[Archived] Is Brad The Solution To Arsenals

[Exiled in Toronto]

I can't remember the last time we conceded a headed goal.

I can't remember the last time we conceded a goal where Friedel didn't come out for a cross he could have claimed.

I can't remember the last time Friedel dropped, fumbled or didn't adequately punch a cross that led to a goal.

You're talking nonsense tcj.

Look at the number of goals where he made no viable effort to close down the shooter. Most premiership goalies would have saved both the Liverpool goals as an example. Having said that, I don't think he is as bad as he was last season when he was stood staring at all those free kicks go in.

Anyhoo, I don't think we're going to agree on this. Though I'd be interested to see what Opta has to say about him.

But back to the thrust of the thread, I do find the notion that Arsenal are going to stump up squillions for a 30 goals against keeper somewhat ludicrous.

[Alan75]

Gossip Pages

Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given wants to leave St James' Park and is eyeing a January move to Arsenal or Manchester United. (Daily Mail, The Sun)

Arsenal want to fund a move for Given by selling Edu to Real Madrid for £3.45m - but the Spanish giants will only pay £2m. (Daily Mail)

If the above happens, who would be on the top of Newcastles shopping list.

[Paul]

Frankly I can't believe what I'm reading from some posters on Brad. In all seriousness - and not to have a pop - do you actually watch the games?

Sure he's not as good as two years ago, primarily because the defence is utter crap. Many of our goals are conceded because the defenders are quite literally missing or left trailing in the wake of the opposition, alternatively individual defenders make elementary errors in front of goal.

The only time Brad could be criticised since arriving at Ewood would be in a few games last season when he had a torrid time with 3 or 4 goals from direct free kicks.

Unbelievable remarks against our most consistent player in a period when those in front of him have been a total and utter disgrace to the club and shirt. If Brad is up for this type of criticism what do Ferguson, Emerton, etc. to a name a couple, deserve?

[MCMC1875]

Gossip Pages

Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given wants to leave St James' Park and is eyeing a January move to Arsenal or Manchester United. (Daily Mail, The Sun)

Arsenal want to fund a move for Given by selling Edu to Real Madrid for £3.45m - but the Spanish giants will only pay £2m. (Daily Mail)

If the above happens, who would be on the top of Newcastles shopping list.

Al, don't get too pessimistic.

Not sure Brad would move to the North East.

[philipl]

Brad's post Souness reported words were not full of praise for Souey either

[Cheshireblue]

I think it's clear to say we need a striker more than Brad in goal.

That's just crazy talk.

Dickov in goal? Are you mad?

Wenger will buy Cudicini from Chelsea.

[RoyRover]

I can only think of Cech and Niemi that are better.

Shay Given.

According to planetfootball, he is wanting out of Newcastle, with Arsenal being interested. It would put an end to any speculation about Brad leaving, if Given were to go to Arsenal.

[bob fleming]

Would it? I wonder where Newcastle's manager may turn for a replacement goalkeeper? He's got a lot of "previous" for returning to raid former clubs. You may have a point though RR - Brad hasn't been shedding many tears over the departure of our previous manager, he may not want the move (and we may not want to sell).

As for this criticism of Friedel - sorry I disagree - maybe on a couple of occasions he has been a little slow to narrow the angles but I think some people are being extremely harsh. He's in my top five keepers in the Premier League, no danger.

If we were to sell, would many of us be happy with "The Enk" as our new Number 1? I doubt it (or maybe that's just me). We'd probably have to spend the vast majority of money recieved on a top class replacement. So what's the point?

[waggy]

Wenger will buy Cudicini from Chelsea.

i would be very suprised if chelski sold anyone to the arse as they are there main rival in 3 competitions this season

[Shaddy]

I seem to remember you subscribing to the "let's not blame Souness for anything" school of thought - something that was a daft at the time and now looks completely ridiculous.

Wrong. I subscribed to the "consider Souness's future after the end of this (03-04) season". I do and did believe Souness made mistakes. I think the biggest being falling into the trap of excessive transfer activity. But I thought it would be suicide to sack him at the stage it was muted last season. Thankfully, he wasn't and Rovers didn't... drop into the championship.

But surely it doesn't cause you personal turmoil to agree with me that Souness was tight-fisted over many transfers, at least as many (really more) than the costly ones?

[Cheshireblue]

Cudicini will want regular first team football. He will get that at Arsenal. Given that he is qualified to play for England this year, I would also like him to have regular first team football - He is miles batter than David James!

[broadsword]

I seem to remember you subscribing to the "let's not blame Souness for anything" school of thought - something that was a daft at the time and now looks completely ridiculous.

Wrong. I subscribed to the "consider Souness's future after the end of this (03-04) season". I do and did believe Souness made mistakes. I think the biggest being falling into the trap of excessive transfer activity. But I thought it would be suicide to sack him at the stage it was muted last season. Thankfully, he wasn't and Rovers didn't... drop into the championship.

