McLeish lauds fantastic Foster

08 November 2010 15:53
Alex McLeish has hailed the form of Birmingham keeper Ben Foster since his summer move from Manchester United ahead of Tuesday's game at Stoke.[LNB] McLeish revealed Sir Alex Ferguson told him Foster would be back in the England team by the end of the campaign when completing the £6million switch from Old Trafford.[LNB]Foster has been a model of consistency and produced what he described as the best save of his career to deny Carlton Cole during Saturday's 2-2 draw with West Ham at St Andrew's.[LNB]McLeish said: "That was a fantastic save, close in, point blank, and his reaction was wonderful. He had agility, the speed with which he got across was fantastic.[LNB]"You have to be in tip-top form to be able to move like that and Ben is in top form.[LNB]"You can see from that save and the penalty save he made earlier in the season that his form is spectacular.[LNB]"I knew we were getting a guy who just needed to play and even Sir Alex said to me when we signed him 'he will be in the England team by the end of the season'.[LNB]"He is fighting Joe Hart for that position. He is a good 'keeper."[LNB]McLeish added: "If a 'keeper makes a mistake it is normally fatal but Ben has learned a lot from his Manchester United days and his loan spell at Watford. He is looking a very accomplished goalkeeper.[LNB]"It was great we were able to do a swift deal with Manchester United.[LNB]"At the time, everyone else was okay for 'keepers so we had no real competitors.[LNB]"A new 'keeper was top of the list after Joe Hart did so well last season and Sir Alex couldn't hold onto him any longer.[LNB]"He had to be fair to the guy and he has done him a favour there."[LNB]Birmingham have won only twice this season in the Barclays Premier League and McLeish knows there has to be improvements in defence and up front.[LNB]He said: "I am not too unhappy with the performances. Results-wise I believe we should be three or four points better off but I guess any manager in the Premier League will probably say that.[LNB]"I feel we have uncharacteristically lost some goals which we shouldn't lose because the one thing we prided ourselves on last season was the defensive aspect of things.[LNB]"The guys got a lot of shut-outs and it is time to get back on that sort of trail as well.[LNB]"But we've also got to be more of a threat at the other end of the pitch to take a bit of the pressure off the defenders."[LNB]McLeish is considering handing a start to Chile winger Jean Beausejour after recovering from his knee problem.[LNB]The former Scotland boss said: "He lacks match-fitness but when is he going to get match-fitness? I have to consider him.[LNB]"He is the one out-and-out winger we have and we have to change the dynamics of the team to get the service to Cameron Jerome and Nikola Zigic.[LNB]"If they are in the team, that's his type of game.[LNB]"We will try and get him as much involved in the action as possible over the coming weeks."[LNB]McLeish has no fresh injury concerns ahead of tomorrow's match with Tony Pulis' side.[LNB]Colin Doyle will continue to act as back-up for Foster while Maik Taylor nurses a shoulder injury which caused him to be ruled out of the weekend draw with West Ham.

Source: Team_Talk