I was going to stress the word in the title of this post that was my get out of abuse clause, but I don't want to, because he really could be the best signing, especially for £6mn.

Good goalkeepers are like a good bottle of wine; they get better with age.

Scott Carson is still only 22 years old according to Wikipedia, linking just in case Peter fires back his age is not actually 22, and he didn't actually have that bad a season.

Okay, he let in a few goals and he made a few errors of judgement but not every goal can be put down to him, but this is a problem Martin O'Neill is aware of.

I know he's aware of it because after his first season he figured out that we needed to turn draws into wins, in essence score more goals and he did it. This summer it's about shoring up the defence and conceding less goals, because we did concede a lot more than the teams just above us.

However, my position on Scott Carson is that he's going to get much better and for £6mn., the rumoured price from The Mirror, it's a good bit of business. Especially when you consider, we could get 15 years football out of him.

Comments (76)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

ben moore said:

sign him up !!!!

May 19, 2008

Vijayd said:

Damian mate, tell me this isnt the best signing this summer

May 19, 2008

Beef said:

As a keeper for the future it could be a top deal, however, as harsh at it might be, I'd consider doing the same as Liverpool and send him out on loan till he's top notch im a bad man....

May 19, 2008 | url

Damian said:

Vijayd, it could be .. no settling in period, the coaching team already know where he needs improvement, it's only £6mn. and he'll be better next season it could be ..

May 19, 2008

mini_beest said:

£6m!? Thats more like it. I would REALLY take Carson for that amount. He has had a bit of an on off season but I think he will glad come back to Villa and he can be our Number 1 for the next season. Plus the fact he is still young and he will improve greatly!

May 19, 2008

Milk said:

Yes I think for 6mil it will be a great deal, especially as he is very young and will become world class. I still think he has low confidence after his performance for England. Sign him up but also sign Jaskellinen (however you spell it) and use him for the next few seasons because at the moment he is much better.

May 19, 2008

Darragh said:

I agree. Sign him up and get Guzan too. Plus if we sign him with a striaght cash deal it gives one less player Rafa can dangle in front of MON face as part of a deal for Barry.

May 19, 2008

Hitman said:

Id say for £6m, we'd have a very good goalkeeper in the making. He's aware himself he's not the finished article. I think he can learn alot by being a good number two for a couple of seasons. I think if he'd been a number 2 at Liverpool all this time, he may be better than he is.(learning from Reina)

May 19, 2008

villafandan said:

presumably we still get the loan fees paid discounted off the price tag?? if so, we'll be paying more like 4 million. i'm far from convinced by him, but at that price i'd probably bring him in.

May 19, 2008

mossiewalsh said:

dont no what to think of this plus im hoping he wont be the signing of the summer otherwise its gonna be very dull. maybe he is worth a shot, 6m is not that bad for a young english player.

May 19, 2008

Kiwivillan said:

Do you think Liverpool are going to do business with us after the Barry saga? Me thinks not...

May 19, 2008

Damian said:

Kiwivillan if it was any of the other top three teams, i'd say no but it's liverpool and there is such a misunderstanding between the new owners and the manager that this would probably go through - even if as a sweetener for barry, because it's quite clear he wants to play for liverpool otherwise he would have come out and say otherwise

May 19, 2008

eoin1981 said:

I would be very dissapointed and indeed shocked if villa sign Carson - even if we got him on a free transfer!! His positive characteristics - He is young and he will improve, well you can say that about every single young footballer in the world. His negative characteristics - ZERO presence, ZERO organisation, ZERO communication, beaten far too often from distance, beaten far too often from poor free kicks, does not come for corners or crosses - almost never leaves his line, and when he does he looks like a little boy lost and flaps at everything, poor kicking. So basically he is poor at every goalkeeping fundamental - but yet he is young so would be a great buy!!!!! Frankly - I am surprised that your comments have not been shot down Damian. Throughout the season - people have called for Taylor to be given an opportunity. I would prefer us to sign the goalie we loaned last year from palace with the dodgy pyjamas with Massimo Taibi as back up than to sign Frank Carson. P.S. I think the yank is as good as signed anyway.

