Fans Still Don't Want Victor Valdés

As has Fans been insisted

I don't understand why people hate Valdes. Valdes has made only 2 mistakes this season,other than that Valdes has been impressive this season.
I think the majority of fans that hate Valdes are Noobs. If you go back a decade or even two, you will notice that Valdes has been Barca's best keeper since Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta. After Zubi Barca had Vitor Baia and Ruud Hesp and those two were not very good. Victor Valdes needs more respect from the fans. The only thing I would like to see is a better 2nd Keeper, Jorquera is not that good and Valdes needs a challenge so he don't get complacent. Pinto is not bad.
This Valdes bashing has to really stop.

people shouldn't complain.. i think he's doing a good job

everyone needs to read nic's post slowly and carefully becaause he is 100% correct!!

im not going to go into a long thing why i totally agree, because i have several times and nobody has EVER taken me up on the challenge i put forth a fwe times.

That being, give me a better option? and think about all the implications. the fact he is homegrown, his relationship with players, how his leaving will look upon our club and our beliefs, who we will replace him with, for how much. everyone has always shyed away from thinking about this in any sort of reasonable manner.

futhermore, most people here are at most fans for 4-5 yrs, im not going to get into my feelings on that, but the fact u dont want valdes shows how little you know about barca's history with GK before him. i just saw that pabzta in 3 above does, and that impresses me, and we need more ppl like that.

i hope to see VV in goals for the rest of his career.

Valdes is the best goalie ever!! casillas sucks and im sick of him, and yes casillas has made more mistakes than valdes this season.

i voted for him and judging by the comments showing support which he has been receiving recently on this blog, i think its likely most of the people that voted "NO" would have liked to use 'ifs' or 'maybes'. "YES" to some people might mean they are taking valdes even if casillas or buffon is available.

on the other hand, with the way barca is playing, most of our fans probably unrealistically are always thinking of how stronger we can be when we have all the best players in all the best positions...replace henry with ribery, buy fabregas to be xavi's understudy, buy lahm to make our left side like our right, benzema to cover for eto etc though i also would want some of this fantasies, one should be realistic

with everything as it is now, we can not find a better goalkeeper for our club than valdes though i have no problem with getting an understudy. by the way, pinto hasnt even done that bad

i forgot to mention most importantly, the players and the coach adore him and he's very likely to sign a new contract soon

WOW......you guys now are saying he isn't that bad.......what about before ....everyone was saying WE NEED ANOTHER GOALKEEPER!!!!!....im not sure but go check how many saves hes had over this 6 cleansheet streak my guess is lower than 15......what if he does some stupid mistakes in champs league that can take us out........WHAT WILL YOU GUYS SAY THEN???? some of you are big hypocrites .....all i know is I WOULD LOVE TO GET RID OF HIM AND PICK UP FREY!!!......

this doesnt really go with this topic but............I WOULD LOVE TO KICK SOME MAN U ASS IN THE FINALS!!!!....just for payback of last year's semis

I agree with messiah10. It's so easy to hate a goalkeeper for mistakes he makes, but the same player can save the team when he needs to. Valdes does that. Fans are quick to jump on him for everything that he does wrong, but he makes big saves to keep us in games too.

Valdes has been our first choice keeper since 2002-2003 season, that is seven years , the legendary Zubizarreta only served the club a year more(1986-1994),so the fact that he remained the first choice under three different coaches(Van Gaal,Rijkaard and now Pep )says it all .
We won the champions league with him in goal,didn't we ? and he did play an important part in that victory stopping the like of Henry more than once that night .
He is a young homegrown keeper with a great future I think .............He may sometimes makes mistakes that seem too silly and childish for a Barça goalkeeper but when I recall the likes of Bonano,Dutruel, Arnau and Hesp , I m really glad to have him ...........
About the other poll ,I too Cannot wait to meet United ,Our lads will surley teach them an unforgettable lesson and show theme how real attacking football is played , the wankers still believe they are the best team in europe and their clown number 7 is the best in the world ............ pathetic .

Nic - Personally, I can't forgive him for blunders against Liverpool in the CL for example.

What bothers me most about Valdes is, he BOTTLES it in crucial big games. Until he stamps that out of his game, he is always going to be the biggest liability to our otherwise world class team.

