Tactically, Saturday’s match between Newcastle and Aston Villa is decided somewhere nobody is looking: the choice of goalkeeper. Villa win 0-1 and in goal Unai Emery put Zion Suzuki, formerly of STVV. He picked him over Marco Bizot, formerly of Genk. Two old hands of the Belgian league for one net.
I know the feeling. I’ve got two keepers as well. The first turns up on time. The second has the best reflexes in Hainaut but works at the bakery on Sunday mornings and arrives smelling of hot bread rolls. Picking the keeper is the longest moment of my week. I open my folder on Saturday night, close my folder, open it again.
And Emery’s choice held. Suzuki saved a Sven Botman shot early in the second half. It was Newcastle’s only shot on target, according to The Guardian. One save to make in ninety minutes. The keeper who plays has to stay warm that whole time for a single ball. With us, on pitch 2, he stays warm because he chases the ball down the slope.
The goal came at the other end: Johan Manzambi, with a header, in the 36th minute, from a João Gomes cross. One cross, one header, one goal. I run that on Tuesday. When we’ve got eleven, that is.
With this win, Unai Emery has his 100th Premier League victory. Me, I’m on a number the club delegate (our volunteer official) refuses to write down, but it’s improving.
Silly question, but what does the keeper who isn’t playing train all week for, if there’s only one shot?
Good question. My second keeper warms up for the bar. Sunday at three, I’m back to my folder. One keeper, one net, a flat pitch away, mind you.
It’s true, we checked: BBC Sport · Football.
