View Full Version : Why not Van der Saar?
martymarts
26 Jan 2005, 02:23 PM
He's just publicly admitted that had either ManUre or us stepped in he'd probably not have extended is stay at Craven Cottage? Arsenal would've been favourites, because his family are happy and settled in London. So given the current colly wobbles and the nominal fee we'd've had to pay for a nearly out of contract player, or wanted till summer and got him gratis, why the hell didn't we make a play for a 27 yr old keeper who is better than our 2 put together???
Come on you Gunners, what's going on???
Detlef
26 Jan 2005, 02:31 PM
well he did have that brutal blunder vs. Arsenal last season!!!
Coach_McGuirk
26 Jan 2005, 02:33 PM
He's older than 27, isn't he? He's been around for AGES. I thought he was 33 or so and that was the hold up, not wanting another stop-gap keeper.
EDIT: Just what I thought. Hell be 35 this year.
http://www.fulhamfc.com/pprofiles/displayProfile.asp?pid=4&id=316821
footballcommentator
26 Jan 2005, 02:37 PM
He's older than 27, isn't he? He's been around for AGES. I thought he was 33 or so and that was the hold up, not wanting another stop-gap keeper.
EDIT: Just what I thought. Hell be 35 this year.
http://www.fulhamfc.com/pprofiles/displayProfile.asp?pid=4&id=316821
I dont think the age matters, look at David Seaman, and VDS stills plays with the Dutch.
I wrote about it today:
http://footballcommentator.blogspot.com/2005/01/edwin-van-der-sar-signs-fullham.html
ibreak4coffee
26 Jan 2005, 02:43 PM
He's older than 27, isn't he? He's been around for AGES. I thought he was 33 or so and that was the hold up, not wanting another stop-gap keeper.
EDIT: Just what I thought. Hell be 35 this year.
http://www.fulhamfc.com/pprofiles/displayProfile.asp?pid=4&id=316821
Van der Saar has a couple of years left. He's a proven big time keeper, with loads of experience in international and european play. He would have been a good addition for Arsenal for the next few years, when the market for younger keepers could be better than it is now.
Coach_McGuirk
26 Jan 2005, 02:44 PM
Oh I don't doubt his talent, but Arsenal needs to get out of the habit of picking up keepers in their mid-30's and get someone young in who can stay with the team for an extended run.
ibreak4coffee
26 Jan 2005, 02:46 PM
Oh I don't doubt his talent, but Arsenal needs to get out of the habit of picking up keepers in their mid-30's and get someone young in who can stay with the team for an extended run.
Unfortunately Coach the market for those keepers looks pretty slim right now... I havent seen Green's name mentioned much, and a foreign option like Hildebrand (definitely going to be Germany's keeper for the 2006 WC) doesnt seem likely
Arsenal_pwns_all
26 Jan 2005, 05:09 PM
Firstly, Van Der Saar has extended his contract with Fulham, so the chances of getting him is not that high now.
Secondly, my therory as to why Wenger didn't want to buy a new goalkeeper is because he is waiting to buy Hildebrand. He's cup tied right now, so there's little point in buying him now, but come Jan he should be available.
Teso Dos Bichos
26 Jan 2005, 06:43 PM
The last time Van der Sar was at a big club, he was crap.
paulocesar
26 Jan 2005, 08:30 PM
Firstly, Van Der Saar has extended his contract with Fulham, so the chances of getting him is not that high now.
Secondly, my theory as to why Wenger didn't want to buy a new goalkeeper is because he is waiting to buy Hildebrand. He's cup tied right now, so there's little point in buying him now, but come Jan he should be available.
Last I checked, it is January right now :confused: And waiting for Hildebrand later rather now means Arsenal will have to fight and negotiate past other suitors (ie. Manure, Inter, Bayern Munich, etc.). That's a risk Wenger is willing to take...I'd handle it differently myself.
I personally think Arsenal is presently on a cycle where in the next 3 years, if they can't win the Champions League with the present crop of players, then when can they win the big enchilada?...and Van der Saar is a top notch goalkeeper NOW...Waiting for a young keeper to hit his prime (ahem Almunia) is not a safe route. Of course, I'm not Wenger, ...and since it appears he has let the january transfer period go without a goalkeeper signing, worry is not the exact word I'd like to use right now...but its getting close.
paulocesar
26 Jan 2005, 08:32 PM
The last time Van der Sar was at a big club, he was crap.
