Hart or Given - Either/Or

"I haven't joined Manchester City to sit on the bench or whatever. I've gone there to play, it's an ambitious club and I'm an ambitious person, I haven't gone there to take it easy and put my feet up. If that's not the case, I suppose I'll sit down on Monday with the club and see where I can go after that."

- Shay Given, not prepared to play second-fiddle

Man City need Joe Hart to fufill their homegrown quota, so he’s got to stay. Given’s a good ‘keeper, so they’d rather he stay as well. Given’s probably a better keeper at the moment. But if push comes to shove, I can’t see how they would choose Given over Hart. Which means that Shay Given could be on his way out.

Given wants guaranteed game-time, but I’ve got news for him. If he wants to join a top, top club, he’s going to have to fight for his position. At Man Utd, he’ll have to displace van der Saar. At Chelsea, he’ll have to be better than Cech. At Liverpool, he’ll have to oust Reina. And at Arsenal, he’ll have to fight off, um.... Fabianski.

Let’s hope Given’s a fighter.

If I had the choice, I’d prefer Joe Hart over Given. He’s younger, he’s English, and he’s a bit of an unknown quality. It’ll be exciting to watch him in front of goal and not knowing if he’d be good enough to marshall our suicidal defence. Shay Given, on the other hand, has had years of experience at Newcastle United, and we know what we’re going to get. He’s not as exciting. Then again, he’s 34, has a few good years left in him, and by the time he’s about to wind up, Szczesny will be ready.

Either/or, I’m not fussed. I’m at the stage where I’m happy as long as they’ve got two hands, two feet and don’t answer to either Almunia or Fabianski. Just sign someone, Wenger.

So on the 258th last day of my 20s, I tried an Facebook app, “Who Hates Me?”. The GOMD was 5th on the list. My boss was 3rd on the list. Portentous? Maybe. Whatever the case, I’m not game enough to post it.