May 19, 2008

Chrisodon said:

God i hope so i'm getting sick of Villa being linked with Diego, Henry, Van der varrt...etc i'm just glad we're finally getting some realistic targets printed in the press like sidwell, hoyte & carr.

May 19, 2008

Luke said:

I'm not a big fan, I was quite disappointed with his season and would only get him if he were available for about £3m. That other £3m is better spent elsewhere. Also, Liverpool will probably only let him come as part of a deal for GB...

May 19, 2008

Bazza said:

deco?? ben foster??

May 19, 2008

Danny G said:

eoin1981 - you read my mind! What more does a keeper need to do to prove he isn't very good! I don't need to list his weaknesses as eoin has said it all. I think we get carried away with this young & English thing. Anyone who fits this profile seems to have all their flaws excused. Bizarre! He may develop a bit, and improve over time... but he is the quietest keeper i've ever seen, and leadership & a big mouth is something that if you haven't got it by the age of 22, you aint gonna have it!! For someone who had such a poor season, and i really think it was awful, £6m is a lot of money. He is bottom of the list of keepers i want us to sign.

May 19, 2008

Bazza said:

Real Valladolid goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo???

May 19, 2008

lurman said:

ill have him if we get him for what weve already paid on load. when i saw the headline i thought the article was gonna be talkin about fulhams rumoured interest in him. im sorry, i know i should support our players and not slate them, but carson doesnt deserve it. 3 or 4 mistakes a game - he cant catch, cant kick, is too quiet, has bad teeth and a stupid beard and frankly id rather have peter "horror show" enckelman in goal (OK i take that back, going a tad far perhaps). my point tho is theres much better young keepers available who'd probably also be cheaper so why buy carson!?

May 19, 2008

AK28 said:

If we do sign him i hope its to be our 2nd choice keeper because we can't afford to have him in goals for anoter season. I can't remember one game where i thought he won us a point or 3 by haing a great game. I can remember however a good few games where he was directly the reason we dropped points. Bring Jussi on a free and maybe have Carson as back up until he gets his act together. .

May 19, 2008

lurman said:

i mean what weve paid on loan, d's nowhere near n on the keyboard, dunno how i managed that!

May 19, 2008

Tjeiken said:

we should sign Carson and Kameni, Kameni is extremely good, you just haven't seen him enough

May 19, 2008

JohnnyF said:

Today we've also been linked with Sergio Asenjo,18, from Vallodolid, who is a much better prospect and available for 3 million (get out clause)IMO. Supposedly scouts were seen at recent games and the fact that we are being linked with so many different keepers leads me to believe we're not gonna get Carson. Give me Guzan and Asenjo over Carson any day!

May 19, 2008

Darragh said:

Skysports has us linked with a spanish keeper http://www.skysports.com/story...35,00.html

May 19, 2008

LoveDon said:

Good bit of business, snap him up. I think hes had an ok season, the england thing really knocked his confidence and who could blame him but i think he will turn into a very good keeper. As you say he knows the squad, doesnt need to settle in and has prem experience already. He would be my number one next season, unless of course Lehman fancies a go

May 19, 2008

keef said:

Villa scouts supposedly watching Villadolid keeper Sergio Asenjo who's 18. As far as I can tell we've been linked with 10 keepers already.

May 19, 2008

Mobious said:

Yes YeS YESSSSS!!!! Sign him up. I have said all season we need to secure his services. He can only get better and he is already at a pretty good level. Our most important signing of the season without a doubt.

May 19, 2008

kieran84 said:

6 million is about right before the england mistake he was performing up there with the best keepers in the league if he can get back to that he is s**t hot.

