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From Brad to Good

3 min read
by The Fighting Cock
Do you hear that sound? That faint scratching noise in various press rooms across the country? That my fellow Tottenham fans is the sound of journalists struggling to come up with the latest Andre Villas Boas crisis headline. When the full time whistle sounded at Old Trafford, Spurs fans across the country were finally able […]

Do you hear that sound? That faint scratching noise in various press rooms across the country? That my fellow Tottenham fans is the sound of journalists struggling to come up with the latest Andre Villas Boas crisis headline.

When the full time whistle sounded at Old Trafford, Spurs fans across the country were finally able to send a 23 year old back perching monkey off to a nice home in the country. I love a Gary Lineker stat, but that stat is one that I will be delighted to never hear again.

If like me you have watched, MOTD, Goals on Sunday, MOTD2 and used the ESPN phone app whilst having a toilet break, there is nothing more that can be said about the Spurs goals other than: When we attack at full speed, no one lives with us.

Instead I would like to focus on Brad Friedel. When our previous manager signed the veteran American, I along with many other Spurs fans questioned the sanity of this move. However, I was proved wrong. Last season Friedel was without doubt the soundest keeper I had seen at our club since Paul Robinson’s debut season.

The former American international, was a safe pair of hands, a reliable kicker and a massive confidence boost to a back line that grown accustomed to moments of brilliance inter spliced with enough gaffes to fill a Christmas DVD.

In 2011/2012 Friedel was the best keeper at our club, but this is now 2012/2013.

The season has started well for Friedel, he has put together a string of fine performances against Norwich, QPR and in parts against Man United, but there is this nagging feeling that the praise he has been receiving is a little over the top.

Just as AVB has been receiving unfair criticism, Friedel has been platitude after platitude. Yes he has made some good saves, but they have been saves I would expect a keeper of any top Premier League team to make. To warrant them amazing due to his age is like saying Sophia Loren is pretty hot for an old bird. The moment you have to use age as a quantifier, the strength of that quality is lost. Friedel may be an amazing keeper, for his age, but I would sooner have just an amazing keeper. Just as I would rather have Natalie Portman, than an amazing for her age Sophia.

Brad Friedel

Friedel is a solid keeper, better than most in the Premier League, but Hugo Lloris is an outstanding keeper better than most in the world. The French captain may not have kept a clean sheet at Old Trafford, but he may have saved at least one, especially the Shinji Kagawa goal, where perhaps a younger more athletic keeper would have closed down the space faster.

This season there isn’t one goal I can directly attribute to Friedel’s advancing years, but the more I see the Demba Ba strike, the Bobby Zamora goal and the Kagawa goal, the more I feel confident that Lloris would have saved at least one. If I look back on all the saves Friedel pulled off this season, there isn’t one that I don’t think Lloris wouldn’t have made.

My issue with Friedel is his inability to come and grab a cross or sweep up behind his back line. When a ball is swung deep into our penalty area all we hear is a booming shout: “Away!!” Instead of a confident “Keepers!!” When a team is under the cosh like we were at Old Trafford the sight of a commanding keeper coming and claiming a ball in between the six yard area and penalty spot is worth a corner at the opposite end.

I am delighted Friedel got to be a part of the Spurs team that won at United for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century, but I don’t want him to be part of the team that faces up to them at White Hart Lane in 2013. The American has played better than we ever could have imagined, but now is time for him to end that incredible 308 consecutive game record and pass on his experience through coaching, or being a number two keeper.

Lloris may be our future, but I feel now is the time for him to be our present.

All views and opinions expressed in this article are the views and opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of The Fighting Cock. We offer a platform for fans to commit their views to text and voice their thoughts. Football is a passionate game and as long as the views stay within the parameters of what is acceptable, we encourage people to write, get involved and share their thoughts on the mighty Tottenham Hotspur.

10 Comments

  1. Bruce Castle
    02/10/2012 @ 8:31 pm

    I’d like to see Hugo play a few more times before making such a move on a permanent basis. I do think it might be good for Brad have his consecutive run of Prem games broken, though, so it does not just become an excuse to keep the run of games going. All records have to end. Why not let Hugo play the next Prem game and go from there?

  2. Mattspurs
    02/10/2012 @ 8:37 pm

    Friedel is just honouring his sponsorship deal with Blue Circle Cement by pretending on every set piece that he can’t move his legs. The press fawning over him has been as silly as the criticism of AVB. Lloris in!

  3. _TheUnderdogs_
    02/10/2012 @ 9:07 pm

    While I’m all in favor of getting Lloris some games, both ManU goals seemed to be allowed by a lapse in concentration by Kyle Walker, first playing Nani onsides and then losing his man Kagawa. In fact, it seems every time 3/4th of the back line step forward, Walker is the one lagging behind playing his man on when as the fastest guy on the field he should have the most confidence in his ability to recover.

  4. Jbo
    02/10/2012 @ 10:48 pm

    I think the criticism of friedel is unfair. I personally think we should have loaned Lloris back to Lyon until January. Would have made sense and given friedel a chance to say his goodbye for half a season before the new man took over. Instead it has put unnecessary pressure on all involved. Everyone knows a keeper’s confidence can be easily shot to pieces. Lloris on the bench is no good for lloris, Avb, the squad morale, France but most of all tottenham. I think spurs had to sign him now because if they had waited maybe in January another team could have swooped or Lyon may not have accepted the bid do mention factors came into play but reality is a keeper as good as lloris cannot be on any team’s bench for long.

  5. TMWNN
    02/10/2012 @ 10:49 pm

    We have to face the facts; do we stick with a 41 y/o solid keeper who has gone 8 seasons without missing a game, and who has, in the main, been a credit to whichever side he’s played for – albeit not too keen on coming for crosses – or do we put one of the world’s best keepers in his place?

    Get the Frenchman in asap and let’s move on now. No game time will see him regress, why risk that?

  6. Jbo
    02/10/2012 @ 10:50 pm

    Bloody predictive text!! So many factors came into play but reality is a keeper as good as lloris cannot be on any team’s bench for long.

  7. Jbo
    02/10/2012 @ 10:54 pm

    I think friedel has become a spurs legend in record time. Let’s give the man a rousing applause and show our appreciation regularly so that he realises what a great club he came to and that we will never forget his contribution to our history. The man loves spurs and seems to feel his career is ending on a massive high. Friedel you are an honorary yiddish for life. Thank you!

  8. Jbo
    02/10/2012 @ 10:55 pm

    Yiddo not Yiddish lol

  9. B Friedel
    03/10/2012 @ 1:03 am

    We’ve got to let him play another 4 games so he can get his winners medal at the end of the season.

  10. Jermaine
    03/10/2012 @ 11:38 am

    No one knows if Lloris will even cut it in the premier league. Being the French number one is no guarantee that he can handle the most demanding set of mixers known to man any better than David de Gea

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