By ToonTillIDie
December 9 2009

Well done for England qualifying to the world cup, but before we know it the first game will be under way and the lead up will be exciting, the talk of the players who could be going and eventually Capello will put us out the pain. Discussions have already taken place on Sky about the England number 1 jersey.

For me this is our weakest part of the team and has been for the last few years. Capello will more than likely take 3 goal keepers and has already stated that he will not take any players carrying injuries to the 2010 World Cup next year, and recurring injuries could cost a player his dream, especially David James, or any other player.

So what do we go for; experience, a big name, somebody playing regular, a foriegner or a unknown at international level. The likes who will be in the running will be the usual suspects; James, Foster, Green and Robinson. If fully fit then I reckon James will be the number one choice but with the injuries he may left home, when Capello came on the scene he was probably the most consistent goalkeeper in the premiership but recently has struggled with form again and injuries, and has always been a gamble in goal. The other choices are Ben Foster, 3rd choice for Man United but could be number 1 for England, but Capello likes players playing regular and Foster isn't doing it and lacks experience of this level, to me he one for the future and in future competitions then I think he will be number 1.

Robert Green and Chris Kirkland are to unpredictable this year and leaking goals for fun, at the moment they look like they lack confidence and will probably struggle to get it back when they are playing in teams who are struggling, both have never looked comfortable at the top level and seem like the best they could do is playing for a mid table premiership team. Paul Robinson has been tryed and tested and has failed for England, he constantly switch's off and over the years has got worse, I wouldn't feel confident in this lad winning games to get us through. Then if we go for the inexperience of Joe Hart, he has been a let down at Birmingham and when he went there on loan I thought this was going to be his year, one for the future but not yet, the lad is a no where near Shay Given, ok not English but, if Hart had stayed to fight for his place at City, then he would have been warming the bench. No way near the quality yet of a top goalie. Then there is the argument of Manuel Almunia, he is allowed to play for England but I think Capello is put off with him being Spanish, and really if Arsenal had a better goalkeeper then they would be pushing up the league, for me he is a definate no.

Potentially in the premiership we may stuggle to get 3 goalkeepers who have the experience that you get with age or confidence between the sticks. Previously Capello has looked at the lower leagues and called up Joe Lewis to the team when were struck down with injuries. So Capello isn't frightened to go down to the lower leagues, so I am saying give our Harper a chance and take him to the world cup as one of the goalkeepers, ok we are in the championship and he isn't coming against the top forwards or teams week in week out. But Harper is playing week in week out, keeping clean sheets and got the confidence going into each game. What he lacks in international experience he makes up through age, come the world cup he will be 35 years old.

Harper For England

Discussion started by TyneTalk (IP Logged), 09/12/2009 16:49

TyneTalk
09/12/2009 16:49

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waffles
09/12/2009 16:56

You're leaving off Scott Carson from West Brom, who has been capped for England three times (all last year).

Capello doesn't like to cap Championship players, but if I were bringing three keepers as England it'd be: James, Robinson, and Carson. Carson is better than Hart, and is only 2 years older. If you're grooming a keeper for the future, he's your man.


The problem with Harper as England's keeper is he doesn't have the commanding presence necessary. Rio and Terry don't communicate very well, so they need a Keeper who will put them in their place. That's James's problem, too. Harper has no caps for England, and thus no experience with either Center Back. Furthermore, Taylor is the one who is organizing our defense, not Harper.

Harper has been great this year. You don't keep 11 clean sheets, and concede a mere 10 goals in 19 matches by being poor. But I just don't see him being menacing enough to be England's #1.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:12:09:17:01:12 by waffles.

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TOONTILLIDIE
09/12/2009 18:22

Totally forgot about Carson, but for me he is another Kirkland, overated. He has done nothing and would rather have Harper or Krul in goal for the Toon.

I do agree that Capello won't pick in the championship but if people are struglling with fitness, confidence or regular football then why not look down a division.

In a ideal world if everybody was fully fit, playing regular and were full of confidence then I would take James, Foster and possibly Hart to gain experience. But the state of the goalkeepers I would rather go with somebody with confidence and to me Harper has sh@t loads.

As you point out he may not command the defence but who really does out the choices we have, James does and if fully fit he will play but the other don't.

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rogeybear
09/12/2009 18:45

not good enough, no were near good enough

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TOONTILLIDIE
09/12/2009 21:42

I am not saying he is the answer, but the state of the goalkeeper we have at the moment, he is good enough to go.

I have made numerous comments about Harper not being good enough in the premiership as a top 10 goalkeeper, but then how many English goalkeepers are playing regular for a top 10 side

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tunyc
10/12/2009 18:59

Nowhere near good enough, Rogey? OK, I'll bite. That implies someone's much, much better and available. Who's that?

I wouldn't pick Harper, but he'd only barely not make the cut. I still like Green; he's in a @#$%& team at WHAM but he's a quality shot stopper and commands his area pretty well. For me: James (if healthy), Green and Carson. Definitely seen enough of pieman. No more Robinson for England.

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TOONTILLIDIE
10/12/2009 20:52

What I am saying is I would go with somebody with confidence and all the English keeper have none playing for sh@t teams.

Fully agree Robinson is cr@p and should be no where near the team

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Gallowgate Luke
10/12/2009 22:13

I'd rather not have Harps in the England team (but that doesnt mean I dont think he's not good enough).
Knowing our luck he'd go and bust his arm or something

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Andrew The Mag
11/12/2009 16:26

Sorry but I simply dont think Steve is good enough, smashing loyal bloke but unfortunatly I cant see him ever getting in the england team,

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TOONTILLIDIE
11/12/2009 19:03

Lewis got called up so it is possible, all of our keepers are not playing for top teams, except Foster who is not 1st choice, what I am saying if he has a great season, keeping clean sheets, the team gets promoted and the rest of the goalies struggle with thier teams and constantly letting in goals due to thier teams being sh@t then he stands a chance

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senyabtoon
11/12/2009 19:12

I would take harper reason 1 not very injury prone 2 very consistent performances 3 not prone to silly gaffs all the other England keepers mentioned in this thread are 4you ever seen harps look under pressure no cool as a cucumber all the others seem to have confidence issues and before some of you's jump in and say he is not proven at international level i agree but what i do say is he defo wont do worse than any other keeper we can choose from

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