We will, I hope, look at back at this stretch of games as one of the most impressive in the club’s history. The number of fixtures we have played, with a full treatment room, is astonishing. If we win nothing, then this run faces being lost in the memory except for one stand-out fact. VDS now has the clean sheet record and that, if nothing else, is going to stick around for a while.
This also means that I have to tuck into a a large serving of humble pie….
Earlier in the season I suggested that Edwin was looking a little shaky, that he was unsettling the defence and then, well, there was our comedy goal concession at Anfield. How long ago that seems now.
I am extremely glad to have been proven wrong. Edwin Van Der is now a solid pick as United’s 3rd best goalie of all time behind Schmeical and Stepney- an honorable nod must also be made to Gary ‘and Smith must score’ Bailey.
The team certainly seem to appreciate him being between the sticks too. “The best keeper I have played with,†reckons Rio Ferdinand who has had the pleasure of playing with around ten different goalies at United. That is the fact we should be careful not to forget, between the Great Dane’s retirement and Edwin’s arrival we used 11 goalkeepers in just a couple of years and won very little. We are in much better shape with this guy around and despite my false soothsaying at the start of the year I am glad he is still no. 1.
The question is, much like the one over his manager, how long can he keep doing this for? I shall choose not to worry about this for the time being and just enjoy the ride but, it is a concern.
It is not just this record, there is his decisive save in the European Cup Final shoot-out and the fact that during this 11 game spell he has played with a mish-mash of ten different defenders in front of him. The only other ever-present has been an imperious Nemanja Vidic. The record belongs to Van Der Sar but it is the presence of the Serbian that rings in my head. He will be suspended for the first tie against Inter at least. That tie is starting to look like a sizeable bananaskin.
of fixtures we have played, with a full treatment room, is astonishing. If we win nothing, then this run faces being lost in the memory except for one stand-out fact. VDS now has the clean sheet record and that, if nothing else, is going to stick around for a while.
This also means that I have to tuck into a a large serving of humble pie. Earlier in the season I suggested that Edwin was looking a little shaky, that he was unsettling the defence and then, well, there was our comedy goal concession at Anfield. How long ago that seems now.
I am extremely glad to have been proven wrong. Edwinb Van Der is now a solid pick as United’s 3rd best goalie of all time behind Schmeical and Stepney- an honorable nod must also be made to Gary “and Smith must score” Bailey.
The team certainly seem to appreciate him being between the sticks too, “The best keeper I have played with,†reckons Rio Ferdinand who has had the pleasure of playing with around ten different goalies at United. That is the fact we should be careful not to forget, between the Great Dane’s retirement and Edwin’s arrival we used 11 goalkeepers in just a couple of years and won very little. We are in much better shape with this guy around and despite my false soothsaying at the start of the year I am glad he is still no. 1. The question, much like the one over his manager, is how long can he keep doing this for? I shall choose not to worry about this for the time being and just enjoy the ride but, it is a concern.
It is not just this record, there is his decisive save in the European Cup Final shoot-out and the fact that during this 11 game spell he has played with a mish-mash of ten different defenders in front of him. The only other ever-present has been an imperious Nemanja Vidic. The record belongs to Van Der Sar but it is the presence of the Serbian that rings in my head. He will be suspended for the first tie against Inter at least.That tie is starting to look like a sizeable bananaskin.
To the tune of The Three Lions: “he’s cracking up, he’s cracking up, Rafa’s cracking up”. Repeat till the end of May.
Alot of Press in England are considering contenders for the Player of the year, on name that has been mentioned more then once is Giggsy. Just wondering if anyone else thought this was a good shout? The only people I can think of having good seasons are Lampard and Gerrard who have been as good as ever, but at the moment I’d give it to Ashley Young at the Villa.
The thing about Edwin is that you know what you are getting. He is not quite the £200,000 Ferrari which might self-destruct if the wall isn’t far enough back, but he is certainly a lot more than a Mondeo. Defenders need to know what is going to happen behind them. If the goalie is Dracula and doesn’t like crosses then they sit on the winger. If he’s not a great shot stopper then they close down anyone who goes through in our half. We know Edwin isn’t the greatest when it comes to driving through a crowded penaly area. We know he hasn’t dived at anyone’s feet since Robbie Keane broke his nose. We know exactly what he is going to do., and that’s the great thing about him He is a two litre diesel Audi.