Not chauvinism
I may be a Belgian, but for once this little rant of mine is not coming from chauvinism, but from the mind of an experienced goalkeeper at a lower level.
I have been a goalkeeper for more than 25 years now. So, you can say that I know a thing or two about goalkeeping. Now on Tuesday Real Madrid played at home against Club Brugge in the Uefa Champions League. Brugge scored twice in the first half, twice by the person of Emmanuel Dennis Bonaventure. The first goal he missed his control and with a lucky push with his other leg he pushed the ball over the line. Courtois was set on the wrong foot by that very lucky action of Dennis, and was beaten. The second goal, Dennis almost tripped when he ran towards Courtois with the ball and in a chipped the ball over Courtois after he just managed to stay running instead of falling. Two chances and 0-2 for Brugge.
Image source: AP
AS, Spanish newspaper
AS devoted 5 pages today for Thibaut Courtois. They said the goals on Tuesday were his fault. What? No goalkeeper would have saved that, that was just sheer unlucky goalkeeping. A player that almost trips or misses his control, a goalkeeper can not aniticipate on that, especially not on this level. Anyone who says Courtois missed there, has never been a real goalkeeper on real football pitch. Shame on you, AS.
Then they are taking stats, Courtois takes in 1.31 goals per game on average at Real Madrid. Compared to 0.66 with the Belgian Red Devils and 0.87 at Chelsea. Well, that says a lot about the defense of Real Madrid, but nothing about Courtois' skills. Real just doesn't defend as it should, especially in the Champions League. And the opponents in the Champions League and Primera Division know that. Give this man a decent defense, and will get the same stats. Sergio Ramos is a big name, but he leaves his defense more than he stays there... The same for the full backs, they play so high, there is immense space behind them...
Once again, Shame on you, AS!
Sincerely,
Pele23