May 19, 2008

Beastmix said:

People need to STOP going on about Brad Guzan. He can't handle pressure and, to be honest, isn't a Brad Friedel/Kasey Keller level Goalkeeper. He's shocking. Stop it. However, Carlos Kameni is going to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. If we can snap him up it would be a proper sexy bit of business. He's definitely got class. When I went to see Valencia/Espanyol this season he was class and when i've seen him on the TV he's always looked good. As long as we don't get Paul Robinson I'll be happy. Off topic, but the thought of Stephen Carr signing for Villa(even as a squad player) makes me feel sick.

May 19, 2008

oldman villain said:

how about selling barry for 10 million and carson this has a gd chance of happening as i think barry wants to go, otherwise he would of said by now he wants to stay at the villa hes had a good few months to think about where he wants to play not just a few weeks.

May 19, 2008

villainadz87 said:

Oh dear.........oh....................dear

May 19, 2008

tonebone said:

did u people watch him play this season. he is a dreadful keeper = i dont care how young he is. he cant communicate, doeant control the box, is vulnerable at his near post, doesnt come for crosses!! Taylor is better and i have to admit so was Sorenson and i wasnt a fan of him. Someone tell me a game where Carson made a string of great saves and impresse controlling everything etc - it didnt happen - and u cant say its because we had such a good defense as we conceded more than any top half team!! I am shocked that some people want him - you clearly havent watched the same games i have this season!!!

May 19, 2008

eddielotr said:

Well toneone, he obviously did something right, Englands call ups?????????????? He made a few mistakes yes, and so did David James in his earlier years.......wouldn't you say James is the no.1 keeper in England now?

May 19, 2008

adelaide villan said:

Na this will be good 4 us if this is true. yes 10 mill 2 much but 6 mill sounds about right. lets sighn him now

May 19, 2008

pazzler said:

jus wonderin where the £6million fee has come from? surely liverpool wudnt drop their askin price for him, unless gb is a sweetner.................................

May 19, 2008

madladdy said:

Carsons England calls ups came as we have a real lack of quality English keepers -and he was doing ok with us - nothing more. He's a waste of space imho... cost us so many points its untrue and as many others have said I don't see the plus points other than he's young & English which means nothing if you honest about it. David James made some howlers yes but he ALWAYS had other attributes as do most other keepers. And as a keeper having your confidence knocked is ALWAYS going to happen if you can't get it back after 20 games -forget it- you don't have what it takes to be at the top.

May 19, 2008

tommy7890 said:

I am completely serious when I say this - If we had David James this season instead of Carson then we would comfortably be 4th. Carson has cost us far more than 10 points this season whilst James is worth about 10 points a season.

May 19, 2008

madladdy said:

tommy7890... Totally agree if we had swapped keepers with Liverpool or Everton or Portsmouth (with D.James) I think we would have had 12 points and them all -12pts at least... Its not only Carsons obvious errors but saves he should be making but doesn't.. Free kick against West Ham an obvious example. He was ok at the start of the season, and *appalling* for the rest!

May 19, 2008

K4AVFC said:

Right .. im not sure if this is because you people dont watch Villa every week LIVE at the grounds.. BUT Carson is not a very good goalkeeper! He never comes for crosses, he makes wild decisions and just simply is not a good enough goalkeeper for Aston Villa... Surely if you watched him every week you would realise that ... where i stand at the back of the Holte everyone is in agreement, we get worried everytime he receives a back pass or we get a corner! NO.. Jaaskelainen on a free please.

May 19, 2008

K4AVFC said:

or THEY get a corner*

May 19, 2008

Mobious said:

Nope sorry have to disagree. You really need to get off Carsons back. He is one who will improve and MON is the man to build up his confidence. You build great teams from the back forward. Come on we weren't even playing with a proper right back ffs. Give the man some credit.

May 19, 2008

madladdy said:

We had a centre back at right back, you could argue that provided MORE defensive (esp aerial) cover for Carson and out of interest how do you KNOW he will improve? And your right you build top teams from the back - so your suggesting we use someone at the very back -our foundation- who by your own admission isn't at the top of his/the game or confident? GK is one area we could afford a true WORLD class player (£10-20m) and we should pull out all the stops and get just that. It would be worth 12pts a season as opposed to the 12pt we LOST due to errors this season.

