gkpaul
Player Valuation: £5m
Just thought I would make a thread for our American Keeper as he seems not to have one!
Comes in for some pretty over the top bashing sometimes and if you seem to defend him it gets brushed off as presumptuous if your a keeper defending him! OK for other to just write off other players in the squad as s***, or say "your a keeper so not a footballer!" Find that hugely presumptuous to be honest!!
People say hes scared of crosses and high balls, but he actually commands his area pretty well to be honest. Theres a lot of cliches about the position and often the first thing thrown at a keeper is he is bad with crosses etc! But Tim is pretty damn good at this side of the game. Not the best, but defo not the worse. Compared to others he is right up there to be honest! Bare in mind there are not many keepers who come for everything these days due to the accuracy of deliveries. Gomez did it when he first arrived and was missing things left right and centre, you dont see him do it now.
As all keepers are, Tim is a great shot stopper! The guy is insanely athletic to be honest, and in my honest opinion, the best in the league. I know people have said he struggles with shots from distance and he is beaten often. But, just look at any team in the top division and I bet that all teams concede from distance often too! Remember watching a match on TV and a free kick was sent just over the bar. Commentator says "Howard was beaten all ends up there." That was quoted on here as fact by some, but in the replay you see the ball a good four inches over the bar, but Tims hand was just below the bar ready to make the save had the ball been on target. Thats called having it covered! But, the free kick was raved about and Tims contribution never got a sniff, although some brought up the fact he struggles from distance!
I think Tims actually pretty under rated compared to some keepers. Like I have said time and time again on here I would take Tims record over any of the top four keepers. Some keepers are lauded as the best, great etc. Given is a good example, and I am a huge fan. But he really is a keeper who stays on his line a lot. He will make a save and its talked about as brilliant and you will see another keeper make a save just as good and nothings said about it!
Some keepers seem fashionable to people I guess. I hate to say it as I really dont want to sound presumptuous or saying if your a keeper you wont understand, but a lot of keepers are made great by non keepers thinking hes great. Buffon is a great example. Brilliant keeper, but never worlds greatest. Never catches a thing, has very 'soft' hands but very capable of making a worldy save which is remembered above and beyond his game as a whole!
After the derby I had another Blue talking to me saying we would have won had it not been for Reina! Sorry, but sod off! He flapped at everything, almost chucked one in and looked dodgey all game! He did make a superb double save, but thats all I recall he did!
What I am trying to say is Tim does not do these things during a game. You never see him flapping at every ball he comes for, not to say he has not flapped at anything in the past, but hes not doing it very often. Tims quite solid to be honest and has a pretty strong all round game.
Most keepers are seen as a little different, I can name the glove every keeper in the prem wears, and what difference he has to the retail model a Im that sad! But I like to think I look at things with a bit of common sense. I do like to think I know a bit about the position so do seem to always come out on the side of the keeper! But, I do criticize a keeper if I see a mistake. Will never call one crap or anything though (that goes for any pro player) as I can appreciate the hard work they must put into getting where they are. I work my arse off every week just to be a keeper at my level. I am 5 foot 5 and have to work hard to keep my place!
I really do appolagize if I come across as saying your not a keeper and dont understand as I am not trying to say that at all. As fans we all expect the best for our side so do criticize our team. I just feel some of the stuff leveled at our guy in the sticks has been way over the top, not as bad as some treat Hibbert, but still some stuff has left me baffled as to what Tim needs to do to win some of you over! Maybe a clean sheet and a hat trick at Anfield might help!?
Comes in for some pretty over the top bashing sometimes and if you seem to defend him it gets brushed off as presumptuous if your a keeper defending him! OK for other to just write off other players in the squad as s***, or say "your a keeper so not a footballer!" Find that hugely presumptuous to be honest!!
People say hes scared of crosses and high balls, but he actually commands his area pretty well to be honest. Theres a lot of cliches about the position and often the first thing thrown at a keeper is he is bad with crosses etc! But Tim is pretty damn good at this side of the game. Not the best, but defo not the worse. Compared to others he is right up there to be honest! Bare in mind there are not many keepers who come for everything these days due to the accuracy of deliveries. Gomez did it when he first arrived and was missing things left right and centre, you dont see him do it now.
As all keepers are, Tim is a great shot stopper! The guy is insanely athletic to be honest, and in my honest opinion, the best in the league. I know people have said he struggles with shots from distance and he is beaten often. But, just look at any team in the top division and I bet that all teams concede from distance often too! Remember watching a match on TV and a free kick was sent just over the bar. Commentator says "Howard was beaten all ends up there." That was quoted on here as fact by some, but in the replay you see the ball a good four inches over the bar, but Tims hand was just below the bar ready to make the save had the ball been on target. Thats called having it covered! But, the free kick was raved about and Tims contribution never got a sniff, although some brought up the fact he struggles from distance!
I think Tims actually pretty under rated compared to some keepers. Like I have said time and time again on here I would take Tims record over any of the top four keepers. Some keepers are lauded as the best, great etc. Given is a good example, and I am a huge fan. But he really is a keeper who stays on his line a lot. He will make a save and its talked about as brilliant and you will see another keeper make a save just as good and nothings said about it!
Some keepers seem fashionable to people I guess. I hate to say it as I really dont want to sound presumptuous or saying if your a keeper you wont understand, but a lot of keepers are made great by non keepers thinking hes great. Buffon is a great example. Brilliant keeper, but never worlds greatest. Never catches a thing, has very 'soft' hands but very capable of making a worldy save which is remembered above and beyond his game as a whole!
After the derby I had another Blue talking to me saying we would have won had it not been for Reina! Sorry, but sod off! He flapped at everything, almost chucked one in and looked dodgey all game! He did make a superb double save, but thats all I recall he did!
What I am trying to say is Tim does not do these things during a game. You never see him flapping at every ball he comes for, not to say he has not flapped at anything in the past, but hes not doing it very often. Tims quite solid to be honest and has a pretty strong all round game.
Most keepers are seen as a little different, I can name the glove every keeper in the prem wears, and what difference he has to the retail model a Im that sad! But I like to think I look at things with a bit of common sense. I do like to think I know a bit about the position so do seem to always come out on the side of the keeper! But, I do criticize a keeper if I see a mistake. Will never call one crap or anything though (that goes for any pro player) as I can appreciate the hard work they must put into getting where they are. I work my arse off every week just to be a keeper at my level. I am 5 foot 5 and have to work hard to keep my place!
I really do appolagize if I come across as saying your not a keeper and dont understand as I am not trying to say that at all. As fans we all expect the best for our side so do criticize our team. I just feel some of the stuff leveled at our guy in the sticks has been way over the top, not as bad as some treat Hibbert, but still some stuff has left me baffled as to what Tim needs to do to win some of you over! Maybe a clean sheet and a hat trick at Anfield might help!?
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