Premiership goalkeeper bloopers

THE 20th Premiership season begins next weekend and to celebrate, I thought it should be time to embarrass some Premiership goalkeepers with a selection of the biggest blunders in the two decades of football so far.  I'd advise all keepers to run away and hide, because it's time to open the vault and embrace the madness!

Peter Enckleman - Birmingham City v Aston Villa (September 2002)

This still makes me giggle everytime I see it.  Peter Enckleman miscontrolled a simple throw-in backpass from Olof Mellberg and let the ball slip underneath his feet, before trickling into the net.  What was worse; it was the first Second City derby in 16 years and ensured Birmingham beat Aston Villa 3-0.  The Blues did the double and finished above Villa in their first season in the Premiership and got a serious laugh at poor Peter's expense.

Tim Flowers - Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool (February 1996)

It was a weak shot and one of the freakiest goals ever, certainly in Stan Collymore's colourful career.  His 11th minute shot hit a divot in the Ewood Park ground, which Blackburn keeper Tim Flowers had created to help with his postioning.  Collymore's shot hit the divot and bounced over Flowers head and went in.  Liverpool won the game 3-2 and this Flowers moment summed up Blackburn's defence of the title; forgettable!

Shay Given - Coventry City v Newcastle United (November 1997)

Shay Given is normally one of the most reliable Premiership goalkeepers around, but he failed to check his directions in this gaffe.  He claimed the ball from a poor cross and rolled it out, but didn't realise Dion Dublin had wondered off the pitch.  Dublin cheekily ran back onto the field and kicked the ball in the net.  Referee Paul Durkin allowed the goal to stand and it has gone down as one of the strangest in Premiership history.

Massimo Taibi - Manchester United v Southampton (September 1999)

One of the softest goals in Matt Le Tissier's career, which still ranks amongst one of the biggest gaffes in history.  At 2-1, Southampton looked like they might cave in, but somehow, Le Tissier's dribbler of a shot squirmed underneath the grasp of Massimo Taibi.  It was a horrendous error and Taibi only played once more for Manchester United, conceding five at Stamford Bridge.  Oh dear!

Fabian Barthez - Arsenal v Manchester United (November 2001)

Another Manchester United goalkeeper to hang their head in shame was Fabian Barthez.  The charismatic Frenchman had more bad days than good and this was a prime example.  A poor clearance and losing the ball from underneath his body gave Thierry Henry, his international team-mate two simple goals.  Both blunders came in the last five minutes, ensuring United lost 3-1 at Highbury and Sir Alex looks unimpressed.

Carlo Cudicini - Manchester United v Chelsea (May 2004)

Carlo Cudicini had a couple of clangers in the 2003/04 season.  One at Highbury and another at Old Trafford.  With this one, he simply misjudged a woeful cross and Ruud Van Nistlerooy was never going to miss from close range.  Although Chelsea held on for a 1-1 draw to finish in the runners-up spot, Cudicini lost his regular spot in the Chelsea side to Petr Cech when the Jose Mourinho era began in the summer of 2004.

Jerzy Dudek - Liverpool v Manchester United (December 2002)

Jerzy Dudek became a Liverpool hero in Istanbul with his penalty heroics, which was eventual redemption for this gaffe against Manchester United.  Jamie Carragher's simple header back to the Polish goalkeeper should have be caught with his eyes closed.  He lost it and Diego Forlan was presented with an early Christmas gift.  United won 2-1 at Anfield and Dudek lost his place in the Reds side for the best part of two months.

Hereulho Gomes - Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur (November 2008)

Hereulho Gomes regular appointment with the Premiership DVD bloopers list already is enough for a TV series!  This was his worst moment of his catastrophic career at White Hart Lane so far, letting a simple Clint Dempsey in at his near post.  Not the first time Dempsey has benefited from dismal goalkeeping, and it won't be the last Gomes mistake either, I'm sure of that!  For the record, Fulham won this match 2-1.

Ian Walker - Leicester City v Bolton Wanderers (February 2004)

There have been a fair share of England goalkeepers screwing up in the past and Ian Walker had his moment of madness in this match.  Youri Djorkaeff's free-kick was met by a rather tame effort from Bolton's Kevin Davies.  Walker had the ball, then somehow lost it and the ball crept over the line.  Bolton couldn't believe their luck, earnt a fortunate point and Leicester were relegated at the end of the season.  On this evidence, its hard not to see why!

