Exclusive: McAvennie talks down praise of West Ham No 1 Fabianski
We’re delighted to welcome former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Praise aimed at West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is over the top, according to ex-Irons striker Frank McAvennie.
Fabianski, 35, has been one of the best goalkeepers we’ve see play for the Hammers in quite some time with the ex-Arsenal man keeping seven clean sheets in 22 Premier League appearances this term.
According to stats by Wyscout, Fabianski has averaged 2.5 saves per 90 minutes of Premier League football this season, which ranks him 14th in the top-flight.
Fabianski doesn’t rank higher arguably due to how well the defenders have performed in front of him. He has prevented a net total of zero goals in the Premier League this term, which means he’s not excelling or performing worse than expected. Overall, his prevented goal stat ranks him 19th in the Premier League.
McAvennie believes that some of the praise aimed at Fabianski has been a bit too much.
While the ex-West Ham and Scotland striker admits he’s no fan of goalkeeper, he just wants to see Fabianski doing his job without making any mistakes.
“He’s a good ‘keeper and people say, ‘well he’s saved a couple’. But that’s what he’s supposed to do,” McAvennie told West Ham Zone.
“There’ll be a shot and they go, ‘oh, what a save he’s made’. It’s what he’s there for.
“It’s like with Rangers where Allan McGregor is man of the match every week. Fraser Forster was man of the match every week for Celtic.
“I’m not a big fan of ‘keepers so don’t get me wrong. But there must be something wrong in their head to want to be put in front of strikers.
“With Fabianski though, he did well but he’s made some good saves and long may it continue because he’d get slaughtered if he didn’t.”
McAvennie is, unsurprisingly, thinking with a striker’s brain.
A goalkeeper who isn’t making headlines for mistakes is, usually, a good goalkeeper who’s in good form.
People only really talk about goalkeepers when they’re letting in stupid goals with Merseyside pair Alisson and Jordan Pickford earning a lot of headlines this term.
Fabianski is hardly talked about outside of West Ham and that is a very good thing.
In other West Ham news, Moyes has explained why he thought Jesse Lingard would be a good signing for the Hammers.