Credit should always be given where credit is due. For me, Łukasz Fabiański was the man of the match against Wolves at Molineux on Wednesday night. Yet just four days previously he was the villain against Toon at the Grove with a fundamental technical error leading to what turned out to be the winning goal. Three points down the gurgler.
Let’s have it right. The rest of the side should shoulder its share of the blame. We were completely toothless in the attacking third of the pitch. Yes, we did hit the woodwork in the second half but that that was as close as we would come to an equaliser, never mind a winner.
All that said we would have taken at least a point if Fabiański hadn’t turned into his technically challenged twin Flapihandski – yet again. At 25 the guy simply shouldn’t be making these sorts of fundamental errors. Any goalie will make mistakes. Even world class keepers will make the odd howler. I’ve seen the greatest do so – Banks, Mazurkiewicz, Yashin (albeit only on tape. I only saw him play once in the flesh), Shilton, Jennings, Schmichael (world-class, much as I detested him), Seaman – they all dropped the odd clanger.
“Odd” is the operative word however. Great goalies might make one or two errors a season. Goalkeeping errors tend to be magnified as they almost always lead to conceding a goal. After a good run in the side following Manuel Almunia’s injury the reverted to his earlier error-prone form last Sunday. That’s the worry. Yes, goalies mature later than outfield players. It is the most complex position technically in football. There’s so much more to learn, particularly since the inception of the back-pass rule by the International Football Association Board in 1992.
At 25 years of age Fabiański should be past making such fundamental technical errors however. If you come for a ball in the air you simply have to catch it (preferably) or at least get a solid clearing punch on the ball. On Sunday Fabiański did neither, stranding himself as Andy Carroll nodded home.
And there lies my main worry about him. You just get that feeling that he’s going to make a mistake. So, despite his excellent performance on Wednesday night, I believe we must be in the market for a top-drawer keeper in the January transfer window. I’m not convinced that Łukasz Fabiański will ever make it to the very top.
On the other hand I think Wojciech Szczęsny has the potential to make it right to the very top of the goalkeeping tree. I’m delighted with the news yesterday that he’s signed a new long-term contract with us. I’d let Manuel Almunia go in the January window, keep Vito Mannone out on loan and sign an experienced goalie to give us one or two solid seasons to allow Szczęsny to mature a little more, possibly putting him out on loan next season and bringing back Vito Mannone as third choice. I wouldn’t be opposed to letting Fabiański go if we get a decent offer for him either. Well as he played on Wednesday night I’m just not convinced he’ll ever completely cut the unforced errors in his game down to an acceptable minimum.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think we missed a trick when Brad Friedel left Ewood Park. He’s given excellent service to Aston Villa since he arrived in Birmingham. He’s just the sort of experienced, class goalie that we’ve lacked for too long now. Germany’s Oliver Kahn won the Lev Yashin Award for best goalkeeper at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. I thought that it should have gone to Friedel who was simply outstanding in the USA’s run to the quarter-finals.
That boat has sailed now, although I wouldn’t be opposed to bringing him in if Villa would let him go. The great Italian goalie Dino Zoff won the World Cup aged 40 with Italy in Spain in 1982. He played for Juventus until he was 41. Pat Jennings, by a very short head the best goalie I’ve ever seen play for Arsenal made the last of his 327 appearances for us aged 40. Friedel is 39. I think he’d be perfect for us. I’d also revive the Mark Schwarzer move if that were still on, although it’s been reported that he’s about to sign a new contract with Fulham.
One goalie I wouldn’t sign is Pepe Reina. I’m not nearly as impressed with him as others appear to be. I think he has the same defect as Łukasz Fabiański – too error-prone. He’d cost a fortune in salary and transfer fee, money that I don’t think would be well-spent. I’m not opposed to flashing the cash either in transfer or salary as a matter of principle. We’ve got the money to go large if we want to now, but it’s got to be for the right player who is going to make a real difference long-term. Reina isn’t that player, for my money at least.
All that’s pure speculation of course. What isn’t is our game on Sunday at Goodison Park. Another vital League game for us. After a run of indifferent form we need to pick up the pace again.
Keep the faith!
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