On a side note, I do think he is having a good season this year, but until he can convince me he has stopped his error prone ways in big games, I don't want him in our starting lineup. My 2cents.

i never said we need another goalkeeper cuz i seriously think he's the best in the world.

FCB Darren. So he bottles out of big games? Did he bottle out in the Champs Lge Final? did he bottle out against Madrid, the one on one against Drenthe? etc etc. Face it Valdes is not going any where. Maybe Barca should make Jorquera first choice. you soon complain if that happened.

In the recent history of goalkeeping, there tends to be one, maybe two top keepers in the world at a certain period of time. This top keeper is usually considered the best in the game for about 2 or 3 years. Some recent examples are Fabien Barthez from 98-00 or 01. Oliver Kahn is associated as being at the top in the early part of this decade. Buffon was at the top during the 06 world cup (and some still think he's the best today). And some say Casillas is the best keeper in the world today. When each of these players peak, they obviously tend to get worse in the following years.

Victor Valdes has never been considered the best keeper in the game. He's never been capped for the Spanish national team, and as this entry states, more than half of Barca fans on this site would like to see him go. But Valdes is a great keeper. Throughout Barca's history, the defense has tended to be homegrown, to defend the pride of Catalunya. One poster mentioned that he tends to choke in big games. Other than that one goal against Liverpool a few years ago, I cannot think of a major, and ultimately costly, mistake he's had in a high pressure game.

In 04-05 he won the Zamora award for being the best keeper in La Liga. The next season, our current back-up Pinto won it. This year, Valdes is far and away the favorite to win the Zamora again. This tells us that he's getting better, not worse. Valdes will never be the world's best keeper, but we don't need him to be that. We need him to be exactly what he's been since 03-04 when he became our first choice keeper. I see very little cause to try and bring in a "better" keeper. A new keeper would only lead to complications and would leave us worse off for several seasons. I for one would love to see V.V. play for Barca until he retires.

Valdes is a good goalkeeper but he is often not reliable. He makes alot of good saves but alot of mistakes as well. Maybe the obvious ones were mentioned up here but there are many that he makes occasionally that are less obvious. I appreciate the fact that he's homegrown and I've deffended him all along yet this season I think he screwed up and when he does he gets worse. His confidence is shaken pretty easily unlike Casillas or Buffon or even Frey who make big mistakes too but bounce back easily.

I'd like to see Buffon or lloris in barca but if that wont happen then i prefer Valdez to stay.

firstly im shocked to see all the support for my boy VV, but i do love it. i dont have to support him here because i have for years. never once have i ever wished him or asked him to be replaced.

yet again, people say replace him, with "buffon or him or him", but dont at all think about the many implications a swop would prove. its NOT FOOTBALL MANAGER. buffon or frey are both awful options, yes buffon is the best or 2nd best, but he is also 32 now, 5 yrs OLDER than VV, awesome long term investment. unsettle the club for a 2 yrs benefit. and frey, plz. that guy wasted his career hidding in parma and fiorentina, also in his 30s, he can remain in italy and have the low key career he has obviously wanted.

but i love love love the support of VV here, ive gained a lot more respect and now believe a few fans are a lot better informed than i had assumed.

Just because I don't support VV in goals, doesn't mean I'm not informed or a Barca fan through and through! I've been supporting this team for over 20 years now!

Differing opinions are what's great about sport.

PaBzTa - He has a history of bottling in big games - don't just throw 2 games at me as proof that he doesn't...in those 2 games you mentioned he did what he had to do - and I am thankful for that!

We should be world class, or close to world class in every position. This is Barca, we as fans should in theory, always be demanding the best possible players in the best positions, to me , VV is the weakest link in this team, and I'd like to see at LEAST SOME competition for his spot, which I've always said, why I'd like to see Asenjo here. If VV got injured, would you like to have Pinto or Jorquera as a long term replacement while he wasinjured? Sorry if you don't agree with me - but cheers anyways.

I agree with FCB-Darren !!

Great to see so much support for Valdés in the comments. I also agree with Darren that we should strive for world class in every position and perhaps Valdés is not quite in that category. I just don't think there are good enough options out there to bring in someone new, and the main problem with buying someone is that it is always a risk and we don't know how a new keeper would adapt to playing for Barça. Bring in an understudy, fine, and see how he develops, but for now and the foreseeable future we should stick with what we have, which is pretty damn good.

