I don't agree. Jens simply made too many mistakes last season (especially in the Champions League, good grief!). I agree that Arsenal's defence could have done much better, but he made several crazy challenges outside the box and always seemed unsure on crosses and corners. As for Almunia, he's just terrible. Lehmann was simply lucky that there was no better replacement, otherwise he would have never played again. As for Arsenal having lots of money, why didn't they buy any expensive reinforcements then? Because Arsene Wenger lost the plot? Well, maybe. In fact, I think Jens got too much credit for Arsenal's unbeaten streak two years ago, and that's maybe why Wenger is a bit too fond of him. Sepp was sacrificed for making a few very clumsy remarks. He thought Kahn was better than Lehmann, and said that in a way not too dissimilar to your way of defending Lehmann, i.e. with 'fock you's mixed in. You'd also be sacked as a goalkeeping coach of the german team I think... I agree with this, Kahn had a bad phase back then. Luckily, he is much better now. Anyway, this is a non-issue. We know that Kahn is going to start in the WC, and Kinsmann should get his act together and tell people about it.
The other shoe has landed. This move was clearly too predictable Footy. As you know, I also love your insightful "other-side-of-the-fence" mentality. Hell, the truth hurts sometimes, especially when the a fan such as myself couldn't even tell you the half of it. Nine times out of ten it is all news to me. I don't know if your coffee wasn't strong enough mate, or you are sleep deprived, but man, you are on a roll today my friend. Add a little sunshine in there and lighten up. So you hate Bayern... we get it that... it is well documented all over these boards. The guy made a comment he can't back up, you in turn crushed him with your concise knowledge of the situation -- end of story. I can at least admit my comments are purely based on pure emotion, if you can call it that. I just don't like Lehmann as a person (as respectfully, you and I established back yonder)... I don't know, there is something about him. I, however, do not doubt his ability in the net... that was never mentioned. I just hate players that use the public forum to air their matters - it strikes me as classless, just let your playing do the talk. That being said, Kahn I am not sure is the answer either, although he is having a stellar season so far. Funny, here in the States the American football commentators always talk about how players are playing at there best in a "contract year" (they then get signed to some large amount of cash and proceed to smell up the place the next season)... perhaps the same can be said of the likes of Kahn and company -- perform your best when it is most needed and carries the greatest reward. Ludicrous, I know.
Oh come on! There were quite a few matches in that run where Lehmann saved their asses. We both know that. He was a big part of that run. But yes, he did screw up afterwards, paid the price and bounced back. Not the first time he's done it in his career and he's not the only one. That was only part of it. Before it got to that point, Klinsmann talked about opening up the goalkeeping competition and Meier was not silent about his thoughts of Jens Lehmann and even said the job was "rightfully" Kahn's at one point. The notion of Lehmann even possibly being as good as Kahn was unfathomable to him. Like it is to some on these boards. Anyway, it only got to the point of Meier being fired when Klinsmann directed that the competition be opened up, Meier refused to acknowledge his new boss' wishes and Klinsmann canned his ass. There was a lot more involved than just "bad language". The question is is he much better than Lehmann? You probably think the answer is yes. I disagree. I think their performances in the warm-up matches back up that opinion. But that's just it. It's a matter of opinion. Is he? Are we sure? I'd agree, but I don't know. Not with Klinsi.
All this talk about the goalkeepers...erm I think when it comes WC time, the GK problem is the last of their problems.
Absolutley, we should be worried about whats going on in front of our goalkeepers.....nevermind the dilema of how our strikers will score against teams like Holland, Italy,Czechs after the group stages....
I think whats more worrisome is our central defense partnership...I think that one of the main reasons why we've had such a gk "problem" is because they never have a set defensive pair set...and if we do have one "set," do I really have confidence if they face "Magic" Zurawski or Wanchope, nevermind Henry, Ruud or Sheva or Brasil... Any gk can be made a fool if his men protecting him are shite.
I don't really like Lehmann, either. But his opinions are often intelligent, so I have at least some respect for him. Anyway, what I wanted to point out: It is not only Lehmann who uses the public forum. The media has shaped Kahn so often to be the "titan", the super-human being, and he is willingly a part of that. His advertising and TV spots work with that formula, his interviews want to present him in that light, when he is talking about mental strength etc.pp. He tries also to create his own image. And the Bayern leaders are doing that, too. Heck, when even DFB President MV basically says "it must be Kahn because they play in Munich", so it basically seems there is no other option because of fate and destiny, i.e. Kahn is destined to be Number one... I don't really think it is evil for Lehmann to remember "Yes, that's all fine, but performance should decide". The pro-Kahn bias in the media Lehmann is talking about is not all just paranoia from him. And Kahn always wanted to project the image that he is strongest when attacked, that he is the man who loves pressure and is fired by pressure. So how is it then bad when he gets pressure from Klinsmann?
Yep, that was a good post. Then again, didn't Kahn actually say that the competition in the national team helped him to become better again? I don't have any sources for this though, just a vague memory.
I don't know about that, but I know that Kahn said: "Maybe we should stick to the goalkeeper rotation also during the tournament. That would be something new at least!"
The Q is, will Khan be at his top form next year ? it's still 6 months to go, things might change, including players' playing form, on the other hand Lehmann has been showing his quality lately....
was just gonna post that - he was amazing... hes been their man of the match in quite a few of their matches now... quite the run of form for him... kahn has been good too, but the GK position is up for grabs if klinsi thinks about it without bias...
The coming cl matches will be testing grounds for the GKs too; Lehmann against Madrid, Kahn against Milan. Both Madrid and Milan have some of the best strikers and attacking midfielders in the world. Let's see how do they prove themselves.
I think that's more a test for their defenses than it is for the keepers. If guys like Ronaldo, Robinho, Kaka or Shevchenko get in to a good scoring position, not even Kahn or Lehmann is going to stop them.
True but it also distinguishes the very best from the best gk in the world when you can make great saves out of magical reflexes.
You think a great keeper will stop those guys when they have open shots, I say no keeper stops them unless they miss. Case in point, back when everyone was saying Lehmann was in s#it form, a lot of his problems had to do with a leaky Arsenal defense and yes, he made mistakes when facing some guys who had no business being in on him as free as they were. But if you were to believe some of you guys, Lehmann was just s#it and no good anymore. I can't say it was so much the same with Kahn when he had his problems, but Bayern did have some central defense problems. The difference? Most called Lehman s#it. They covered and made excuses for Kahn.......
a bit contradictory, footyfan... cos lehmann is enjoying his best run of form at arsenal right now, and this at a time when arsenals defence is the worst its been in about 20 years... so maybe, just maybe, it WAS infact down to lehmanns own ineptness back then... (btw, i dont post about the prem on this board, i use another board for that but i backed lehmann all the way back then... i support almost every german playing abroad - except maybe huth)... anyway, as you can see, im not averse to giving credit to lehmann when its due...