Tomasz Kuszczak's Run Inbetween The Sticks

[Cling Bak]

Good backup. Makes some mistakes. A well powered magnet attracting the ball straight at him a lot of the time. Never good enough to (successfully) be our number 1.

Why not?

What mistakes has he made for us?

I fully understand our #1 needs to be better than just a good goalkeeper and should have more in his locker than being a decent shot stopper, but I'm just interested to know what he's shown that proves he can't be outstanding for us given time.

Being devil's advocate really, but I can't find a fault at the moment.

 

[Ole'sbodyguard]

Why not?

What mistakes has he made for us?

I fully understand our #1 needs to be better than just a good goalkeeper and should have more in his locker than being a decent shot stopper, but I'm just interested to know what he's shown that proves he can't be outstanding for us given time.

Being devil's advocate really, but I can't find a fault at the moment.

His kicking and is ability on crosses are not good enough to be long-term number one at United. You can forgive him the distribution if his overall ability was top notch, but he still not good enough dealing with the high ball to be a future number one.

Yesterday was the perfect game for him. Brum did get many set pieces or crosses to test United out with crosses. Most of what they created came through the middle and lead to central shots which were mainly straight at him. Kuszack is more than capable of dealing with this and made 4 decent stops and was never fully extended. He is capable of more difficult and harder saves than this. His kicking was still awful but the main role of any keeper is to keep the ball out of the net.

For me his biggest tests are still coming up if VDS is going to miss the City double header and the Arsenal game.

 

[amir51]

I wasn't a fan of him. But he has impressed me and saved us many an occasion. He is growing in confidence and I am hoping that confidence will help him be a bit more decisive when organizing a defense.

His two weaknesses are distribution which can be corrected through coaching. And the other is organization. This is something you cannot really teach, you just get it through experience and natural awareness. If he gets that last part right, he can definitely be our number 1 post VDS.

 

[surf]

His main job is to keep the ball out of the net and he's good at that when all else fails and the opponent has a clear shot on goal. His handling is pretty clean and it was unusual to see him spill a shot yesterday. The decision-making, communication and kicking need some work. Overall I'm pleased with his performances.

 

[Instant Karma]

Those suggesting that he has no chance of being our number 1 because of his kicking and decision making not being great are retarted. Kicking is something that can be improved by working on at training. It's also mostly a confidence thing rather than him not having the ability to kick the ball. Even Foster known for his kicking/distribution at Watford appeared a bit unreliable in that area.

Decision making will improve with a run of games and if you haven't noticed the improvement in his kicking and decision making during the recent run, you probably have an agenda or too blinkered to admit you were wrong about him.

 

[dmode]

he's a good backup... i mean you don't have this sense of fright when he's in the goal... unlike Barthez or Caroll or Foster... you know what i mean?

 

[MadDogg]

What mistakes has he made for us?

He has made a number of mistakes. He's been lucky though that none of them have really been punished so everyone forgets about them.

I'd actually be tempted to keep him in goal even when VDS returns. That way we'll see just how he reacts when a few of those mistakes do get punished (as they invariably will do at some stage). If he puts them behind him and gets on with the job then maybe, just maybe, he might have a chance as our long term #1. Alternatively, he might fall apart like Foster did earlier this season.

 

[^Red Devil^]

Hi kicking is average, fosters is awful.

 

[Ole'sbodyguard]

Those suggesting that he has no chance of being our number 1 because of his kicking and decision making not being great are retarted. Kicking is something that can be improved by working on at training. It's also mostly a confidence thing rather than him not having the ability to kick the ball. Even Foster known for his kicking/distribution at Watford appeared a bit unreliable in that area.

Decision making will improve with a run of games and if you haven't noticed the improvement in his kicking and decision making during the recent run, you probably have an agenda or too blinkered to admit you were wrong about him.

It is not just his kicking and decision-making. It's his positioning, ability to take crosses and the command of his area. Basically everything bar shot-stopping which is to a high standard.

Personally I don't think we got the leeway NOT to make another keeper signing when VDS retires and a good one at that simply because the position is to important to feck about with. If TK can oust another keeper then all well and good but at least give him competition and gives us the security of having a ready-made replacement for VDS, especially as there are some very good young keepers in Europe at the moment.

 

[Moriarty]

Considering that his run in goal has coincided with our horrendous injury crisis, he's done bloody well.

 

[RedSky]

He can't kick a football straight.

No arguing with his shot stopping skills. He still needs to command the box more on set pieces. He's done well, made some very good saves to keep us in a few games, but theres still question marks over his overall quality.

