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Guzan has Hull City loan extended

BradGuzan (Reuters)

Brad Guzan's loan deal to Hull City has helped him earn valuable playing time.

He's about to get a bit more.

Aston Villa and Hull City have agreed to extend Guzan's loan for another month.

Guzan has been Hull's starter since coming over and is expected to remain the starter for another two weeks, when Vito Mannone is expected to return from a thigh injury. At that point, the two will do battle for the starting role.

What do you think of this news? Glad to hear Guzan will be getting more playing time? Wondering where he may move to this summer?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. 1. Well, Houllier’s also running Friedel, who is saving his job, out of AV at the end of the season.

    2. Goal differential:
    West Ham -19
    Wigan -19
    Wolver -17
    West Brom -14
    Aston Villa -13

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  2. A 20 year old did pretty well for 3 games, had a bad game and was publicly dumped on by his coach before being benched.

    Yeah it happens and look how wonderful Houllier’s team and man management has been this year.

    I’m more impressed by Lichaj’s play than Houllier’s handling of his job so far. Though yeah landing Bent may save his skin.

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  3. Okay, but does Houllier being an awful manager with little idea what he’s doing who has a perennial top half of the table team in a possible relegation struggle and bottom five in goal differential bother Randy Lerner?

    Because if it does, the end result might be the same as if Lerner cared about how Houllier is treating all three of the team’s American players.

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  4. Friedel heave ho at Liverpool, Friedel likely gone at the end of the season, Guzan not given a chance at the job and likely gone at the end of the seaon, Lichaj benched indefinitely based on one bad game… What is Houllier’s problem with Americans?

    I hope he is fired soon.

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  5. Houliier earlier was rumored to be trying to bring in another Euro keeper, I forget his name, to be the new number 1 next year. Or is that guy now the backup?I forget the name…

    Houllier has already shipped out Guzan who likely will end up with a permanent transfer to a Championship side.

    And next Houllier will do same to Friedel at end of season, after he saves Houllier’s job by keeping Villa out of the relegation zone.

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  6. Is Brad Friedel personally broke? Or, is the corporation he set up broke? I can’t imagine he would have put his personal fortune under so much risk.

    It is too bad about PSA – great facility.

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  7. Fighting relegation? More like fighting for a place in Europe, scoreboard y’all. Villa in the relegation dogfight is so 48 hours ago…

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  8. Battling with a guy named Vito Manonne sounds precarious to me.

    Is it possible to have a discussion involving AV without the Lichaj and Houllier thing coming up?

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  9. word, I’m in. Let’s get it rolling Guzan!

    The Gunners only have 1 capable keeper healthy who has the talent to play in the EPL right now, Szechny, as Fabby is hurt and Alumnia most likely is gone.

    Hell we have the young man James Shea as our backup who was in the reserves a few months ago!

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  10. I disagree with your assessment that Lichaj didn’t do so well in his first extended EPL outing. He performed well as a sub, had a good game, a very good game, and a bad game that the entire team flubbed, but he was blamed for by Houllier in the press. That’s hardly not doing well.

    If Houllier is going to judge players by that one Man City game, he should complained about everyone to the press and then benched the entire defense and a good chunk of the midfield. That, however, would have been impossible, and so it seems as though he scapegoated the 22 year-old. I’m not saying that Lichaj should be an automatic start in the EPL, because I don’t believe that, but I think that the fact that he has disappeared so completely from the Aston Villa first team is a problem.

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  11. Agreed, he put a serious speedbump in Friedel’s career at Liverpool and could do the same for Guzan and Lichaj. But it would be sad and ironic if that, after he is done with the yanks on the club, is himself shown the door.

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  12. Or, as someone mentioned in another forum; that Mr. Friedel purposely did not sign an extension in order to get more favorable terms under bankruptcy. With no validated income beyond a certain day, debtors would be more willing to settle the debt asap with more leverage given to Mr. Friedel because of that.

    After the terms of the bankruptcy are settled, a new contract would be offered and signed.

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  13. I happen to think Lichaj has a bright future but just because he impressed y’all in his USMNT stints doesn’t mean he is good enough yet for full time EPL duty.

    Villa is pulling out all the stops to avoid relegation. Note the crazy money they spent on Bent. It may just be that Lichaj isn’t ready for that kind of pressure; certainly Houllier can’t wait to find out. He may be a “French nitwit of a coach” but more important he is Lichaj’s coach and boss. It’s Houllier’s head on the block not yours.

    If Lichaj is that good,if he is that ready, why didn’t Martin O’Neill ever give him a league game? He had to wait for someone to go down.

    If you were manager of Villa and your head were on the block would you put your faith in some very inexperienced kid or someone a little more experienced?

    This is a set back for Lichaj but needn’t be a career ender at Villa. Will he take it like a man and learn from it and come back stronger or will he take his ball and go home?