May 19, 2008

villainadz87 said:

K4AVFC - Jaaskelainen on a free! Indeed. Best bit of business going

May 19, 2008

Villa_Rules said:

What i dont get is he had a better season than sorensen did yet sorensen didnt get any stick for it Hmmm fickle villa fans maybe Anyways i think we should think ahead with carson and look at what he can be in two years instead of thinkin about what he did last season For 6 Million id take him anyday and right now Martin i kno you dread getting the checkbook out but just do it

May 19, 2008

Villa_Rules said:

By that post i mean sorensen's last season in goal for us not this season obviously cause sorensen hasnt played (Thank God)

May 19, 2008

tonebone said:

I really dont get this. why are people saying spend 6 million on someone that has proved throughout the whole season he is a very poor goalkeeper. not good enough for the prem!!! we are a top 6 side we shouldnt be buying goalkeepers that would struggle to get in any premiership side. There's hardly been a great deal of interest in him has there - us and fulham - says a lot what other managers think of him. If he was any good at his age a load of clubs would want to snap him up but they dont!!! I am in utter amazement at some people on here - you clearly havent been watching games with your eyes openthis season. he has been appalling and cost us endless points west ham, fulham etc etc!! and eddie i am sorry but a bloke that managed to get one dubious call up for an england team that cant make the euros and messed that up and now cant get near the squad is hardly an attractive buy!! oneil needs to realise he has to change his young english policy at some point. there arent good enough english players to get us challenging where we want to be!! Even if u had the entire national team i doubt that would finish higher than 5th.

May 19, 2008

jinksy said:

6 million for Carson could be the best signing we make????????????? Are you having a laugh. Carson has bneen nothing short of shocking for Villa this season & how he kept his place is beyond me. You'll be telling us Reo Coker has had a brilliant season next & 8million was cheap at half the price. I wouldn't want him for nothing.

May 19, 2008

madladdy said:

Look Carson isn't our player so we don't need to stick up for him. For those who are blind and think he did ok, here are the SEASON-long stats for the Top6 teams... Team Shots on target against/Goals conceeded = Save ratio Man U130/220.17 Chelsea121/260.21 Arsen128/310.24 L'pool90/280.31 Evert132/330.25 Villa147/510.34 P'Mouth191/400.20 So we had the worst keeper. The 'average' keepers save ratio was 0.23.. or 1/4 - one shot let in for every 4 on target.. Carsons was over 1 in 3. The reason why I'm so set against signing him is if Villa had had 'average' keeper we would have let in just 33 goals. Carson let in 55 that's 18 -EIGHTEEN- goals that would (SHOULD!) have been saved... how many points is that? 18 goals.. seriously people we would have stood a *fantastic* chance of beating Liverpool to 4th with a decent keeper... never mind scraping into 6th.

May 19, 2008

madladdy said:

And for anyone interested in the rest of the league - Carson was the 4th worst keeper overall... Shots on target against/Goals conceded = Save ratio Man U130/220.17 Chelsea121/260.21 Arsen128/310.24 L'pool 90/280.31 Evert132/330.25 Villa147/510.34 B'burn 177/480.27 P'Mouth191/400.20 M City200/530.26 W-Ham174/500.29 Spurs172/610.35 Newc192/650.33 Boro157/530.33 Wigan161/510.31 S'Land159/590.37 Bolton175/540.31 Fulham202/600.30 Reading223/660.29 Blues214/620.29 Derby236/890.38

May 19, 2008

Damian said:

shall we change your username madladdy to stato?

May 19, 2008

madladdy said:

Only if we can change yours to 'Deluded'?