Strikes me as the Carroll situation all over again.

 

[unitedgogi]

Shots - great
Crosses - ok
Distribution - bad

He is a good GK and there should be no question who should be our no. 2. When he starts, I don't feel nervous but not very confident either. If we can find a better no. 1 after VDS retires, then good. If not, he is not a bad option. Much better than Foster anyway who should be sold.

 

[unitedgogi]

Considering that his run in goal has coincided with our horrendous injury crisis, he's done bloody well.

Agree. Foster had a much easier task earlier in the season and he failed.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

He can't kick a football straight.

No arguing with his shot stopping skills. He still needs to command the box more on set pieces. He's done well, made some very good saves to keep us in a few games, but theres still question marks over his overall quality.

Strikes me as the Carroll situation all over again.

Have to agree with the assessment.

He's not quite in Carroll's class though

 

[Cling Bak]

His kicking and is ability on crosses are not good enough to be long-term number one at United. You can forgive him the distribution if his overall ability was top notch, but he still not good enough dealing with the high ball to be a future number one.

Yesterday was the perfect game for him. Brum did get many set pieces or crosses to test United out with crosses. Most of what they created came through the middle and lead to central shots which were mainly straight at him. Kuszack is more than capable of dealing with this and made 4 decent stops and was never fully extended. He is capable of more difficult and harder saves than this. His kicking was still awful but the main role of any keeper is to keep the ball out of the net.

For me his biggest tests are still coming up if VDS is going to miss the City double header and the Arsenal game.

Agree that there's some big tests around the corner.

His kicking isn't very good, I'll give you that. I shall reserve judgement on high balls at the moment, I can't say I've noticed him badly struggle.

He has made a number of mistakes. He's been lucky though that none of them have really been punished so everyone forgets about them.

I'd actually be tempted to keep him in goal even when VDS returns. That way we'll see just how he reacts when a few of those mistakes do get punished (as they invariably will do at some stage). If he puts them behind him and gets on with the job then maybe, just maybe, he might have a chance as our long term #1. Alternatively, he might fall apart like Foster did earlier this season.

Any specific examples? I can think of the mix-up between he and Fletcher against Aston Villa, but I believe that was poor communication from both. Thankfully we did get away with it. Can't think of any others.

For what it's worth, I think he's done very well since coming in. Impressed me more than Foster, which I'm a bit sorry to say really as I felt he could be really good.

 

[Amir]

The thing about his kicking is, though, if he's been training for years and years, and has been with United for nearly four years now, and it hasn't improved yet, what makes people think it will now?

He's done well enough to be ahead of Foster. Way ahead. But first choice? No.

 

[Cling Bak]

As a point, I never hear anybody criticise David James' kicking/distribution anymore and haven't for years, but in the 1990's he used to get so much stick for it. Amongst other attributes (or lack of) too, of course.

 

[ralphie88]

I think he's shocking. The worst keeper I've seen at United since slippery Jim. His kicking is appalling, he's like a rabbit in headlights for crosses and his decision making is awful (as we saw against Leeds). We need a new keeper and then some.

Lloris please (if we can afford him!).

 

[Amir]

As a point, I never hear anybody criticise David James' kicking/distribution anymore and haven't for years, but in the 1990's he used to get so much stick for it. Amongst other attributes (or lack of) too, of course.

Sh*t happens. Brad Friedel was a Liverpool flop, and turned out to be a great goalkeeper. It just happened. But you can't base your future on the hope that sh*t will happen to you as well. If PIG has joined United 3.5 years ago and his kicking still isn't good enough, it's unlikely to ever be.

 

[Cling Bak]

Sh*t happens. Brad Friedel was a Liverpool flop, and turned out to be a great goalkeeper. It just happened. But you can't base your future on the hope that sh*t will happen to you as well. If PIG has joined United 3.5 years ago and his kicking still isn't good enough, it's unlikely to ever be.

I wasn't saying we need to wait around and train him at kicking, I was just making a point that these things can improve.

I can't believe anyone would say he's worse than Carroll, that's absurd.

 

[onesaf]

Overall I think he has done quite well especially when you consider the chopping and changing that has gone on in front of him due to injuries, there have been a number of saves that he has made that have rebounded to one of our players or to safety, I'm sure he would have received a completely different reaction on here if they had rebounded to an opposition player and ended up in the back of the net as what has happened with PIG in the past.

 

[ooeat0meoo]

Well, apart from the great Tiabi :-)

Can always count on the caf for a good laugh.

Funny stuff, that.

