SWEEPER KEEPERS = JEEPERS KEEPERS
Legend Wilson angry that top goalkeepers are being made to look fools by the new craze for playing it out from the back
MISTAKES in football’s biggest two games should have served as a warning.
But Arsenal legend Bob Wilson, English football’s first goalkeeping coach, insists the final proof was provided on Sunday at the Emirates.
He is angry keepers of the calibre of Petr Cech, Hugo Lloris and Loris Karius are having their reputations put at risk by being asked to play out from the back.
A Double winner between the sticks for the Gunners in 1971 and a coach at the club for 28 years, Wilson warned it was time for managers to be more understanding of the dangers of “sweeper keepers”. France’s Lloris gifted Croatia a goal when trying to dribble out in the World Cup Final, Karius’s Liverpool career could be over after his gaffe in the Champions League Final and now 36-year-old Cech is under the spotlight following Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City.
That infuriates Wilson (right), who accept’s City keeper Ederson can look good by playing out from the back but rates an accurate long kick as far more effective.
Voice shaking with anger, he said: “I’m old school, very old school. I know goalkeeper coaches will come right back at me, but it’s been building up from watching the Champions League Final, the World Cup Final and then on Sunday. It’s the most difficult position on the field, believe me. It’s eight yards by eight feet, it’s 192 square feet, it’s a huge great chasm.
“When I explain that to people they still seem shocked by the sheer size of what goalkeepers have to face.
“Now keepers are expected to play in such dangerous areas where players of the pace of Aguero or Sterling can close you down in the fraction of a second. They can put the keeper in a panic and the keeper has to take risks.
“Most obvious in everyone’s mind right now is Lloris in the World Cup Final.
“He was flipping and flopping around. To do something as stupid in the World Cup Final is unthinkable. Karius will never be forgiven by Liverpool fans and now, to my mind, has to live with that for the rest of his career.
“It’s the same for Petr Cech, who has perhaps won everything in the game bar the World Cup. He’s one of the greatest keepers we’ve ever seen. He’s getting slagged off when he shouldn’t be.
“I think the World Cup and Champions League Final, the start of this season with Arsenal... I just don’t understand that risk and gamble.
“Gareth Southgate chose Jordan Pickford at the World Cup. Why? Arguably because of his distribution. But if you look at it, when Pickford had the choice he would hit it long with 80 or 90 per cent accuracy. It’s the risk-taking at the back which, to me, has become the bane of the keeper’s life.
“Sunday really got to me. A great goalkeeper, still a really outstanding keeper, is blamed because of his age because of the time it takes to get comfortable with it.
“I think playing out from the back is so oversold. The risk element and the panic it brings isn’t worth it.
“You don’t want to be put in situations where you can be made to look a prat.”
Wilson feels Cech has been unfairly treated. He added: “I was fuming to see him blamed for the first goal. It’s been hit with Cech totally unsighted. Arsenal would have lost 5-0 without him.”