What is with Niemi

How is it possible that Niemi is still in the net. I only watch what FSC carries and I know of two losses that are soley his fault. I'm looking all over the web and I can't find anyone discussing it.

Thoughts?

 

As usual {except for politics}, Don's near dead-on.

FYP... let's keep that straight.

Smokyn, tell us about yourself in the intro forum, and please put your location in your profile.

 

For me there is no question who the number one is for Fulham... Niemi. He continues to impress even in losing efforts. Scorelines could be far worse than they have been over the past few fixtures. Keller is a close second IMO.

 

Niemi is really the only option. While his achilles heel is corner kicks, he has been on form and has at times single-handily rescued the meager points the team has been picking up.

 

The true measure of a keeper is the balance sheet, how man points they win against how many they lose. The best keeper we ever had was Van Dar Sar. I can name periods where he cost us point, but over the course of a season I recon he won us 12 points.

Niemi may have lost us the odd point, but he has won us a number also. BTW, when a keeper has to work as hard as Antti he will end up having the odd howler because he is saving 3 or 4 times the amount the top keeprs are saving.

Look at EDVS now, he is rated as a great keeper now he is not with us, because he has defenders who can do the job and occasionally save his blushes.

AN is a very good keeper, technically leagues above Warner. Keller is a very good goalie now, but he is getting on and so we have to accept, like McBride, that he will play when he can and not when we want.

So, the reason it is not discussed is that mostly we accept that keepers have the odd 'mare and he is better than most.

Anyhow smokyn21, who are you and why are you here! Welcome and tell us about yourself. Regards, GBFC.

 

As others have said, Keller's injury is the main reason he's our #1 now. I think Batista may have been injured as well, as he only recently came back to the reserves. Warner, aside from the occasionaly blinder, is no better than you or I.

Nieimi had a run of poor form earlier in the season, but has been great for us recently.

 

RE: Re: What is with Niemi

I will take everyones opinion into consideration when watch this weeks match. But I'm still not impressed.

 

Niemi is good, but not great. When in form he's awesome at shot blocking, but he's not a very calm keeper. He also doesn't catch the ball coming off his line on corners which is not good. He's a puncher.

Keller, being old, has loss some of his shot stopping ability, but what makes him special is that he's calm. There is a stillness about him that a lot of goalkeepers don't have. Niemi plays kind of helter skelter, but it works for him most of the time.

GK right now is definitely not an issue for Fulham.