I quite like him as a pundit. I don't like him as a co-commentator. And what i really do not like is his opinions on goal keepers.
Back in his day he had the giant Peter Schmeichel behind him, defenders on the posts and a kinda touch the keeper and its a foul approach from refs.
As with everything else in football, things have moved on. The marking systems have changed, keepers have changed. Your big burly GK coming through a crowd of players really does exist anymore. Catching the ball doesn't really exist. There are few keepers who truly dominate their 6 yard box like Schmeichel was able to..
Neville hated Lloris for this reason. Didnt dominate his area. Didnt matter what Lloris did in a game, if he didnt come for a cross then Neville is having a go at him and doesnt rate him.
It is now the same with Vicario, and that's fine, he's had a few issues with crosses after a brilliant start to his Spurs career. But Neville's entrenched views on GV are not consistently applied.
The only goal conceded by Spurs from a set piece this season was by Arsenal. They really have almost perfected the art, from Sakas delivery to the movement & timing of players runs. And they use imagination in their creation. They really are fantastic at it.
For Arsenals goal in the NLD, there was a massive crowd scene in front of GV. A surge of players in the 6 yard box, blocking his path. If he tried to come and claim that cross, about 5 yards out, he would have never made it. But no, Neville says he should have commanded his box. "i'd want my keeper to come and get that". Bollox Neville!
1 week on. Man City and Ederson don't just concede a carbon copy of the NLD goal, they almost do it twice with Gabriel missing from point blank at 1-1. Ederson tried to come for both crosses and guess what, got no where, was blocked by bodies and ended up on his backside, twice.
No damning judgement of Ederson by Neville. Really just acknowledgement that Arsenal have mastered this art. No such understanding afforded to Vicario, he's just crap in Neville's head and i would suggest that if you listen to Nev.s co-commentary on Spurs games, any praise of good goal keeping will be modest/subdued compared to the tone of his criticism.
Rant over....and breathe
Gary Neville rant
posted on 24/9/24
Neville used to be a good pundit. With the raise of the Arsenal he started to be a hypocrite. Terrible to listen to now.
posted on 24/9/24
comment by Scott Fraser (U1734)
posted 3 hours, 49 minutes ago
The same applies to many other aspects of life and is why humans need to be eliminated.
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TBF we should start with the sub-humans and take it from there.
posted on 24/9/24
comment by fridgeboy (U1053)
posted 3 hours ago
I like Neville. I think he talks a lot of sense from football to politics. Think he gets a raw deal from fans in part because he's opinionated without having any real flair as a player which is an unpopular combination because he constantly faces accusations that he couldn't do the things he's criticising others for. That's harsh. He was a winner and most of his criticisms of teams, a bit like Keane, are centred around leadership and character, of which both had in abundance.
The Overlap and Stick To Football are brilliant and that's all down to him.
On your keeper debate, part of the problem now is that we're seeing more zonal marking which is removing the space to allow keepers to be commanding. In order to leap ahead of everyone else a keeper needs space to first run a few paces to then jump. There is no space to do that when his own defenders and opposition players so densely pack the six yard box. Where are they supposed to find a yard?
Zonal marking is a joke anyway because there's always a grey area between zones, not to mention the momentum the attacker gains in running into the space first. All the time you're no longer allowed blockers, zonal marking is redundant. If goalkeepers are being exposed, it's because teams set up that way. It's just plain stupid.
Saying that, Vic shows uncertainty at the back even when there's no cross to defend.
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You give me an alternate idea to my 'hockey penalty corner' idea - why don't they tyy moving 'corners' to be taken from the side touchline in line with the 18yard box? Then the attackers can't encroach on the keeper without risking offside and it would be minimal change of the rules. It has the added advantage of eliminating the 'take it to the corner' shambles when teams are wasting time on a lead.
A corner kick has always been too high a reward for some ways of 'earning' one in any case.
posted on 24/9/24
comment by Silver (U6112)
posted 25 minutes ago
comment by fridgeboy (U1053)
posted 3 hours ago
I like Neville. I think he talks a lot of sense from football to politics. Think he gets a raw deal from fans in part because he's opinionated without having any real flair as a player which is an unpopular combination because he constantly faces accusations that he couldn't do the things he's criticising others for. That's harsh. He was a winner and most of his criticisms of teams, a bit like Keane, are centred around leadership and character, of which both had in abundance.
The Overlap and Stick To Football are brilliant and that's all down to him.
On your keeper debate, part of the problem now is that we're seeing more zonal marking which is removing the space to allow keepers to be commanding. In order to leap ahead of everyone else a keeper needs space to first run a few paces to then jump. There is no space to do that when his own defenders and opposition players so densely pack the six yard box. Where are they supposed to find a yard?
Zonal marking is a joke anyway because there's always a grey area between zones, not to mention the momentum the attacker gains in running into the space first. All the time you're no longer allowed blockers, zonal marking is redundant. If goalkeepers are being exposed, it's because teams set up that way. It's just plain stupid.
Saying that, Vic shows uncertainty at the back even when there's no cross to defend.
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You give me an alternate idea to my 'hockey penalty corner' idea - why don't they tyy moving 'corners' to be taken from the side touchline in line with the 18yard box? Then the attackers can't encroach on the keeper without risking offside and it would be minimal change of the rules. It has the added advantage of eliminating the 'take it to the corner' shambles when teams are wasting time on a lead.
A corner kick has always been too high a reward for some ways of 'earning' one in any case.
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They should make pitches circular and do away with corners
posted on 24/9/24
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 5 minutes ago
They should make pitches circular and do away with corners
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A challenge for VAR!
posted on 24/9/24
Nevile`s a mug, his opinions are akin to a piece of chicken shiete in the rain
posted on 24/9/24
G Nev has never really been a good pundit.
His popularity stems from the fact United have been pretty average for a lot of his time taking Sky £'s, so he's been very critical of them which all non United fans like to hear.
If United were to actually start challenging for titles again whilst he's a Sky puppet, I think he'll soon become a lot less popular and will get moved on, as no-one will want to hear him start praising United.
As a pundit I don't think he offers anything insightful much. And to add to that, he can be a bit of a nobhead.
posted on 25/9/24
There is a reason he is a pundit and not a manager - he was a shambles as a manager.
Hasn’t a faaacking clue and yet carries himself like he knows it all.
posted on 25/9/24
Neville used to be a good pundit but nowadays looks as though he's going to cry whenever someone disagrees with his opinion.
posted on 27/9/24
comment by Glen Bulb (U1449)
posted 3 days, 3 hours ago
The most annoying thing about Nev and his commentary is that “Oooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh” thing he does
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You can just imagine how that started as well. Some marketing guy caught onto how popular the meme of his reaction to Torres' goal vs. Barcelona was & told him this could become his thing. His "it's unbelievable Jeff".
It's grown on me personally