How would England fans (and press) react to Almunia getting a cap for England?

i agree to an extent, but if we want to win anything it means going through penalty shootouts, which means that, since as a national we can't kick the ball at the goal from 12 yards away, we could do with a keeper capable of pulling something out of the bag in such situations.

 

You can't really judge him based on that match. Not only was it a long time ago, but wasn't that the first match Almunia played in that year for Arsenal? Yeah... I'd say that's a tough spot for a 'keeper to come off the bench for the first time in six months.

Besides, he doesn't have the be perfect to be England's #1. No other candidate gets as much big-match experience regularily as Almunia.

 

to say alminia isnt on cudacinis level is laughable

 

We've seen so little of Cudicini recently obviously, but when Cudicini was actually 1st choice for Chelsea (if you can remember that far back) he was defintely better than Amunia is now.

To me Arsenal should never have given Almunia a run out in the first team, he's not really good enough to be a big 4 1st choice goalkeeper. The reason that Arsenal can't really challenege for the title anymore is Wneger's insistence of using player like Almunia who don't quite seem right playing such major roles at a big four club rather than splashing the cash a bit more.

 

Lehmann says 'Nein'.

 

not almunias fault arsenal cant win the league, no more than its reinas fault liverpool cant, or freidels that blackburn couldnt etc. the fact is if he is available for england that means he would be the only available keeper for england that plays at decent club, other than foster who is too inexperienced for capello.

 

It's not Almunia's fault and he's only one of several Arsenal players in key psotions who you wouldn't expect to play so much for the other teams in the big 4. Reina, Cech, van der Sar are all players who's names are likely to be touted when talking about the best keeper in the Prem, only an Arsenal fan, a crack-adled Arsenal fan infact would put Almunia in that sort of group.

 

so being about 4 points off united last year with almunia in goal wasnt challenging for the title?

cudacini is one of the most overrated players ever, hes good at making easy dives look acrobatic

almunia is decent, like cuda

 

That's how it seemed to me. Did you think they were going to win it?

 

Not well. Foreigners should not be allowed to play for other countries national teams.....

 

Foreigners like Barry Hartgreaves.

 

I'm a big fan of his....

 

Gtfo Terry!! B.hartgreaves 4 Skipper!1!

Oh..and I really don't like the idea of foreigners playing for other countries, I think players should be home grown..but hey, thats how things are these days so its time to accept that. They aren't going anywhere. If he's good enough, he should get the call up.

 

freddy adu should be playing for ghana then

 

well they led for alot of the season

so it wasnt implausible

 

I object to people playing fo coutnries for mercanery reasons, but if someone has a geniune and strong connection to that country even if they weren't born there (e.g. Hargreaves having Enlgish parents) or if someone geniunely decides to adopt another country and goes native then I don't have a big problem.

 

half the time he can't even make the US squad...

 

i dont get that, hes playing in europe

so he should be in every squad lol

 

*yawn*

 

To expand on this a tad, what would stop clubs in Europe with stronger ties to their national teams manipulating the system to benefit their national side?

For (a watered down)example:

AC Milan scout Africa for talent, pick 5 star youth players from different countries (Liberia, Senegal, Togo etc) and sign them. They spend a few years in Milan's system, and then as they break through into the first team and sign their first major deal, a clause is agreed that they'll apply for an Italian passport to avoid work permit issues.

What is to stop these young African's then playing for Italy, a bigger country etc whilst their smaller homelands go without their bigger talents? George Weah dragged Liberia up a level during his career, Adebayor was a major influence on getting Togo to a world cup. These players have shown a lot of loyalty so far, but in a world where money talks, what is to stop the above scenario happening and killing off the strength of the international game in smaller/less well off countries?

 

there's nothing to stop that happening, e.g. eduardo playing for croatia (although i don't think the club actually actively poached him his family just moved there).

 

Italy seems to do well enough fielding a team of Italians.