Match winners (tm)

[red g]

At the risk of opening this debate up to a much longer discussion I would disagree. Keepers can win you points and change the flow of a match with a great save but to win a game you require someone to but the ball in the net and the chances of any keeper doing that are slim.

I guess everyone is welcome to define the term as they will but for the sake of discussion I think it is fair to define it such that a keeper is not one.

To my mind we need to have four consistent goal threats, players who can get a goal from almost nothing on the pitch at all times if we are to win the league. For me Gerrard and Torres have proven they have that quality and Keane has at a lower level but all the other players haven't done so anything like frequently enough yet.

A quality set piece taker would add another one of these to the team in my opinion. It does infuriate me that we don't take advantage of so many situations. I would imagine that players like Downing and Barry for their respective clubs won a lot of points simply by being able to kick a standing ball with accuracy and having a bit of imagination.

How can we be soooo poor at set pieces? and have been for years. Nobody can seeem to hit dead balls

[Imy]

This is one of the main problems with our team, i don't think we fair well in comparison to the Match Winners at Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea

[El Jefecito]

At the risk of opening this debate up to a much longer discussion I would disagree. Keepers can win you points and change the flow of a match with a great save but to win a game you require someone to but the ball in the net and the chances of any keeper doing that are slim.

Not disagreeing, just thought it funny that in the Telegraph (I think) match report, they listed Pepe as a matchwinner

[Nicey]

The Crow !!!

[bobbyfallon]

How can we be soooo poor at set pieces? and have been for years. Nobody can seeem to hit dead balls

problem is gerrard takes most of them.

for me he is decent in the air and should be attacking the crosses or at least there for the breaking ball...

for me also a free kick should more often than not be inswinging rather than outswinging. seen so many in the last few years that get the slightest of touches or none at all and end up in the net.

it has to be much easier to score from a glancing header than attacking an outswinging
one ??

[wiw]

At the risk of opening this debate up to a much longer discussion I would disagree. Keepers can win you points and change the flow of a match with a great save but to win a game you require someone to but the ball in the net and the chances of any keeper doing that are slim.

I guess everyone is welcome to define the term as they will but for the sake of discussion I think it is fair to define it such that a keeper is not one.

His distibrution is at a different level to any other keeper in the league imo, and as we saw last season it can lead to goals when people manage to bring the ball down and use it...this and his penalty saves could make all the difference..but yes he obviously isn't going to score


Torres/Gerrard are already consistent match winners
Babel/Keane should be you would think
Benayoun/Kuyt can be

We need more from the rest though..Agger can be, Sami can be, and the other young lads can be. Barry certainly could be with his set-pieces and goals should he join.

[Scratch]

Talking of set pieces, can someone please explain to me why no one seems to hit a dead ball for us, and we nearly always roll it off to th side...yes, it is suppose to negate the effect of the wall, but it also gives the defenders the chance to charge the ball...surely we'd be better of packing their wall with our players, and blasting it at the gap they create when they move?

Failing that, try curling the ****er over/around the wall!!!