then lost his place to Mignolet

[nick (duki blues)]

Sorry off topic but does Mancini's son have any chance of ever making it with us, or is he just there because of who his dad is?

I've never seen him play but from what I've heard he's defo there just coz his old man is Roberto. I'm a bit disappointed with that. It should've been Harry Bunn there with the squad who'd be there on merit

Mancinis son will never make it with us he's lucky to even get in the eds side from what I have seem of him

[Mark (Blue Army)]

There's no way Craig Gordon will agree to be a back up keeper.

erm hasnt he done that for most of last season?

He was injured wasn't he?

Then lost his place to Mignolet

But only because he was injured, he wouldn't have lost it otherwise. He might be a back-up keeper at Sunderland next season, but only because he's already with them. If he was to leave I can't see him doing it just to sit on the bench again. It's like Shay at the moment, he's playing back-up but if he was to leave, can you see him doing it to do the same thing some where else? Not a chance. Gordon and Given both want to be playing week in week out not sitting on the bench.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Sorry off topic but does Mancini's son have any chance of ever making it with us, or is he just there because of who his dad is?

I've never seen him play but from what I've heard he's defo there just coz his old man is Roberto. I'm a bit disappointed with that. It should've been Harry Bunn there with the squad who'd be there on merit

Mancinis son will never make it with us he's lucky to even get in the eds side from what I have seem of him

Funny thing is though that Bob didn't bring him with him. It was Sven who signed him. Mancini jr was already with us when Sr signed.

[HeyMark]

Sorry off topic but does Mancini's son have any chance of ever making it with us, or is he just there because of who his dad is?

I've never seen him play but from what I've heard he's defo there just coz his old man is Roberto. I'm a bit disappointed with that. It should've been Harry Bunn there with the squad who'd be there on merit

Mancinis son will never make it with us he's lucky to even get in the eds side from what I have seem of him

Funny thing is though that Bob didn't bring him with him. It was Sven who signed him. Mancini jr was already with us when Sr signed.

I think you might be wrong there mate! Wasn't he only here on a 6month deal when Sven signed him? And it was done more as a favour to Mancini