Garbatellamike

Gomez and Stones

BristolUK

Sure, but at the club level you don't get short periods every two years where it's 'all or nothing' like you do in the international game.

While an injury is possible your goalkeeper is not going to be suspended for yellow card accumulation like he might in tournament finals.

Aside from that, the club understudy will likely play in at least one of the domestic cups or, when there's a run of the mill league match immediately before a big champions league match, say, then he can get some playing time there.

Man City, ManU, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs have all been playing their second choice keepers in the cups/minor league games and even Juventus were alternating theirs.

England generally has numerous qualifying matches and friendlies to give some playing time to back up keepers.

BristolUK

Yeah, there was one in the guardian too.

Seaman was the last of the great ones but we persisted with him too long when Nigel Martyn should have been rewarded for his performances at Leeds when they had that exceptional couple of years in Europe before it all fell apart for them.

We had a period where we didn't produce any good keepers because Prem clubs were importing them, just like coaches and creative players so we had a shortage of those too. Now that we have some choices - albeit they're not being chosen for more than the bench - it's just better than it was.
Well even that's a whole lot better than it was 5 to 20 years ago.

Centre backs aside in most positions any one of around 3 players can be picked to do the job with no significant loss to the team. Of course that doesn't mean they're very good, but it does mean that nobody need ever be missed like players like Keegan, Brooking, Robson, Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham and Rooney have all been sorely missed at different times with nobody coming close to making up the loss.

BristolUK

Although I feel Stones should really have learned by now that there are times when you don't try to play out.

Gomez plays between TAA and Van Dijk, he's not just sharing RB, so yes, he can do it too.

I still think Dier should be told he's a CB or not involved. He's not good enough for midfield at the top level - really got shown up by Juve in the CL a year or two back. For me he is the compromise. Defends first but can play with the ball a bit.

zargof

The fact that tournaments are only a matter of a few weeks is a good reason for having a single goalkeeper. You need the consistency of a goalkeeper that the defence knows.

Also I don't buy the argument of a back up keeper needing playing time. They should be getting that at their club. If they aren't then why are they even in the international squad?

Garbatellamike

yeah agree all that

BristolUK

Yes of course you only want the one keeper and the best one. But something might happen to prevent that either leading into the tournament or at the finals themselves.

I meant playing time with the national team not generally. Playing time at his club doesn't help with the defence that he doesn't know because he's not had playing time with those players and they won't know him as well as the guy indisposed.

JamesM

They have training sessions at tournaments where all the goalkeepers train with the players.

BristolUK

Not the same as actually playing in match conditions and how team mates react to different opponents of different styles. That only comes with being part of the real thing.

I'm just saying that a club understudy will have domestic cup matches and some minor league games (as well as much more training/familiarity) and be more ready to step in unexpectedly than the NT understudy who might otherwise be a bit more prepared if he had some friendlies and dead rubber qualifiers to play in.

Just to repeat, the 27 and 33 year old back up keepers have done it once and three times.

jam25mack

Du wifi? Cannot get it on Etisalat data and now on Etisalat wifi since I've moved and that aint playing ball either.... :-(

Scamp

Du wifi at home, yeah.

BristolUK

What the...
https://www.theguardian.com/football...ny-testimonial

Sign him up.

JamesM

Played my Fantasy Wild Card. I can't do any worse so figure now was the time!

Garbatellamike

I note you didn't show the clip of him half killing Bellamy with the worse tackle I've seen since Scholes retired😉😉

Garbatellamike

you are still above civilservant and I so can do worse