But surely it doesn't cause you personal turmoil to agree with me that Souness was tight-fisted over many transfers, at least as many (really more) than the costly ones?

Let's get it right.

Yes, I agree he was tight-fisted and signed us some bargains (Stead, Thompson, Friedel). He also cocked up big-time on at least a couple of transfers (Grabbi, Ferguson, Amoruso), in that he paid over the odds. Unfortunately, even though the number of disasters was far fewer, the amount of overpayment was sufficient to negate the good work he did on the (greater) number of bargains he signed.

In retrospect he gave us three great years, then completely lost the plot. I was slow to see this as I was weighing it against his three good years of work.

But I am very glad he's gone now and Hughes for Souness looks a pretty good swap right now.

[FourLaneBlue]

Sadly people like Rover6 and Jim were totally right, I think allot of us still judged Souness off his past success rather then the direction he was taking the club.

The selling of Cole was the turning point for me personally, but he was pretty good for the first three years

rover6 wanted to sack Souness and replace him with Paul Sturrock. Jim didn't have the guts to put forward a viable successor and left any questions relating to this unanswered. So, no, they didn't get it right. A lot of people were worried under Souness, they just went to extremes although I did respect rover6 for naming a sucessor and taking all the ribbing he received in good humour.

Re Cole : I agree. That was the turning point for me as well, although what would have sacking Souness have done? We wouldn't have got the compensation from Newcastle and Hughes might not have fancied the job quite so much- Wales hadn't ballsed up their World Cup qualifying campaign at that stage and were still looking at tempting games against England and Northern Ireland to come.

[chris]

Sadly people like Rover6 and Jim were totally right, I think allot of us still judged Souness off his past success rather then the direction he was taking the club.

The selling of Cole was the turning point for me personally, but he was pretty good for the first three years

rover6 wanted to sack Souness and replace him with Paul Sturrock. Jim didn't have the guts to put forward a viable successor and left any questions relating to this unanswered. So, no, they didn't get it right. A lot of people were worried under Souness, they just went to extremes although I did respect rover6 for naming a sucessor and taking all the ribbing he received in good humour.

great point, I retract my statement

[Cheshireblue]

I don't believe that you can really describe Ferguson as a cock-up. He has run our midfield on his own for most of this season and looks better every game.

[Robertson]

Heard an interesting story from my Rangers fan friend yesterday. He said that Amoruso had agreed to join Rangers from Fiorentina, days later Alex Ferguson asked Amoruso if he would like to join Man Utd but Amoruso stated that he had already signed a contract for Rangers.

Subsequently BIG Lorenzo went to the Gers and Man Utd were forced to settle for one Jaap Stam......

[jim mk2]

. Jim didn't have the guts to put forward a viable successor and left any questions relating to this unanswered. So' date=' no, they didn't get it right. [/quote']

Interesting view of history from a so-called "historian". Of course I was right.

I was one of only a few to have the "guts" to call for Souness to be removed. I was one of the few to see the damage he was doing to the club when most people he thought he could do no wrong.

As I said at the time, it didn't matter who replaced Souness. The imperative was for Souness to leave the club. Fortunately Newcastle did the job for our weak-minded board.

And as I also said, I welcomed the appointment of Hughes though I was not against Strachan or Dowie either. Any of the three would have been an improvement on the previous incumbent.

If you going to be a self-appointed "historian", I would suggest that you check your facts before you start pontificating. Leave that to the professionals.

[broadsword]

I would suggest that you check your facts before you start pontificating. Leave that to the professionals.

The Pope?

[broadsword]

I don't believe that you can really describe Ferguson as a cock-up. He has run our midfield on his own for most of this season and looks better every game.

Didn't say he was a bad player, just that he was over-priced.

[RevidgeBlue]

. Jim didn't have the guts to put forward a viable successor and left any questions relating to this unanswered. So' date=' no, they didn't get it right. [/quote']

Interesting view of history from a so-called "historian". Of course I was right.

I was one of only a few to have the "guts" to call for Souness to be removed. I was one of the few to see the damage he was doing to the club when most people he thought he could do no wrong.

As I said at the time, it didn't matter who replaced Souness. The imperative was for Souness to leave the club. Fortunately Newcastle did the job for our weak-minded board.

And as I also said, I welcomed the appointment of Hughes though I was not against Strachan or Dowie either. Any of the three would have been an improvement on the previous incumbent.

If you going to be a self-appointed "historian", I would suggest that you check your facts before you start pontificating. Leave that to the professionals.

Good to see you're full of festive spirit jim!

I broadly agreed with you about Souness and subsequent events and player comment have proved you were absolutely right.

