Goalkeepers in a football team are the most unique players on the side. On one hand they are seen as the most important factor on the entire team and on the other they hold the entire fortunes of the team solely on their shoulders. The job of a goalie is an extremely tough one, especially in the eyes of the fans. To them is seems if they play a good game that was what they were expected and suppose to do and if they have a bad game the blames are piled on the goalies with abuse and insults. However the situation is slowly changing with fans realising that it isn't all about the work of a goalkeeper during a match and sometimes they can even win by just the player of the game even after letting a goal through to the back of the net. Nevertheless when they make a mistake that is when they are in for a h**l of a ride.
Goalkeepers at an international level are so talented that people forget that they are only human and can make mistakes just like the rest of us. The recent example of the match between England and the US comes to mind. In the match the US were allowed to equalise by a very poor effort by the English goalie, Rob Green. Instead of holding onto the ball he let it slip right between his hands. It wasn't a very powerful shot at all but it was one he should have stopped. So he made a mistake, a costly mistake, but at the end of the day a mistake nonetheless. Should he be abused, insulted and replaced from his position because of it. Well the answer to that is a little more complicated than it first seems.
Rob Green's mistake needs to be seen from the perspective of his contribution to the team, external factors and how it affects the team's standing at the end of the day. After the game he made this statement about the incident, "'It was a mistake, a genuine, horrible mistake. Games go at 100mph and these things happen. I'm not blaming the ball. I should have stopped it, there's no two ways about it”. Even though he makes no excuses about his blunder a lot of people have pointed out a number of things that could have caused the mistake by the English number 1. The article points out that there was immense pressure on the three goalkeepers by not being told who was starting by the coach until only an hour and 45 minutes before the game started. This pressure could be a major factor in the costly mistake but it is just one of many. The other big factor the article talks about is the ball being used in this World Cup. The Jabulani ball has been criticised by many people in the lead up to the tournament. People feel the ball swerves and bounces oddly because it is a lot lighter than previous balls. Can these things excuse the goalie or was it still his fault at the end of the day?
Well it was his fault and he really should have stopped that ball but what did his mistake really mean to the English side. Even though the goal meant the two teams that day will get the same points, many felt that England should have won. If we are to make an educated prediction here it would seem that this mistake included England will still make it to the next round if they play well in their next matches. So the blunder was costly but not catastrophic. If it had happened in the final of the tournament then the situation would have been different, but it didn't. All we need to see know is how does Green come back from this and regain his place in the starting side. It would be very unfair for the coach to replace him because of one mistake and he should be given another chance to prove his worth. No one should be replaced because of a single error.
Green has a lot of work to do now in goal and has to prove that he is worthy of starting in the English side. It is all now down to how he manages to do just that and how he can bring home a few clean sheets to his name. The English players will be supporting him and it is time the fans did too.
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