Every shot looks like it’s going to be a goal INSIGHT
I CANNOT think of a single worldclass save that Claudio Bravo has made for Manchester City. As a defender, you set out to ensure your goalkeeper never has to make a save. But when a player does get through and you see the goalkeeper pluck a save out of nowhere, you are filled with a feeling of invincibility. You feel no one is going to score against you. Bravo may not have been solely to blame for Everton’s four goals on Sunday, but he does not dig his team out of trouble when they need him most. Not once in his 18 Premier League games can I think of a single man-of-the-match performance from the goalkeeper. Everton scored with their only four efforts on target and Bravo has now conceded from 14 of the last 22 shots on his goal. When there is a feeling that your opponent will score every time they have a shot on target, then there is a problem. I have sympathy for Bravo. The City back four played like strangers at Goodison Park and far too often the defenders are not getting back into shape when the team lose possession. Too many opposition players are getting through. But from Peter Shilton to Ray Clemence, Jens Lehmann to Petr Cech, championship-winning sides have all had goalkeepers who came to the rescue when their team did not defend properly.
People talk of our famous back four at Arsenal, but it was really a back five. David Seaman was just as important as the defenders.
A top goalkeeper is worth his weight in gold — Brian Clough believed Shilton was worth 18 points a season to Nottingham Forest.
I understand why Pep Guardiola is looking to sign a new keeper in the summer but he must be prepared to make adjustments in the interim.
Guardiola does not see defending as a priority — it is as if his players have a blank canvas to attack.
When Arsene Wenger arrived at Arsenal, he took the handbrake off and gave us licence to fly forward but, on the pitch, the players made sure there were no gaping holes.
City need to strike a better balance between defence and attack — and there are enough senior players at the club to make sure that happens.