As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
Bergkamp-Genius wrote:.... The Diaby goal, i can't possibly blame Almunia for that goal, if your suggesting Almunia could see the ball coming for long enough to know he could come out and take it unchallenged then he could also see the ball was going to his own player in space for an easy clearance, so again i say there was no need for him to risk coming for it.
I understand that people think he doesn't command his box enough but he is not alone in that there are few keepers that do these days at least not safely. So again it's not that i think he is the ultimate keeper, i just don't see anyone out there that we would buy that would be much if any better.
That one way of looking at it BG. On the otherhand, one would have a strong arguement stating that technically it is easier for someone coming forward onto the ball (ala how Almunia should have done it), then someone controlling it going backwards as Diaby was. After all, Almunia would only have had to step forward two or three yards from his starting position and he would have comfortably got hold of the ball with no opposition challenge in sight.
Had Almunia done that, which I believe most keepers - even some shit ones - would have, then Diaby wouldn't have needed or had the opportunity to miss-head the ball with his coconut crown, and we wouldn't be here discussing it at all.
Bergkamp-Genius wrote:.... The Diaby goal, i can't possibly blame Almunia for that goal, if your suggesting Almunia could see the ball coming for long enough to know he could come out and take it unchallenged then he could also see the ball was going to his own player in space for an easy clearance, so again i say there was no need for him to risk coming for it.
I understand that people think he doesn't command his box enough but he is not alone in that there are few keepers that do these days at least not safely. So again it's not that i think he is the ultimate keeper, i just don't see anyone out there that we would buy that would be much if any better.
That one way of looking at it BG. On the otherhand, one would have a strong arguement stating that technically it is easier for someone coming forward onto the ball (ala how Almunia should have done it), then someone controlling it going backwards as Diaby was. After all, Almunia would only have had to step forward two or three yards from his starting position and he would have comfortably got hold of the ball with no opposition challenge in sight.
Had Almunia done that, which I believe most keepers - even some shit ones - would have, then Diaby wouldn't have needed or had the opportunity to miss-head the ball with his coconut crown, and we wouldn't be here discussing it at all.
I see your point mate, but i just refuse to look beyond a professional footballer with a simple free header on the edge of his six yard box finding a way to put it in his own net.
For me it would be like blaming Seaman for not being on his line when Dixon chipped the ball over him into the back of his own net, you can always find a way to blame someone else but when it comes down to it there is no excusing what diaby did or dixon did, they were freaky unforced errors and imo there is no need to analyse the incidents beyond that.
The reason I blame Almunia for second goal is he neither did one thing or the other. He either comes and claims it then throws it out (which is usually better then asking a defender to head clear) or stay on his line. Almunia came for it then raced back
The main blame goes with Diaby, I just don't think Almunia's error there helped him
Anyone that knows anything about the art of goalkeeping will understand that both of Man Yoo's goals were more than avoidable and would have been avoided if we had the standard of goalkeeper befitting of our club.
The penalty was a massive rush of blood to the head to try and win a ball that Almunia was always going to be second to and more crucially had no reason to try and win anyhow. Rooney was running away from goal at an angle and on his left foot. There wasn't any support so he would have had to hold the ball up. Poor judgement by Almunia.
The second goal was worse though. Forget Diaby's header, no matter how inexcusable it was, and remember that if Blondie had three steps forward he would have taken the ball at chest height comfortably.
Obviously it Diaby was at fault but even more guilty is a goalkeeper that stays on his line because he sees that a team-mate had a free header. That is hiding and shirking his responsibilities.
Let's be clear on this, Almunia ia an average at best 'keeper who is very lucky to be at a club of Arsenal's stature. The guy is a liability and ishould be nowhere near our number one shirt.
A great'keeper wins games aand points for sides, an average one tosses them away at crucial moments.
Convince yourself if you need to that Almunia is good enough but ask yourself if in twnty yeqars time his name will be up there with Jennings and Seaman, even Lehmann?
Percy Dalton wrote:
Convince yourself if you need to that Almunia is good enough but ask yourself if in twnty yeqars time his name will be up there with Jennings and Seaman, even Lehmann?
The answer we all know.
To be honest, I would imagine even the biggest rosetinters amongst us would accept that Almunia is average.
The problem is, even teams like Milan, and those with money (Sp*rs) have average/poor keepers so clearly there's a shortage of quality available
I would say that there are plenty of 'keepers out there that are better than Almunia and available.
Remember, most players are availableat the right price and it is about time Wenger realised that spending money on a very good goalkeeper is just as important on sepnding cash on a very good outfiesld player.
I would be very happy to see him spend £10 million on a Green or even Jakska.....Jaskeli.........Jaskselin..........the Bolton 'keeper.
He is a nice easy cheap option though and i guess the thinking is that we will be able to cover his mistakes by outscoring the other side ala Pompey.
Percy Dalton wrote:
I would be very happy to see him spend £10 million on a Green or even Jakska.....Jaskeli.........Jaskselin..........the Bolton 'keeper.
From what I've seen of Robert Green, I can't say I'm overly impressed. He seems to make quite a few blunders (although he's always great against us! ) so although I don't tend to write players off (especially 'keepers!) I can't say I'm overly confident that he'd be an improvement on Average Al
As for Jakska.....Jaskeli......... Jaskselin.......... the Bolton 'keeper ... I've not seen enough of him, to be honest.
When it comes to Almunia, I think sometimes familiarity breeds contempt, and I can't help but think that we'd be sat here having the same debate if we had Green, James, Frey, Hart, the Bolton 'keeper, or A N Other in goal (unless A N Other was Buffon or Casillas of course, then we'd be creaming ourselves over our win at Old Trafford! )
guys, i hate people who 'evaluate' players from youtube videos, but this is guy i watch every week (he plays for the team i support here in porto alegre) and is now 2nd choice for the brazilian national team. a few german and portuguese teams made some offers for him, but none serious enough.
this fella is 8 times better than almunia:
again, i know you shouldn't rate him from YT videos, but believe me, he is pure class. all those videos are from only one season, the 2008 season. if you search youtube, you'll find some other videos about this season (2009) where he is just as brilliant as last year.
Percy Dalton wrote:
Almunia is average at best. Would you accept Carew or maybe Tuncay playing up front for us?
No, so why is it different with goalkeepers?
I don't accept Almunia... I'm more resigned to him
I just think that the quality of 'keepers has dropped well below that of outfield players, and if we lose Average Al and bring someone like Green in, I think we'll be in a similar position - kind of damned if you replace him, damned if you don't
I'm not dismissing Green, or anyone else, and I'll accept that when it comes to 'keepers, I'm not as confident on spotting the good ones from the average ones ... I'm just not sure they're anything special, either.
Percy Dalton wrote:
Convince yourself if you need to that Almunia is good enough but ask yourself if in twnty yeqars time his name will be up there with Jennings and Seaman, even Lehmann?
The answer we all know.
To be honest, I would imagine even the biggest rosetinters amongst us would accept that Almunia is average.
The problem is, even teams like Milan, and those with money (Sp*rs) have average/poor keepers so clearly there's a shortage of quality available
) so although I don't tend to write players off (especially 'keepers!) I can't say I'm overly confident that he'd be an improvement on Average Al 
- kind of damned if you replace him, damned if you don't 
... I'm just not sure they're anything special, either.
