Spurs’ REAL Main Man?
By: Robert Reed | January 12th, 2012
In a season like this there are many players to take the accolades, but one name which doesn’t immediately jump to mind is Brad Friedel.
If you are waxing lyrical about the great performers so far you might well say our success is mainly down to Modric, Parker, Bale, Adebayor or even King. Doubtless Harry Redknapp and Daniel Levy have been immense (for their ensuring a Scott Parker and Luka Modric midfield between them if nothing else) but on the field those are the names you think of. So why not Friedel?
Sure if somebody suggests the keeper then all agree he is a big factor, but he doesn’t get talked about as much because he hasn’t done that much to catch the eye but that, of course, is the key. The better the keeper, the more boring they are.
I can barely remember any particularly great saves he has made this season. One or two, but not many. Heurelho Gomes last season made plenty of fantastic fingertip saves which had the pundits drooling. He also virtually threw the ball in quite a lot.
Great saves do not make a great keeper. Knowing what you are doing, being in the right place, coming out at the right time and reading play so you rarely get in the position to have to make a super save to bail yourself out is what it takes.
Brad Friedel is not in any top ten in the world list, but he is a proper keeper with bundles of experience and has been absolutely vital to us this season. Who knows where we would be with an eye catching alternative like Gomes? I’d go so far as to say 9 points worse of at least, which would have us outside the top four.
So is Brad Friedel our main man this season? Who cares. He’s boring.
COYS!
You can follow me on Twitter @ RobertReedUK
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- Why The Parker Surprise?
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- The Trouble With Arsenal Fans..Is They Think They Are Better Than Spurs
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Comments | Add your comment
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Friedel has done well. But I have never gotten why people get on Gomess back as much as they do. Last season people were claiming him responsible for at least 7 points, which for me is an exaggerated number and completely disregards the points he earned the team.
Lets put this another way, would Spurs have made the CL two season ago without Gomes between the sticks ? I doubt it. He almost single handedly kept Arsenal and Chelsea at earning crucial points at a very tough time int he season. Most of his mistakes last season were referee mistakes as well, the Nani incident and the Lampard phantom goal for instance.
If Gomes got the instructions to do what Friedel is doing, that is just sitting on the line and letting the defenders deal with what comes. I think he would be much better than when he had to come off the line. Friedel hardly makes any clearances and rarely if ever leaves the line. Gomes just needs to learn from Friedels composure and he will be a fantastic keeper.
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The main attribute that Friedel has which Gomez lacked was calmness. This spreads to the defense and gives them confidence. He will make errors but which keeper does not? Gomez is a fine keeper but somewhat erratic and has a Diva temperament which is not really suited to the rough and tumble of the premiership. I agree Friedel has made a huge difference to Spurs this season.
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I have a mate like Friedel that we only see on major holidays…
He doesn’t come out much either, and when he does it a special occasion.
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Gomes could be the best shot-stopper in the league but he’s also the worst coming out…bad timing and butter fingers. Friedel is brought in to give the other 10 confidence. He did just that.
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