Yes, Ajax were crap when he was there...and Juve stunk so bad they just had to get a keeper as soon as they could find one...ahem Buffon... :rolleyes: never mind bringing in an Italian compatriate as keeper.
I think Van der Saar's record speaks for itself.
michaec
27 Jan 2005, 04:03 AM
Van Der Saar is too old and waaaayyyy over-rated. That's why not.
martymarts
27 Jan 2005, 11:02 AM
My mistake about his age! I thought it was a bit young, but, that's what was posted in the article I read?
I don't think he's overated! He's a good shot stopper, handles crosses well, reads the game and positions himself well, and gets down low amazingly well for a big guy. At 34 he should have at least 3 good years left in him and if we'd taken him on a 4 year contract would it really matter if he'd spent the last 2 years as number 2 to a matured Alumnia or A N Other?
My hope is, that there is real substance to the rumours about the Jens' swap to Stuttgart. We may wait till the summer to make the trade, but, the deal could be finalised and binding now, because I think Hildebrand will be a free agent then; not 100% sure of that though???
DBecks
27 Jan 2005, 11:20 AM
Wenger isn't going to buy anyone over 30. Even if they're a keeper at a bargain-basement price. He's too stingy (and smart) for that.
I was a big VdS fan back in the day (when he was still young), but ever since the WC 98 semi-final v. Brazil (when Taffarel was the old-as-dirt keeper who proved to be the better keeper that day), I just don't think he's as good as a lot of people thought.
Granted it's unfair to have a shootout as the litmus test for any keeper, but the first thing that comes to mind when I read/hear Van der Sar's name is Brazil in the Final of the '98 WC.
And wouldn't a France-Netherlands final have been a better matchup? Oh well.
paulocesar
27 Jan 2005, 12:18 PM
If your judging by shootouts, what about the Holland-Sweden quaterfinal in last year's European championship?
Van der Saar > Lehmann > Almunia... :cool:
jegerpenge
27 Jan 2005, 01:06 PM
Yeah, that crap pissed me off. I had Sweden going all the way.
fox point fury
27 Jan 2005, 01:15 PM
I was a big VdS fan back in the day (when he was still young), but ever since the WC 98 semi-final v. Brazil (when Taffarel was the old-as-dirt keeper who proved to be the better keeper that day), I just don't think he's as good as a lot of people thought.
Way off topic, but I didn't think Kluivert's inability to put a shot on frame had anything to do with Taffarel's skill.
Teso Dos Bichos
27 Jan 2005, 01:29 PM
Yes, Ajax were crap when he was there...and Juve stunk so bad they just had to get a keeper as soon as they could find one...ahem Buffon... :rolleyes: never mind bringing in an Italian compatriate as keeper.
I think Van der Saar's record speaks for itself.
I wonder why Juventus spend so much money bringing in keepers...
martymarts
27 Jan 2005, 04:50 PM
You're not seeing the wood for the trees! The fact is, Goalkeepers are a different breed and, like a good wine, often mature with age. It doesn't suprise me that a more experienced keeper outclassed him in 98. He'd have been 27 then and that is still young for a keeper. The fact is, like many before him he may only be at his best now, which would be consistant with what I've seen from him this season?
Cannon
27 Jan 2005, 07:42 PM
You're not seeing the wood for the trees! The fact is, Goalkeepers are a different breed and, like a good wine, often mature with age. It doesn't suprise me that a more experienced keeper outclassed him in 98. He'd have been 27 then and that is still young for a keeper. The fact is, like many before him he may only be at his best now, which would be consistant with what I've seen from him this season?
I would agree with this statement a couple of years ago but I haven't seen much sign of the old Ed. He looks exactly like what he is: an older keeper on the downslope of his career. He has had a few injuries so that is a worry going forward. He still has moments of amazing skill but they appear less often. Some of that may be the ongoing problems in their defense but that only partly lets him off the hook. Most of the time I see him he is picking the ball out of his net.
Not sure why people see him as some massive improvement over Jens. Remember when he gave the ball to Reyes last year. Imagine if Jens had done that. I really see very little to seperate the two of them. We should look elsewhere for our next keeper.