Source: Daily_Mail
He was hailed as the future, but now it seems United's Foster has blown it
Few of the indicators on Manchester United's pre-season tour of Asia actually amounted to anything in the end.
This was, after all, a two-week hike around the Far East that appeared to suggest Federico Macheda was ready for the first team and that Michael Owen may be able to stay fit.
However, it transpires that the trip did provide one portent of what was to come once the real business of the Barclays Premier League got under way. Goalkeeper Ben Foster when he played looked unsure, nervous and rather ill-equipped.
His worst moment came in the muggy night heat of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, when Foster allowed a backpass to roll over his foot and a rather embarrassing goal followed.
Not a lot of what has happened to the 26-year-old since that July night has been much better.
A popular figure at Old Trafford said to have no ego and an appetite for his work Foster's failure to take the opportunity handed him by a pre-season injury to Edwin vander Sar has been as hard to watch as it has been complete.
With Van der Sar nearly fit again and United's next game almost a fortnight away, it is unlikely we will see Foster for some time.
Former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has said: 'Ben looks certain to be a good goalkeeper and he is getting a run of games. But I am sure Edwin van der Sar will beback in when he is fit because the manager knows he is the right guy.'
That Foster has struggled to make United's goalkeeping position his ownis as regrettable as it is surprising. With the England national teamshort of a world-classNo 1 ahead of next summer's World Cup, a fast track into Fabio Capello's starting XI was a possibility a couple of months ago.
The reason given for his omission from the England squad named on Sunday night is a chest problem, which was examined in hospital yesterday.
Foster had the backing of his team-mates at the start of the campaign. Indeed, as long ago as the end of the 2008 season, several prominent United players were saying privately that it was time for Van der Sar to make way for him.
However, Foster has been indifferent at best this season and at his worst he has been dreadful. His failure to prevent Andrey Arshavin's opening goal against Arsenal in August may have been offset by a subsequent save from Robin van Persie. He also made a flying stop from Jermaine Jenas to preserve the lead at Tottenham.
But two mistakes in the Manchester derby and another at home to Sunderland on Saturday have left the former Stoke City goalkeeper with no way back, at least for thetime being. To make matters worse, all four of his crucial errors this season have taken place on live TV with Capello sitting in the stand.
The Italian and the watching millions have witnessed Foster's You've Been Framed moments and the haplessness of his all-round game has been painfully apparent.
Foster's kicking off the floor, for example, has been dreadful as has his communication with his central defenders. 'We noticed Foster's lack of confidence in the run up to our game against United this season,' one Premier League coach told Sportsmail.
'It wasn't just his errors that encouraged us but the way he looked so anxious when the ball was in and around his feet and the way that he just seemed keen to get rid of it as soon as possible.
'These are the things that can give you encouragement against certain teams and certain players. It is normal to try and isolate weak links, even if it can seem a little cruel.'
Sir Alex Ferguson identified Foster as a future United goalkeeper long ago. He also suggested he represented the 'future of English goalkeeping'. Certainly during two seasons on loan at Watford he appeared to have the necessary tools.
A match-winning Premier League debut for United at Derby two seasons ago boded well but Foster was deemed at fault for a goal in a Champions League draw at Celticlast season and, despite making himself a Carling Cup hero in a Wembley shoot-out against Tottenham in February, he has fallen well short of the required standard.
It could be that a catalogue of injuries has hindered him, or the fact that he had to get used to a change in goalkeeping coach at United as Eric Steele replaced the injured Tony Coton last season.
Another, less palatable, theory is that he is not mentally strong enough.
United's European Cup-winning goalkeeper of 1968, Alex Stepney, refuted this last night, saying: 'I actually believe he is mentally strong. The fortunate thing these days is that every top club has a goalkeeping coach and it will be up to him to make sure Foster is in the right frame of mind now.
'The problem he has is that he's playing for a very successful team and replacing one of the best goalkeepers there is. It's difficult to reach that level straight away butfootball can be impatient and Ben has made a few mistakes.'