May 19, 2008

tonebone said:

@villa rules - i dont know where u were mate but sorenson got loads of stick last year - hence everyone saying we need to replace him. I for one gave him a lot of criticism on hear for continually getting beat at the near post, but he was no where near as bad as Carson has been this season. Carson doesnt have one attribute that i would class as being premiership standard and ha has shown that conistently. shot stoppin - average at best; positioning - utterly dreadful; communicating - i thought he was dumb?? etc etc

May 19, 2008

jinksy said:

Damian, I think you should just hold your hand in the air and admit that you've been watching a different team to the rest of us. I thought Carson was shocking but your judgement of a player is even worse.

May 19, 2008

Arizonan Villain said:

I agree about Crason - he is useless - I would have him at 600,000 not a penny more. Nor do Liverpool sell good players. As for Guzan, after watching him twice on the box this MLS season - he aint much better!

May 19, 2008

Rossa said:

Im sorry but 6million is an absolute rip off for a 3rd choice keeper. Wev already spent nearly 2 million on him for 1 season.Plus how long does it take people to realise English keepers are bottlers and are always prone to errors??? Think about it, how much did Reina, Van der Sar and Jussi cost their current clubs? Not 8 million Go get an established keeper for half the price!! Top of my list would be Shay Given, then Jussi. Buy the Guzan fellah as back up. I am sure many villa fans will agree with me

May 19, 2008

Arrlui said:

Danny G :: but he is the quietest keeper i've ever seen, and leadership & a big mouth is something that if you haven't got it by the age of 22, you aint gonna have it!! - That's b******s

May 19, 2008

USvillian said:

I usually agree with most of the articles written on here, but this is absolute rubbish. Overall, Carson was terrible. He started out the season a bit above average, but it was all down hill from there. All I can think of are his stupid mistakes. ex. the pompey reo-cocker own goal. And he lets in far too many mediocre free kick goals. And another thing! Brad Guzan is awful. I live in California and watch an MLS game every now and then. Guzan has been awful this year. The only thing I can think of is that he is blowing games so Chivas USA will get rid of him. With all that being said, I am very grateful for all the work you lads do with this website. I check it atleast 3 times a day. I check this before I check any other site for my villa news and I just want to say thank you all for all your work.

May 20, 2008

Jambo Villa said:

I really don't know about this! Yes, he should get better with age, but there are many players who have never fullfilled their potential esp. down at Villa Park (Atkinson, Collymore, etc.). If he does sign for us I would like him to learn how to concentrate for 90 minutes (conceded a lot of late goals this year) and to practice in tipping the ball over the bar from long shots as quite a few got past him this season. You have to take the view though, that after the recent public spat between MON and that slimey git Rafa, that Liverpool will only do business if it involves GB! Therefore I hope it doesn't happen and that Villa go for Ben Foster of Man U or a more established keeper like Boric (if thats how you spell his name) of Celtic However with all that being said, I will gladly go along with MON as he has not let us down in his tenure to date, in fact he is already getting very close to being one of our all time great managers in my view in such a short space of time!!

May 20, 2008

jinksy said:

Anyone want the Villa 5 Blues 1 game full 90min on DVD give me a shout to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

May 20, 2008

vogra said:

id prefer to use the 6mill and put it towards making an offer towards Joe Hart

May 20, 2008

Peter said:

Keepers get better with age.....Paul Robsinson anyone????????????????????????

May 20, 2008

Damian said:

Peter It's generally accepted that keepers get better as they get older, much like it's generally accepted that you come on to this website to look for something to negative to say or just have a go. Of course, much like you don't always say something negative, not every goalkeeper gets better with age.

May 20, 2008

Peter said:

Calm down calm down, I was only joking - I accept most keepers get better with age damo mate! David James is one good example. Very touchey! Its not my fault if you dont know what position David Bentley plays! (again only joking - he he he!)

May 20, 2008

Damian said:

now i understand. for your information; bentley can and does play on both wings, much like our young, or manchester united's ronaldo i'm not touchy Peter, but read back through your comments - they are almost all negative in one way or another towards me and this site. it's just very very boring

May 20, 2008

Peter said:

A bit like you with Bill Howell then!!

