Tonight we have a guest blogger on Sporting Blue KC. His name is Johan Englen he is a goalkeeper himself, hence I find it proper for him to break down Sporting Kansas City's goalkeepers.
First off Sporting Kc's Goalkeepers are Jimmy Nielsen, Eric Kronberg, and Jon Kempin. Personally, I would like to see Kronberg given more playing time seeing as he needs the in game practice, plus he's 28 years old so it's not like they're sending a rookie out there to marshal over the back line. However Jimmy Nielsen is the starting and definitely the best goalkeeper.
Jon Kempin: This seventeen year-old is the first ever home grown player signed by Sporting Kc. This young player looks quite promising and could one day be a starting keeper either for SKC or another mls team. Jon has also been called up for the U-18 USA men's national team. I have not had the pleasure of watching him play too much yet so I can't say much but from what I have heard I can say that he looks like he has a lot of potential and if any injury disaster strikes in the goal keepers department he would be a suitable replacement for Kronberg or Nielsen.
Eric Kronberg : He is currently the substitution goal keeper for Sporting KC and stands at an impressive 6 ft., 5 in. which makes him the tallest keeper on the team and one of the tallest in the league. He has been with Sporting since 2007 and has waited very patiently to play on the starting XI. He was on loan to Miami FC in his first season and has been on the team ever since. Kronberg is a good, strong goal keeper and I think he has waited long enough and I would like to see him start in a few games, US Open Cup would be most likely for him to start in. His height allows him to stop the higher balls and allows him to be very potent in the air and commanding in the box on set pieces.
Jimmy Nielsen: The Great White Puma, Jimmy Nielsen is a Danish keeper who has had experience over in European leagues and has shown to be a prominent Danish footballer and earning Danish Keeper of the Year honors in 2004. Jimmy is currently 33 years old but he seems to not display his old age in high fast tempo games. He has an amazing sense of positioning when it comes to shot-saving. He has a great kick save which has become somewhat of a trade mark for him which I find is very important in a keepers arsenal. Jimmy also has safe hands (never fumbles) and good grass cutters. Unfortunately you just won't see him fly across the goal or make a long jump save, I'm not saying he doesn't ever make any of those saves it's just that 9 times out of 10 he won't make it there in time, furthermore when he's one-on-one sometimes he tends to run out of the box or gets out of position to soon.
Overall SKC has some of the best keepers in MLS whether it be seasoned veteran Nielsen or 18 year old Kempin. I have spoken with these great athletes at public gatherings before and I've uncovered that they are very nice and down to earth people. They are all great keepers at there own levels and I see them as a giant impassable wall that should strike fear into any forward's heart.
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