Confirmed Signing: Shay Given (Man City)

[LambStockmix]

Joe Lewis from The Posh?

i have suggested Joe Lewis in a thread before!

I think he is class and would be a perfect understudy to Given.

Given is still class and still playing brilliantly for his country. Plus we'd be saving £6/7m odd compared to buying Foster which could go elsewhere.

[Qwpzxjor1]

Rather we just offered Birmingham 20m for Foster and Dann. Younger, better, less wages and Birmingham aren't in a position to reject 20m.

We'd have to replace Given again in a year or so, even if he does do well for us, and then we'd still need a good defender who'd cost 12m or so. So really it won't end up any more expensive, and Given will want more wages too.

[Bazdavies79]

Why would Given need to be replaced in a year?

[Stu_The_Villan]

This may be a really stupid question....but if were after an ageing 'steady pair of hands'....why the **** didnt we just extend Friedels contract?

[Shillzz]

This may be a really stupid question....but if were after an ageing 'steady pair of hands'....why the **** didnt we just extend Friedels contract?

I think we did try, but he got a better offer from Spurs. IIRC, we only offered him 1 year, where as Spurs gave him 2, which in hindsight, may have been a mistake.

[Rich_D]

This may be a really stupid question....but if were after an ageing 'steady pair of hands'....why the **** didnt we just extend Friedels contract?

We did. He rejected it.

1 year at Villa or 2 at Spurs. No debate really

[Adbo9]

This may be a really stupid question....but if were after an ageing 'steady pair of hands'....why the **** didnt we just extend Friedels contract?

and FWIW Given is better than him and 5 years his junior

[Stu_The_Villan]

and FWIW Given is better than him

Debateable, but i guess we're gonna find out

[KentVillan]

Saying Shay Given is only a good shot stopper is like saying Darren Bent only scores goals. I'd take him in a heartbeat.

No it isn't. It's like saying a player has no left foot, or isn't good in the air.

A keeper's job is to stop goals from being scored, and part of that means good positioning, claiming crosses, organising his defence, etc. so that he doesn't have to do flashy saves.

Given was the best shot stopper in the league for a few seasons, yet none of the top 4 came in for him. There's a reason for that.

[Adbo9]

Saying Shay Given is only a good shot stopper is like saying Darren Bent only scores goals. I'd take him in a heartbeat.

No it isn't. It's like saying a player has no left foot, or isn't good in the air.

A keeper's job is to stop goals from being scored, and part of that means good positioning, claiming crosses, organising his defence, etc. so that he doesn't have to do flashy saves.

Given was the best shot stopper in the league for a few seasons, yet none of the top 4 came in for him. There's a reason for that.

Yeah - Van Der Sar, Cech, Reina etc... were already in place at current clubs

[jat_r]

Saying Shay Given is only a good shot stopper is like saying Darren Bent only scores goals. I'd take him in a heartbeat.

No it isn't. It's like saying a player has no left foot, or isn't good in the air.

A keeper's job is to stop goals from being scored, and part of that means good positioning, claiming crosses, organising his defence, etc. so that he doesn't have to do flashy saves.

Given was the best shot stopper in the league for a few seasons, yet none of the top 4 came in for him. There's a reason for that.

Yeah - Van Der Sar, Cech, Reina etc... were already in place at current clubs

And Man City refused to sell to Arsenal. I think. We know how Wenger has his restraints.

Given is a good goalkeeper. As long as he passes his medical and is injury free I would be very happy with that signing.

[Copey11]

Stu is right about the shoulder injuries. I know firsthand that the likelihood of the injury to recur is very high, especially if he is playing everyday. And goalkeepers essentially spend the whole game putting themselves in exactly the situations that have the highest likelihood of separating the shoulder, which no matter how long the recovery time was will always be weaker.

I think he is an excellent keeper, and would be fine with him here, but we better have a contingency plan because the odds say that his injury will happen again.

[CitizenBlue]

Given is fine, his old injury isn't a problem. We get training reports every day and he has been healthy.

There is nothing wrong with him, if that's what you're concerned about. He just doesn't play because a young England #1 came along. If Given were 23 and Hart 35, it would have been Hart losing the job.

Mancini doesn't want to sell him, but is only entertaining a transfer because Shay has requested first team football. None of us fans want to see him go.

[Pez1974]

I'd take him, but the figures quoted are mad, and probably bollocks.

Absolute max of £2m for me, and he can get a pay off from Man C on his contract, so realistic salary too.

I'd love to get a good young keeper, but so would Chelsea, Spuds, and Liverpool (Man Utd, Citeh and Aresenal have got them). For me, Robinson and Foster are fine, but nothing special and Lewis hasn't seemed to kick on at Posh, otherwise he would have been snapped up.

Someone like Given, with the plan of developing Parrish or Seigreist ain't a bad call.

[beasley14]

Well he was a top, top keeper when he moved to City. If he stays fit he would be an improvement on Friedel.

[KentVillan]

Saying Shay Given is only a good shot stopper is like saying Darren Bent only scores goals. I'd take him in a heartbeat.

No it isn't. It's like saying a player has no left foot, or isn't good in the air.

A keeper's job is to stop goals from being scored, and part of that means good positioning, claiming crosses, organising his defence, etc. so that he doesn't have to do flashy saves.

Given was the best shot stopper in the league for a few seasons, yet none of the top 4 came in for him. There's a reason for that.

Yeah - Van Der Sar, Cech, Reina etc... were already in place at current clubs

And Man City refused to sell to Arsenal. I think. We know how Wenger has his restraints.

Given was first choice at Newcastle from 1997 onwards, well before Cech and Reina came on to the scene. In 2001-02 he was selected in the PFA team of the year.

Yet still none of the top 4 came in for him. That's because shot stopping alone doesn't make a keeper. Look at what Fergie focused on when searching for van der Sar's replacement:

"He's a young goalkeeper, very quick, good composure, presence and an outstanding replacement for van der Sar.

"We were looking for the same type of qualities as Edwin, because the one great quality Edwin always had was his composure and organisational ability.

"With David De Gea, he is very similar that way."

I'm not saying for a moment that Given isn't a good enough player for Villa, but I think when you take into account the price, injury risk, and lack of resale value, he doesn't compare particularly well to some of the other options. I would much rather have Foster or Ruffier. Ambitious, long-term signings.

[leevilla]

if he can stay fit he would be a great signing.

[ChrisH]

I'd take him, but the figures quoted are mad, and probably bollocks.

Absolute max of £2m for me, and he can get a pay off from Man C on his contract, so realistic salary too.

I can't see Man City doing anything to make it too easy for him to leave. From their point of view they have 2 very good keepers and they don't exactly need the money.

Given will want first team football but he hasn't exactly been overly vocal to the extent Man City would want to get rid.

[jim]

Well he was a top, top keeper when he moved to City. If he stays fit he would be an improvement on Friedel.

[Ulver]

I'm half and half with the Given link. Not all keepers look after their bodies as professionally as Brad or Van Der Sar. Not all keepers can stay at the top of their game until late 30s early 40s. They have to be disciplined, and I've no idea what sort of character Given is in that regard

This shoulder injury also worries me as they tend to come back. The fact he hasnt played a run of games for ages may be the breaking point for it to flare up again when he next does

I'd rather buy a Foster and have a long term solution, or at the very least a sellable asset should someone else pick him up in a few years from us