Altay Bayindir has done little to dispute Peter Crouch’s concerns regarding Manchester United’s goalkeeper dilemma, reinforcing the idea they possess “three No.2s” following Brentford’s second strike in their recent Premier League encounter.
Bayindir, having been on the periphery behind Andre Onana last season, found himself starting in United’s sixth consecutive league meeting of the season against Brentford. This transition saw Onana shipped off to Trabzonspor on loan, whilst Senne Lammens was recruited from Royal Antwerp over the summer. This shuffle left TNT Sports pundit Peter Crouch to question whether the Devils truly have a leading man between the sticks.
Crouch opined: “It seems to me the goalkeeper conundrum remains unresolved. It feels like they’ve got three No.2s. This was anticipated; it was clear Onana wasn’t cut out for the No.1 role. They’ve brought in the youngster, Lammens, purportedly as a future No.1, yet he remains benched after just one real season in top-flight football. It’s Bayindir who got the nod.”
Despite a brief showcase of his potential with a commendable double save early against Brentford, Bayindir soon fell short. His parried save from Kevin Schade’s strike inadvertently teed up Igor Thiago, whose subsequent effort was inadequately dealt with by Bayindir, amplifying Crouch’s point.
Speculation continues around when Lammens might earn a shot between the posts. TEAMtalk’s sources indicate his debut could be impending.
For Crouch, the oversight at Old Trafford is mystifying. He remarked: “When talents like [Gianluigi] Donnarumma or [Emiliano] Martinez were possibly attainable last summer, it feels baffling this hasn’t been addressed.
“Lammens likely knew his place as a No.2, yet he’s thrust into a No.1 role simply because they don’t deem him ready. United’s legacy boasts goalkeeping giants like [Fabian] Barthez, [Edwin] Van Der Sar, and [Peter] Schmeichel. A figure like Martinez seemed a natural fit – towering, commanding, epitomising the stature and ethos of United.”
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