With the season’s opener at St. James’ Park hurtling ever closer the Newcastle United goalkeeper dilemma is yet to become resolved. With Steve Harper, an ever loyal servant returning to fitness after missing the climax of the season with a dislocated shoulder, Tim Krul, recently capped, Netherlands international, and 6ft7 Fraser Forster, who has impressed in between the sticks on loan at Celtic and Norwich, all eager to get there hands on the coveted number 1 jersey.
With both young goalkeepers Forster and Krul both publically expressed they desire for first team football, and with Krul giving Pardew a ‘play me or lose me’ ultimatum it is clear that Alan Pardew is powerless to keep all 3 at the club.
I will briefly discuss the 3 goalkeepers in question, highlighting both they’re strengths and weaknesses and am eager to receive your feedback on who you believe to be best suited to deputise for 2011/12 campaign.
Tim KRUL
Age: 23
Height: 6ft2
Appearances: 24
International Apps: 2
With Steve Harper sustaining a serious shoulder injury at Goodison Park, then manager, Chris Hughton needed look no further than Tim Krul, who went on to keep out the Everton barrage to record a clean sheet, playing 55minutes. Krul then made his first Premier League appearance in the proceeding fixture against Stoke City, and deputised for the climax of the season. Krul featured notably against Manchester City, a game which Newcastle eventually lost 2-1, making a string of world-class saves, Krul also commanded the sticks in the Tyne-Wear derby, in which Newcastle battered Sunderland 5-1, and most notably against Arsenal in a 1-0 win where he caught the eye of many making countless top-class saves to deny the Gunners torrent of onslaughts.
So with Premier league experience gained, Timmy really has gained a taste for the Premier league in the short time he took over from Steve Harper and now, like a dog with a bone, he doesn’t want to give it up, and can you blame him for that? Proven in the Premier league with a promising record and noted for his string of world class saves, Tim would be the obvious choice for Alan Pardew, but would he necessarily be the right one?
In my opinion, I can see Tim moving away from Newcastle and the likely destination would, for me, be back to his native Holland after good performances for both club and country, Van der Saar-esque.
Fraser FORSTER
Age: 23
Height: 6ft7
Appearances: 0
International Apps: 0
Fraser Forster has spent the majority of his contract with Newcastle United playing in both the Reserve squad but more so on loan at other British-based clubs. In the 2008-09 season, Forster was loaned out to then League 1 club, Stockport County as deputised for Owen Fon Williams while he was away with the Welsh international squad; Forster made just 6 appearances, keeping 3 clean sheets. Fraser returned as a back-up to Shay Given the following season, being named as a substitute 30 times in both league and UEFA cup. Fraser then went on a month long loan to Bristol Rovers, making 4 appearances and keeping 2 clean sheets. Bristol Rovers were eager to extend the deal but were unable to do so as Norwich City made a counter offer.
It was during his loan-spell at League One side Norwich City that Fraser made a name for himself, playing 42 times and keeping 20 clean sheets as Norwich comprehensively won the League. During his time at Norwich, Forster was named Players’ Player of the Year 2010 and was the runner-up in the Supporter’s Player of The Year and Forster’s superb season was compiled by being awarded the Macron Golden Gloves for his 18 league clean sheets.
Fraser spent the whole of the 2010/11 season at 42-time SPL champions, Celtic, Forster played every game of the season, bar 2, making 44 appearances and recording 24 clean sheets. Forster collected a runners-up medal in both the SPL and the Scottish cup.
With Fraser’s reputation growing to the magnitude of his 6ft7 frame and medal collection to back it up, Fraser would be a welcome addition to the Newcastle starting line-up. With the First team squad embarking on their tour of America, Alan Pardew has favoured the English shot-stopper ahead of Tim Krul and hasn’t been disappointed as a result. In the two games against Kansas and Orlando respectively Fraser has been highly accredited for making successive world-class saves, keeping a clean sheet in the process at Livestrong Sporting Park.
If I was Pards..
o
First Choice – Tim Krul
Back-Up – Steven Harper
And, cash in on Fraser Forster if he is unwilling to play second-choice.
howaythetoonarmy 