Back to Brad, if Given leaves Newcastle as he seems to want to, (didn't take long for him to decide he doesn't fancy life under Souey) Friedel will surely be Souness's no 1 choice as replacement.

If he did leave for a substantial fee it would be a blow, but, IMO at his age not quite the mortal wound of losing exceptional younger players like Duff and to a certain extent Dunn, OR losing a key player for nothing like Cole.

Would he want to go? Tricky. Who has the better prospects? Newcastle under Souness and his cronies or us under Hughes and his coaching staff.? I would say that's a close call.

Fortunately for us also, Brad's opinion of Souness does not seem the highest and Souness will surely see the transfer window if not the season out.

[neophox]

sell Ferguson, he sinät showing anything...Brad is far better and more important. Fergy dwells to much with the ball. Can we get £10m for him then grab it fast!

A replacemnet for Short is also needed soon!

[Shaddy]

Yes, I agree he was tight-fisted and signed us some bargains (Stead, Thompson, Friedel). He also cocked up big-time on at least a couple of transfers (Grabbi, Ferguson, Amoruso), in that he paid over the odds. Unfortunately, even though the number of disasters was far fewer, the amount of overpayment was sufficient to negate the good work he did on the (greater) number of bargains he signed.

Look, I don't mean to be argumentive, but it wouldn't be unreasonable to say that he also had an influence in retaining Dunn and Duff when he took over, the latter signed to a deal with a hefty transfer release fee, a decision Souness was party to. I know this point is debatable, but it can also be said he had a hand in their development. Badly managed, they might not have become the vital assets they became in Div 1, and subsequently the Premier. Those two sold for well over 20 million pounds, he had a hand in that... I think it is fair to see it this way, and I'm just calling it how I see it.

Jim doesn't count, because he's always wanted Souness out, not just at the height of the worries over relegation. All those that called for that aren't wrong, because we can't say for sure Rover's would have been relegated had we made the switch. But what can be said is that retaining Souness did allow us to avoid the drop. Those that called for, which obviously includes me, can lay claim to it being the right course of action.

To be honest, I was suprised he wasn't forced out over the summer. I accepted that not everyone can have the blind faith I had in Souness, and posted that during the relegation battle last season. This is why I've taken Scotty to task over his earlier interjection in this thread.

I don't know. It is fair enough to go beating up on the ex-manager, especially when he did jump ship. I'm not so blinded I can't concede that. But I just wonder what everyones reaction would be if people started misrepresenting the truth, or at least as I perceive it, on Kenny Dalglish's time with the Rovers. I would certainly react in the same way I have done now.

Edited December 14, 2004 by Shaddy

[chris]

but Souness has money, he may have made mistakes but he's likely to go for proven quality, if he had three great years a Blackburn then why with finance can't he have three great years at newcastle before he loses the plot, i think Newcastle would be happy with that, we were

[USABlue]

STRONGLY disagree.  On both points.  Brad was sensational for his shot stopping when we finished sixth.  He made a lot of excellent saves.  His basics have been evidently benign since he arrived, even in the First Division you could tell.

He's never been one to come off his line and he did not cover more of his area when we finished sixth than he did now.

Would you not agree the best keepers will shine behind a poor defence.  A commanding keeper can help hold the defence together and if he KNOWS he is playing behind a dodgy bunch then he better be ready to come off his line and fast.  Skin this cat anyway you want Brad's closing down, positioning at set pieces and coming for crosses are all suspect.  We disagree so we disagree.  I'll move on now.

Twaddle. Two years ago Friedel was simply sensational and did more or less everything faultlessly.

Now, there's no doubt he's slipped a little from those heights since, but you make out he's completely passed it and useless. He's still easily one of the best keepers in the league, he regularly keeps us in games with world class saves (Fulham and Palace both come to mind recently), and rarely makes a mistake.

Yet every mistake he does make, you leap on like a scalded cat and seem to take great delight in announcing to everyone how you thought he was rubbish all along. You frequently accuse Jim of having a vendetta against Souness, what's your vendetta against Friedel all about? He's our best player ffs!

Sort of like you jump on so many of my posts. I have no vendetta against ANY Rovers player. Neither do I have wool pulled over my eyes because of one seasonof SENSATIONAL SHOT STOPPING. I'll say again and with conviction, his fundamentals have always been suspect.

Let's imagine (as you apparently are) he was flawless in that season, does supposed perfection two and three seasons ago mean he is in an unassailable position now. Perhaps in your book but not in mine.

[American]

I don't believe that you can really describe Ferguson as a cock-up. He has run our midfield on his own for most of this season and looks better every game.

Been looking worse and worse the last couple games I've seen him play. And I'm one who's a big fan of his. He's been pulling his Flitty disappearing act, which shouldn't happen when you were purchased for that much.