Owners of City’s Kasper Schmeichel got the explanation behind Sven’s decision to drop the clean-sheet magnet to the bench today. Sven apparently opted to keep Joe Hart in goal after the Carling Cup tie for the home game with Newcastle, due to his extra height. Sven feared that Newcastle were cut from Big Sam’s Bolton cloth at set pieces and felt that he had the edge over Schmeichel when coping with the air raids.
‘It was a very difficult decision because Kasper has done extremely well and kept a lot of clean sheets,’ remarked Sven.
‘But I was a bit afraid of corners, free-kicks and crosses. Hart is physically taller and can handle them better.’
Seems a bit unfair on Kasper – although he let three in at free-scoring Fulham, I’m pretty sure he’d rather be dropped on those grounds rather than for being a bit on the short side.
It’s also blow for those who have invested – City have three of the next four games at Eastlands and it’s not as if a straight swap for Hart is on the cards. To add to the uncertainty, Sven is likely to have Isasksson back available to him after the International break. The Swede is set to turn out in the reserves tomorrow night after recovering from an ankle injury although the weekend game with Middlesbrough is likely to come too soon for him.