Nic - thank you for seeing the validness of the argument - I don't see any harm in bringing in at least an "understudy" that has solid potential.

Also guys, the times just released an article on their top 10 keepers. Take a look.

1. Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
2. Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
3. Julio Cesar (Inter)
4. Hugo Lloris (Lyons)
5. Petr Cech (Chelsea)
6. Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow)
7. Diego Alves (Almeria)
8. Pepe Reina (Liverpool)
9. Steve Mandanda (Marseilles)
10. Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United)

LINK

Real Madrid: Iker Cassilas
Man U: Van der Sar
Chelsea: Peter Cech
Liverpool: Pepe reina
AC Milan: Dida and Abbiati
Juventus: Gigi Buffon
Inter: Julio Cesar

Do I even need to make this argument? All of you showing so-called support for Valdes are disingenuous. I bet you if we were ranked 2nd or 3rd you would be singing a different tune. He has had so many clean sheets because he does not see the ball and I will not give him credit for that.Instead, I will credit Pep and Puyol, Marquez,Abidal,Pique,Sylvinho,Alves and Yaya Toure. Our defense has tightened to my great delight. Had we kept the same mentality we had before Xmas we would have taken more goals and this poll would probably not even be up.

Nic, as much as I respect and find the overall quality of your Editorials to be Excellent, I am insulted by the "homegrown" portion of your argument.It is misguided and insulting. In an age when football has become a global sport with nationatily, cultural and ethnic origin absolutely irrelevant, I am truly sad to see that part of your argument for keeping Valdes is the fact that he is "homegrown".That is total "bullshit"!

Instead, we should focus on what we think we are and how he measures up to it. We often here people say that we are the best team in the world.Well, the best team in the world should have one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Valdes is not even in the top 40 best keepers in the world. Here's why?

1-Poor positioning
2-Poor in the air
3-poor playing out of the back with feet
4-poor closing down angles on 1-on-1 situations
5-Poor setting up walls on free kicks
6-Terrible on Corners

How is this guy the best we can do? Please, give it a rest!!!!

I have always been happy with Valdes, okay he makes mistakes, but what keeper doesn't make mistakes?

Valdes is a human, just like you or me, no different.

He is perfect for Barca, he's learnt the Barca way and is able to deal with the pressure of playing for Barca.

We've won trophies with him before and we'll win trophies in the future with him.

Most solutions to the goalkeeping "problem" are as old or older than Valdes, so it makes no sense to send Valdes packing and bring in a keeper the same age or older and who wouldn't be able to handle the immense pressure of playing for Barca.

One thing is for sure i'd like to see the back of Jorquera and the new 3rd choice keeper to be the Barca athletic keeper either Oier or Mino, so that when Valdes decides to retire these 2 could stake their claim for the goalkeeping position.

They're playing in the youth team and learning how to cope with the pressure in a small environment, as the get more experienced they'd be better able to deal with the pressure of playing for Barca.

AGAIN JUST SAYING SOME OF YOU ALL ARE NOTHIN BUT A BUNCH OF HYPOCRITES

and i agree with fcb_darren and diatus

jus beacause we dont want valdes does not were not just as big as fan as you guys .....and i agree with all the points diatus mentioned

Diatus - I think it is actually semi-important to have home grown players in your team - I feel it helps keep the changing room in check & also gives fans local pride - people like Xavi/Pep etc who know what it means to represent the Catalan and Barca motto and "more than a club".

However, that doesn't mean, as I said before, that we shouldn't be looking for the best available players in the best positions - I'm just saying it is (to me) at least something that is semi important, to have at least a handful of home, or near home grown players around the club. You can't buy the heart that local players often show.

Cheers and good stuff.

this last bit of commentary has been utterly disgraceful. the fact that people do not understand how incredibly important the homegrown aspect of barcelona is to its fans shows a ridiculous amount of disconnect from the club.

i can assure u thats it is easily one of the most important things in the club that locals take enourmous amounts of pride from. ask nic who lives there if that isnt exactly the case. barca create some of the most talented players on earth from their youth academy. we havent sold our traditons out like the english and yet we are easily as good and this year better than all of them. the fact that any one doesnt recognize this shows a fundamental lack of understanding of what makes FCB tick.

i was honestly shocked when i read that diatus. we had our issue a few months ago, and now this. i can appreciate u not thinking VV is the best keeper on earth, but nobody here does. but the fact u so easily dismiss the importance of the fact our best players are homegrown players, like the beloved xavi, iniesta, puyol, pique, busquets, bojan, and yes messi, really shows something i never knew about u before.

