Almunia

Eboue-Why? · Post by **Eboue-Why?** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:28 am

I've never agreed with the amount of grief Almunia receives from fans. Yep he makes mistakes as all keepers do but he's nowhere near as bad as some make out. Today he was excellent. He can be criticised for his decision making from time to time but his handling of shots is first class and his natural instinct is to try and dominate his area which again he did well today. IMO we did not and do not need to spend Â£5-10m on a new keeper.
Thought we defended well in difficult circumstances yesterday.

augie · Post by **augie** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:36 am

A thread to defend song and now a thread to defend almunia - what next a thread to defend eboue ?

RaM · Post by **RaM** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:37 am

A thread to defend song and now a thread to defend almunia - what next a thread to defend eboue ?

Or a thread to defend Ca$hley!

digger · Post by **digger** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:37 am

Almunia made some decent stops, but let's face it, neither keeper had too much to do. Modric should have scored, it was a weak effort. Cudicini (another keeper we've been linked with in the past) spills more often than a waitress with Parkinsons. He almost gifted us a goal like the one TH14 got in about 2004ish in front of the North Bank?

Post by **flash gunner** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:37 am

Almunia and Song have good games and we draw 0-0 with a relegation team the invincibles are back!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eboue-Why? · Post by **Eboue-Why?** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:55 am

No surprise, I thought I'd get some flak! The point is that he is not one of the main reasons why we are having a crap season. We all know the areas we need to strengthen in the squad but paying big money for another keeper shouldn't be a priority.
Keepers make mistakes but I do reckon that Almunia's all round game isn't as bad as a alot people say.

Post by **flash gunner** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:00 am

Eboue-Why? wrote:No surprise, I thought I'd get some flak! The point is that he is not one of the main reasons why we are having a crap season. We all know the areas we need to strengthen in the squad but paying big money for another keeper shouldn't be a priority.
Keepers make mistakes but I do reckon that Almunia's all round game isn't as bad as a alot people say.

He isnt the weakest link in our team but is mediocre at best which i must say sums up our team this season but are you telling me that Given (moving for a fairly small sum of Â£5 million last week) wouldnt have helped us? Almunia is a good back up keeper

Eboue-Why? · Post by **Eboue-Why?** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:06 am

flash gunner wrote:
Eboue-Why? wrote:No surprise, I thought I'd get some flak! The point is that he is not one of the main reasons why we are having a crap season. We all know the areas we need to strengthen in the squad but paying big money for another keeper shouldn't be a priority.
Keepers make mistakes but I do reckon that Almunia's all round game isn't as bad as a alot people say.
He isnt the weakest link in our team but is mediocre at best which i must say sums up our team this season but are you telling me that Given (moving for a fairly small sum of Â£5 million last week) wouldnt have helped us? Almunia is a good back up keeper

I'm saying exactly that. Given in goal from the start of the season wouldn't have meant that we'd now be in the top four. Eboue, Song, Denilson and Bendtner replaced? We'd be clear at the top by five points!

Post by **flash gunner** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:11 am

Eboue-Why? wrote:
flash gunner wrote:
Eboue-Why? wrote:No surprise, I thought I'd get some flak! The point is that he is not one of the main reasons why we are having a crap season. We all know the areas we need to strengthen in the squad but paying big money for another keeper shouldn't be a priority.
Keepers make mistakes but I do reckon that Almunia's all round game isn't as bad as a alot people say.
He isnt the weakest link in our team but is mediocre at best which i must say sums up our team this season but are you telling me that Given (moving for a fairly small sum of Â£5 million last week) wouldnt have helped us? Almunia is a good back up keeper
I'm saying exactly that. Given in goal from the start of the season wouldn't have meant that we'd now be in the top four. Eboue, Song, Denilson and Bendtner replaced? We'd be clear at the top by five points!

So you wouldnt want a mediocre keeper replaced with a top class one for what was a fairly small sum of money?

Captain Fabregas · Post by **Captain Fabregas** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:12 am

A L M U N I A

Post by **SPUDMASHER** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:16 am

I'd like to see him replaced even though I am in the camp that says he isn't as bad as people are saying.
Given would be a huge improvement. Without him City would have got beaten on Saturday, instead they won!
I just think that we need to address other issues with a greater priority than our goalkeeper at the moment. Seaman and Lehmann had the benefit of playing behind excellent back fours with a quality defensive midfielder. Almunia doesn't have that luxury. If we can strengthen in those areas (CD & DM) then his game will improve as he has confidence in those around him. I think at the moment he is constantly unsure what to do as he rarely gets a shout from his defence etc.
Lets address our more important issues and then we can look at the keeper.

Eboue-Why? · Post by **Eboue-Why?** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:39 am

Totally agree Spuddie. I'm sure Given makes mistakes like all keepers and also makes good saves like Almunia does. Almunia's save from Lennon in the first half again showed that for the most part his handling is very good.
On the other hand Fabianski worries the shit out of me. Looks like a hyper active kid on speed!

goonersid · Post by **goonersid** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:51 am

SPUDMASHER wrote:I'd like to see him replaced even though I am in the camp that says he isn't as bad as people are saying.
Given would be a huge improvement. Without him City would have got beaten on Saturday, instead they won!
I just think that we need to address other issues with a greater priority than our goalkeeper at the moment. Seaman and Lehmann had the benefit of playing behind excellent back fours with a quality defensive midfielder. Almunia doesn't have that luxury. If we can strengthen in those areas (CD & DM) then his game will improve as he has confidence in those around him. I think at the moment he is constantly unsure what to do as he rarely gets a shout from his defence etc.
Lets address our more important issues and then we can look at the keeper.

Given doesn't command his area as well as Almunia, whilst it would be nice to bring in a top keeper I certainly wouldn't put Given in that category, and there are at least 6 players we need to replace ahead of Almunia, who honestly has been our most consistent player this season.

rodders999 · Post by **rodders999** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 12:01 pm

What were we doing with 9 players in their penalty box with 30 seconds to go anyway!!! A real lack of leadership.

tsune · Post by **tsune** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 12:28 pm

rodders999 wrote:What were we doing with 9 players in their penalty box with 30 seconds to go anyway!!! A real lack of leadership.

should it be toure's guilty?