    The EPL is a tough gig. They don’t give you minutes for no reason.

    A 20 year old inexperienced American player didn’t do so well in his first extended outing in the EPL. Hardly a news flash, whatever the kid’s nationality. Live with it.

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  14. A French coach who has already demonstrated he doesn’t rate Friedel, despite the fact that he has continually been rated by other coaches.

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  15. No you can’t have it both ways but Licaj had 3 really performances and one bad. The poor performance was more then just Lichaj it was the entire team. Add to that he publically threw him under the bus. It’ one thing for us to pick on Americans but I will be damn if some French nitwit of a coach will.

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  16. Mannone arguably has more upside, hes 22 and showed pretty well last year (of course he had a few gaffs) when he had to fill in for Alumnia at the beginning of the last season (when Fabianski wasn’t fit either)

    Not saying the Guzan isn’t better or wont be in the future, but I believe Mannone will be the starting keeper at Hull when he returns from injury. Not sure what that means for Guzan in this situation…I’m torn as a US national team and an AFC supporter.

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  17. Well played sir. I couldn’t believe how easily Spector turned into a complete joke among some around here.

    His early career recalls Lichaj to me a bit, except obviously Spector’s accomplished much more.

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  18. He sat Lichaj down because, he wasn’t playing well and he brought in Walker from Spurs to play that spot. Lichaj was only starting because the regular right back was injured. Houllier is in relegation trouble and doesn’t have the time to mess around waiting if Lichaj will rebound. This is the EPL not a developmental league for the USMNT.

    If Houllier is anti-American it sure doesn’t bother Randy Lerner much.

    As for Lichaj’s performance shutting down Bale, does Lichaj get all the credit and his defensive partners no credit for that good performance?

    And then does Lichaj deserve none of the blame for the terrible performance the next game?

    You can’t have it both ways.

    You should be careful about evaluating players based on one exceptional performance. In 2007 when the US played Argentina in Copa America ( and lost 4-1) I remember Bornstein playing Messi tough for a half. Bornstein was so effective Messi moved to the other side in the second half.

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  19. Yeah, I’m hesitant to immediately jump to the anti-Americanism standpoint too.

    The entire defense had a horrific game, though, and it’s a bit strange that he’s brought it all down on Lichaj’s shoulders. I just honestly can’t make sense of that.

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  20. Houllier is a joke, but I don’t think there’s some anti-American conspiracy. I mean if your job’s on the line your not going to just not play someone because of their nationality.

    I think the guy is just inept as a manager and can’t spot talent.

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  21. He hates Americans.

    Example? Lichaj shuts down Bale. The next game showed a terrible defensive effort by the entire team, and he places the entirety of the blame on Lichaj.

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  22. Good for him! He deserves playing time. Now I’m just concerned about the other American who needs playing time at Villa, Lichaj.

    With Friedel not getting an extention, it seems like Houllier isn’t too fond of his Americans, now is he?

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  23. very excited for brad. he is a superior keeper to mannone and should continue to play despite his return. i hope he gets to keep playing and have the loan extended further, but only if hes playing. if hes riding pine i’d rather have him return to villa where at least he’ll be training at a premier level team.

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  24. friedel might not be at AV, but given the fact that he just declared bankruptcy, i don’t think he’ll be retiring anytime soon. Hopefully Hull doesn’t have an option to buy. Guzan is a premiere league caliber keeper and there will be teams interested in his services without having to slum it in the championship for a year.

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  25. Brad Friedel has not signed a contract extension with Aston Villa yet and some pundits expect him to go. This is no surprise as Houllier gave him the old heave-ho when they were both at Liverpool.

    I do not expect him to go with Brad Guzan either, or, I would be really surprised if he did. I expect Houllier will go with a Euro or SA keeper with international experience.

    Clubs often loan out GOOD players who have had a lot of bench time in order to give them exposure to clarify their value on the transfer market. I suspect with his age and experience with the USMNT, Guzan will be the target of several teams this summer and AV will want to maximize his value by showcasing him at Hull.

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  26. It sounded like Hull are happy with him. Also, unlike Mannone, there may be an option to sign Guzan beyond this loan. If Guzan has been performing well, that alone might be enough incentive to give Guzan the the #1 position for the rest of the year.

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  27. I agree, a lot of British commentators and pundits say good things about Guzan but always with the line “despite his size.” Either way, some team will be knocking on his door in the summer if he performs well.

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  28. I think if Guzan beats out the other keeper, Aston Villa would be dumb not to give Guzan a try next season.

    If they let him go someone will snatch him right up.

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  29. Wonder if this is one of those…. get rid of both American keepers at the end of the season or get Guzan ready to start when Friedel gets told to kick rocks again by Houlier?

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