everyone knows the rest of europe, especially england has sold out to the money and globalization. the fact we havent makes us a step above the rest. many clubs and fans envy our ability to use our own players. imagine the 6+5 rule ever comes in, we have to make zero adjustments, while the english especially are fucked. there is nothing misguided nor insulting about the fact we do not just buy and buy and buy like football manager for every spot on the field. we dont need to because we have and will always create players that are just as good as anyone else,and they will play for barca their entire careers like xavi and iniesta and puyol, and not just dazzle then disappoint like the rivaldos, kluiverts, and ronaldinhos of the world. its the xavis and puyols that live forever as legends in catalonians hearts

and frankly i dont even want a response, any argument u put forth about how homegrown isnt important will be totally meaningless to anyone who actually knows this club.

Anyone who is adamant in his self-righteousness and dismissive of other people's opinions should have his own take it or leave it, my way or the highway blog and rant all he wants !!

Irrespective of personal preferences, Valdes has the Zamora Trophy in his hands this season bar catastrophe, and I don't expect he's going to be sold after that achievement. TO me is a similar case to Eto'o, who I think actually is the 4th goaler in the history of La Liga for Barca, and yet at the beginning of the season everybody wanted to sell him.

valdez is a terrible keeper for a team like barca...we cant afford his terrile mistakes...i would like to see any keeper to replace him..to me he is the worst keeper i have seen ever in my life...just let him play for say osasuna...he will concede no less than 60...and i hate real madrid..but to be honest casillas is the ebst...who ever...say ill of casillas is not a true football lover....

Barca !!! Messi!!! the grt!!!

i think having everything in football is not really realistic.if we profess to have the best front in the world,then others shoulb be allowed for the back while some should pick the middle.i m not aganst the fact that we need a good goalkeeper but dont we also realise that our so called weak defence is our strenght in disguise.firstly,it enables our front to concentrate more by scoring much goal believing that we do not have anyone in the back.two,it also distracts our opponents and causes them to be complacent believing that we dont have defence,and before they pull any threat,we ve thrown in at least four goals.so Vades actually needs to be talked to at times because there are some errors that cannot be redeemed again once it is made.so far this season,he has actually improved so well and i xpect him to keep it up,Glory be to God.Barca for life till i die.it is our season!!!!

I got to agree with blaugrana boy. IMO, homegrown-ness(?) is one of the most important things Barca has going. To me, I even think it goes way beyond idea of Catalan culture (i mean messi is not catalan) but the idea that actually developing players is good for the sport as a whole, instead of cherrypicking Abromovich-Football Manager style.

See Blaugranaboy...no response!!!! you are useless bud!!!

Anyone for Valdes still?

1st Valencia goal went right through his hands

A- poor in the air..who catches a ball like that? you punch it out!!!

2nd valencia goal went right below his leg

B-poor in 1 on 1 situations...does a terrible job closing down angles...

The idea that a terrible player should be kept because he is homegrown is totally ludicrous!!!

I agree with Diatus. If Real Madrid win the title, this will be because of Valdes. When you have a poor goalkeeper the whole defence loses confidence. The first goal was definitely his fault. The second no, but when you have such a shaky goalkeeper, that puts the whole confidence in the defence at risk. Yes he's homegrown, but what is more important, that Barcelona win or that the goalkeeper is Catalan !!!

@Nicky

you are right ... I am a bit harsh on the second goal but you see my point and I agree with you that team victory is more important than keeper's ethnic origin. Look at Bilbao, they have more "homegrowness" than anyone on the planet.Well, what have they won of late? This is crazy!!!

zzz i dont know why some barca fans didnt like VV.
i dont think that VV is the weakness in Barca team.
IMO,the weakness in Barca team is their center defense side.
Puyol,always been like a striker/midfielder,besides always make some fouls against the opponent.
while Pique always make mistake when try to make a clearance.
Reina and Cech are sucks.They just to be looked as good keeper but the fact is how will they saved the ball when 1 on 1 with opponent?
Can they did like VV??
Sure cant!!!!
They just look like better than VV because their team are strong in defense side.Liverpool and Chelsea are good in defense eventhough chelsea are coward in 1st leg of Semi finals in last week.