 

[SharkyMcShark]

Better than Barthez? You be the judge

 

[ralphie88]

there have been a number of saves that he has made that have rebounded to one of our players or to safety, I'm sure he would have received a completely different reaction on here if they had rebounded to an opposition player and ended up in the back of the net as what has happened with PIG in the past.

Yep, which is why I don't think he's as good a shot-stopper as people make out.

 

[ralphie88]

Better than Barthez? You be the judge

Of course not. Barthez had a great first season for us.

 

[Anderson Searl]

On the flipside, this run of games may bump his value a bit, maybe what seemed like a 5 million pound deal could get a bit of a boost?

 

[Snow]

He's better than expected. Hasn't been on the end of bad mistakes which is rare. You'd expect that from any back up keeper in the world.
I think we're spoiled when it comes to keepers handling backpasses. When VDS leaves he will leave behind a bit gap of talent in that area. All the best keepers in the world don't handle backpasses under pressure well. It most often ends up in a throw in. Buffon, Casillas, Reina, Cech. And VDS can use both feet doing what others can't do with one!

Very unfair judgement from Ralphie. I mean what has he done to be the worst? He's never been one of the worst players on the pitch for us, never cost us a goal this season and has made some great saves to boast. Can't expect anything more from a nr. 2 keeper. You can argue Barthez but he's been performing better than every keeper post-Schmeichel and pre-VDS.

 

[MG]

I think he's shocking. The worst keeper I've seen at United since slippery Jim. His kicking is appalling, he's like a rabbit in headlights for crosses and his decision making is awful (as we saw against Leeds). We need a new keeper and then some.

Lloris please (if we can afford him!).

Very harsh.

Made a mistake for the Leeds goal but he's kept us in a lot of games recently with his shot-stopping, which is very good, so I wouldn't say his decision making is awful. If that were the case we'd be dropping even more points then we are at the moment.

 

[Sunny Jim]

I think he's shocking. The worst keeper I've seen at United since slippery Jim. His kicking is appalling, he's like a rabbit in headlights for crosses and his decision making is awful (as we saw against Leeds). We need a new keeper and then some.

Lloris please (if we can afford him!).

you're on WUM right?

 

[Shimo]

I don't think training itself will be a cure for his kicking / distribution. As others have said he's been training / working on his game for years, it won't suddenly happen.

What may happen is as he grows in confidence and gets more and more comfortable in receiving the ball back, he could improve.

TK knows he makes mistakes - after the Wolves game he admitted mistakes he made and was fortunate that the team didn't pay for them. All he can do is to learn from them and not make them again.

He was my first choice backup to VDS at the start of the season but, Foster was given his chance instead. TK has been given a similar chance and for the most part has been reliable.

Both Foster and TK give us reason to be worried when in goal and Foster when he was in there did nothing to quell those fears. TK on the other hand, at least those reasonable to be objective when it comes to him, has provided good stability in the back for us at a time when we've been decimated by injuries to our backline.

 

[Snow]

Very harsh.

Made a mistake for the Leeds goal but he's kept us in a lot of games recently with his shot-stopping, which is very good, so I wouldn't say his decision making is awful. If that were the case we'd be dropping even more points then we are at the moment.

Made a mistake but not a defining one. No saying that Beckford wouldn't score if he had done otherwise. It was a clear cut chance after all.

 

[lem8sh]

Good shot stopper but one of the worst keepers with the ball at his feet I've ever seen and woeful under crosses. Has done well so far apart from the goal against Leeds but he doesn't instill confidence and will never be good enough to be our number 1 imo

 

[Berlinknives]

Well, apart from the great Tiabi :-)

Taibi does have a better goalscoring record than him.


Back on Topic, Tomasz Kuszczak's been great in goal since he's been in, he's shown determination from the start under the face of stiff competition ... he deserves a song/chant thing ... any suggestions?

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

He is proper back up to have. Always has been.

 

[Berlinknives]

Any chant suggestions?

 

[ralphie88]

Very harsh.

Made a mistake for the Leeds goal but he's kept us in a lot of games recently with his shot-stopping, which is very good, so I wouldn't say his decision making is awful. If that were the case we'd be dropping even more points then we are at the moment.

And there was me thinking we were dropping an awful lot of points.

 

[Anderson Searl]

Any chant suggestions?

"Oink oink oink oink"

 

[Escobar]

He improved and showed that he is a good back up. Whether he's good enough to be our no. one, we will see. However, he has done much better than Foster who made more than 1 terrible mistake in a very short time.

 

[Berlinknives]

In tribute to him...

 

[Sunny Jim]

In tribute to him...

wtf? Owen type leaflet?