Should the Blaugrana wind of change blow across the FC Barcelona goalkeeping area as well?


With every department in FC Barcelona undergoing changes and necessary transformation, attention will naturally shift to the goal keeping area as well. Different opinions indicate a split in percetion from various quarters of what barcelona need to do to secure the Blaugrana goal posts. While some support the continuity of the seemingly one-man army of Victor Valdes between the Barca goal posts, others believe another quality goalkeepr is needed in Camp Nou to gaurantee the maximium saftey of the Catalan goal.
Names like Oscar Ustari, the Argentine keeper recently snapped up by Getafe, while others mention Italian safe hands Buffon. Other mentions still go as far as Toldo, the Italian keeper noted for stopping all sorts of penalties and who shown ever so brightly in the Euro 2000 Competition, taking Italy to the final. Many names continue to file in. The issues at hand go beyong just getting another quality goalkeeper like Valdes. The question is, how many world class keepers can stay on the bench for as long as the first choice keeper stays in between the first team's goal posts? It will be a difficult situation to confine a world class keeper to a permanent position not on the field of play, but on the reserve bench. However, some quarters believe that even though FC Barcelona sign another world class keeper, such a keeper will not need to stay on the bench on a permanent basis, but can regularly relieve Valdes from excess duty by the reserve keeper also having regular showings in other matches or coming as a substitute for Valdes in regular La Liga and European championship games next season. The only negative efffect this will have is the possibility of a loss in form by Valdes due to a frequently interrupted programme if he is changed on regular basis. Also, the thought of expecting to be substituted at any given point in time may unsettle Valdes psycologically, an occurrence that will unsettle the gifted keeper and thus, produce a weaker goal post service for the Blaugrana.


As the debate continues and opinions are shared, perhaps greater training of reserve keepers already in Barca may be one other option which may be considered, if the aspect of searching out a very promising and upcoming keeper around the Spain or outside of it is not taken. orherwise, another world class keeper can always be brought in to create healthy competition if such competition is needed in the first place.