Robinson goal against Foster (video)

Your team is a goal down, 30 minutes to go in the second half and you’re watching your opposite number take a free kick from deep inside his own half.

Your stock is on the rise as a Premiership keeper and you keep reminding yourself to take it one game at a time, biding your time till you can return to Old Trafford and challenge EVDS for the number one jersey.

One game at a time, one stop at a time.

And then, Paul Robinson launches a ridiculously long free kick – and you make four mistakes in a row, any one of which can easily lead you to concede a goal.

1) You’re off your line.

2) You’re not talking to your defenders.

3) You’re not moving towards the ball to claim it (which, by the way, is headed for your penalty area).

4) You let the ball bounce 5 yards in front of you.

The range on the kick it helps the ball bounce over your head and its 2-0 down, and back to the Championship for you lot.

Paul Robinson was diplomatic when he placed the blame on Watford’s defence – although he has to be enjoying this goal, seeing as how the focus will finally shift away from his own mistakes and on to Foster’s howler. Ben Foster had gathered some good press in the last couple of weeks and while Robinson is still England’s #1, Foster has been widely tipped to replace him once he’s had more experience playing for a top Premiership side. Even Martin Jol has expressed a desire to sign him.

But this goal is of Foster’s own making. He’s the one in charge of his defence, he is the one who has the responsibility to charge the ball down when it floated into his area, and it’s his job to guard the goal and not saunter off his line.

Worse, Foster was ball-watching, instead of moving to catch it or moving back to his goal in case a Tottenham player got to it first.

I like Foster, and I think he’s the right kid to succeed EVDS at Manchester United.

But before he can do that, he needs to learn how to command his box.

One plus point for Foster was his professionalism after conceding the goal – he didnt waste any time feeling sorry for himself, he stood up, went back to his goal, picked the ball out and pushed to restart the game.

The fact that both of England’s goalkeepers can’t command their penalty area effectively is depressing, but while Robinson has had time to learn, Foster is still young – hopefully he will improve.