May 20, 2008

Peter said:

By the way Bentley does not play both wings - he may have played about 4 games in his life on the left but he does not play both wings. Ronaldo and Young do routinely. He is a right sided or central midfield player like beckham. he is not a winger - he is a right sided midfielder - would you have called Beckham winger

May 20, 2008

tonebone said:

I'm afraid Peter has got u with Bentley - he certainly doesnt and cant play on the left wing. u are naming players like ronaldo and young - people with pace who can play on both flanks no matter which is there strongest foot due to there pace and skill. Bentley has no pace - he is a right midfileder just like Beckham with a great delivery. think you are losing the plot Damian with this article and saying Bentley can play left!!!

May 20, 2008

Damian said:

try going to google and type in 'bentley both wings' just as one example the man utd fans seem to think he'll be a good replacement for giggs because he can play both wings and to quote their opinion Also, Bentley can play on both wings and he could be the replacement for Giggs. We do need around three wingers anyway. however, i'm sure you can find a link to say that bentley only has one foot and cant play on the left but if manchester united came calling and said we want you on the left and the right, do you fancy it? i know what he'd say .. can we just leave this now? in fact - i wont respond any further because i've seen him play on both wings

May 20, 2008

Peter said:

"try going to google and type in 'bentley both wings' just as one example the man utd fans seem to think he'll be a good replacement for giggs because he can play both wings and to quote their opinion Also, Bentley can play on both wings and he could be the replacement for Giggs. We do need around three wingers anyway". Not exactly proof that is it! Is that how you source all your articles by googling and wikepedia. The point you are missing is that you are saying we should spend £10-£15 million on a player and you dont really know what type of player he is or what position he plays in. My best mate from when I was at Uni is actually a Blackburn season ticket holder and he assures me that he is a right sided midfield player - not a a winger. Morevver, he recalls him playing left midfield about wtice in his time there. Ronaldo and Young switch wings week in, week out. Bently is just not that type of player

May 20, 2008

rdavis said:

Carson didn't do enough last season to warrant a transfer.Although he cant be soley to blame, we conceded 51 league goals last season.Compare that to Everton's 33 and Liverpool's 28.Its obdvious the way to improve on last season is to make CHANGES at the back, the first being the goalkeeper.It looks as if Jens Lehman is going back to Germany, which is a shame because i think he would be an ideal candidate to restore some order at the back.Plus he has good international and european experience.Carlo Cudicini is another example of a experienced quality goalkeeper that still has something to offer at the top level.I just feel that we need a better class of a goalkeeper than Carson to progress as a football club, and now that we have the lure of european football we shud try and make that step forward. Lehman Arsenal Gomes PSV Einhoven Boruc Celtic Cudicini Chelsea

May 20, 2008

Rogale said:

Damian, you're insane. Why do you assume he's going to get better? There is absolutely no guarantee of that. He might get worse, if that is possible.

May 20, 2008

Chater1703 said:

Nah.....hes too clumsy in the air. whenever that ball goes in the box i pray for it to land on laursen's head. otherwise he flaps at into the path of an oncoming opponent

May 20, 2008

pazzler said:

carson has potential, and has the ability to become a good keeper. sure he has his flaws, but i think to be honest, aside from playin for us, he hasnt really had decent run of first team experieice. he spent alot of time on the bench at liverpool, so this season jus gone can be classed as his first full season of experience.

May 20, 2008

Mobious said:

Did you know 78.345% of statistics are made up?

May 20, 2008

andyastonvillaman said:

are you on drugs you havent been to many games this season with comments like that.since he dropped a clanger for england hes been rubbish costing us many goals in double figures.wake up and smell the coffee we dont want him at any price

May 23, 2008

Mikey88 said:

6million could get you much better keepers, and they might not be young and English but they will be better and thats what we need. Because doesn't matter how young and english your players are you need quality... Kameni, Coupet, Guzman, Jaskelainen, Cudicini, All better cheaper keepers!

May 25, 2008