UEFA Champions League Final Special: Manchester United Goalkeepers

by Bostjan Cernensek on May 17, 2011 3:16 PM CEST in Barça: Champions League

Unless you have been living under a rock for about two weeks you know FC Barcelona will play Manchester United in the final of the 2010/11 Champions League on May 28. In the build-up to the much hyped match, Barca Blaugrenes will try to cover all the bases. If you, our readers, have an idea what we should write about contact us at barca.blaugranes@gmail.com or use the fanpost section and put your writing skills to work.

Here, at BB, we know fans don't have time to watch as much football as they would like to, so in order to be fully prepared for the final you will be able to read a four part series to familiarize yourself with Manchester's squad.

We will start with goalkeeper, so join me after the jump and meet the players Alex Ferguson can place between the goalposts.

Edwin van der Sar

Van-densar_medium

Position: Goalkeeper
Squad No.: 1
Date of birth: 29 October 1970
Place of birth: Voorhout, Holland
Height: 1.96 m (6' 5'')
Weight: 84 kg (185 lbs)

GP	GS	CS	GC	SV	FC	FS	YC	RC
45	45	21	39	133	6	2	2	0

Van der Sar is Manchester's best, some say only, option in goal. Don't let the age fool you as he's having a fantastic season and is still one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Van der Sar has always been very motivated, but now he is even more as he has announced he will retire at the end of the season.

Van der Sar is an excellent shot-stopper, his commands of the area is brilliant and he very rarely commits mistakes. The Flying Dutchman owns one of the safest hands in the business. If he can get both hands on the ball he will come up with it and not leave it sitting in a dangerous spot.

Tomasz Kuszczak

Position: Goalkeeper
Squad No.: 29
Date of birth: 20 March 1982
Place of birth: Krosno Odrzańskie, Poland
Height: 1.91 m (6' 3'')
Weight: 84 kg (185 lbs)

GP	GS	CS	GC	SV	FC	FS	YC	RC
9	9	4	10	26	0	0	0	0

Tomasz Kuszczak is, despite being in the best age for goalkeepers, still very inexperienced. A professional for eleven years, he hasn't even reached the century mark for games played. Nonetheless, Kuszczak is a capable goalkeeper with good reflexes and is very agile for a man of his size, but he is prone to the occasional mental mistake. Kuszczak would be a starter for most football teams, but at Manchester that is impossible.

Ben Amos

Position: Goalkeeper
Squad No.: 40
Date of birth: 10 April 1990
Place of birth: Macclesfield, England
Height: 1.85 m (6' 1'')
Weight: 90 kg (198 lbs)

GP	GS	CS	GC	SV	FC	FS	YC	RC
2	2	0	3	7	0	0	0	0

Amos is a young, promising goaltender. The youngster is still an unknown in the world of football, but he has played with every England's Under-age squad, where he has performed admirably. His inexperience shows most when he is faced one-on-one with the opposing player. Amos' shot-stopping is already good, but he can still improve. Ben's biggest weaknesses are at commanding the area and mental toughness.

Glossary

GP: Games played, GS: Games started, CS: Clean sheets, GC: Goals conceded, SV: Saves, FC: Fouls committed, FS: Fouls suffered, YC: Yellow cards, RC: Red cards

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