Edwin van der Sar - Fulham v Arsenal (May 2004)

Edwin van der Sar had erratic days at Fulham and none more so than against Arsenal in 2003/2004.  In November, his sensational display kept 'The Untouchables' out.  This time, he tried to be too clever and dribble the ball around Jose Antonio Reyes.  Reyes nicked it off him and the cocky Dutchman was punished.  Arsenal won 1-0 and got one game closer to that historic landmark with an extra bit of help!

2011 UEFA Champions League final - Brilliant Barca down United dream

CONVINCING: Barcelona's players celebrate with the European Cup

BARCELONA turned on the style last Saturday, overcoming Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley Stadium to regain the UEFA Champions League.  It is a third title in six years for the La Liga champions, who now are equal holders for the most Champions League’s (three, with bitter arch rivals Real Madrid).  After the match, Pepe Guardiola confirmed he would be staying with the Catalans for another season, and on the evidence of this performance, he would have been crazy to think about leaving the Nou Camp.  Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, who have made everyone look ordinary in the Premiership this season, were made to look distinctively average by Barcelona’s fearsome attack, which would have anyone quaking in their boots. 

      Like the 2009 final encounter between the sides in Rome, it was the English champions who started the stronger.  Javier Mascherano, playing as an emergency centre-back, seemed uncertain against Wayne Rooney in the opening exchanges.  Ferguson had shocked Dimitar Berbatov by leaving his top scorer this season out of the squad, which will raise serious questions over the Bulgarian’s long-term future at Old Trafford.  From the 15^th minute onwards, Barcelona started launching raid after raid on Edwin van der Sar’s goal.  Only some desperate defending from Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand kept the scoreline at 0-0 until the 27^th minute.  Xavi was given the freedom of the Wembley pitch, and played in Pedro, who stayed cool under a late attempted block from Vidic to beat Van der Sar, in his farewell football appearance.

HOPE: Given to United by Rooney, but it was a false dawn

     If anyone questioned the resolve of Manchester United, then the response was fantastic.  Barcelona carelessly gave possession away from a cheap throw-in and Rooney combined superbly with the off-colour Ryan Giggs to produce a stunning strike from the edge of the area, which left Victor Valdes with no chance.  Finally, Rooney had been able to produce on the biggest stage of all, after his peripheral roles in the 2008 and 2009 Champions League finals.  With the scoreline at 1-1 at half-time, the game was firmly in the balance.  What happened after the break highlighted the gulfing class between the two teams.

      Ten minutes into the second half, and with the United defence rocking, and Van der Sar having to be at his best to deny Daniel Alves, Messi seized his moment.  He stepped away from Ferdinand, and fizzled a shot which an unsighted Van der Sar couldn’t keep out.  The Dutchman will be disappointed to have not done better, but Messi wasn’t complaining.  That was the Argentine’s 53^rd goal of a staggering season.  With Darren Fletcher sill nursing a stomach bug, and Michael Owen not quite having the ultimate killer instinct he used to have at Liverpool, Ferguson’s substitute options were limited.  His only main weapon was Nani.  The dynamic Portuguese winger came on in the 68^th minute for the injured Fabio, and made an immediate telling impact.  Sadly, it was the wrong kind of impact.

      Nani gave away the ball on the edge of his own area, and a deadly Barcelona attack was never going to not punish this careless act of possession.  David Villa producing another beautiful goal, curling a shot in that gave Van der Sar no hope of keeping his attempt out.  That was that, Barcelona had completed the ultimate football performance.  There was time for Paul Scholes to make a brief cameo before he announced his retirement from the game today, and for Nani to create a late moment of panic for the untroubled Valdes.  However, this was undoubtedly Barcelona’s night, Barcelona’s season and Barcelona’s best performance ever.

     There was a nice touch at the end of the game.  Club captain Carlos Puyol allowed left-back Eric Abidal the chance to lift the European Cup.  Abidal had undergone life-saving liver surgery just 70 days ago!  His comeback to lift football’s greatest club competition prize is a story full of emotion and miracles.  For United, it isn’t the end of the world, but Ferguson knows he must come back next season, with a stronger and better squad, otherwise Barcelona will dominate European club football again.  There could be no complaints in the greatest final performance since AC Milan’s 4-0 demolition of Barcelona themselves in the 1994 final.  The class of Barcelona 2011 is quite possibly the greatest team to have graced the game.  They thoroughly deserve to be champions for such a special occasion and on this evidence, Guardiola has the ability to produce a side that can dominate European football for the next decade.