Niemi return to form puts pressure on Jones
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Southampton's Finland goalkeeper, Antti Niemi, is set to test the loyalty of his manager, Gordon Strachan, to the Wales keeper Paul Jones after proving his full recovery from a second bout of knee surgery.
Niemi, 31, gave another nudge to Strachan by keeping a clean sheet in the reserves against Nottingham Forest - just two days after Jones' error gave away the first Premiership goal Saints have conceded at home this season, against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Niemi, who was sent for an operation after being carried off from last season's FA Cup final defeat by Arsenal and broke down again during pre-season preparation, now says: "I'm getting desperate to play in the first team again."
But he admitted: "'Jonah' and the team have been playing so well that there has been no need to make a change. So I have had to be patient."
Niemi was on the substitutes' bench for the fifth consecutive game when Jones was beaten at his near post by Malcolm Christie for Boro's winner on Saturday, which was Saints' first defeat of the campaign.
Strachan insisted: "I've never picked out individuals to blame and so I'm certainly not going to start now."
But a howler by the 36-year-old which brought a 1-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion early last season led to Niemi, having been bought for £2m from the Scottish club Hearts a few weeks earlier, being called up for the next game against Charlton.
And the Finn established himself as the clear No 1, keeping his place with a string of impressive performances until knee problems surfaced just before the FA Cup semi-final against Watford.
Strachan gambled on him against the Gunners at the Millennium Stadium, a stunning setback for Jones who eventually had to take over as substitute for the last 22 minutes of the final - and has stayed ever since.
Now Strachan has the dilemma of whether to make a change ahead of this Saturday's trip to Newcastle.
Jones and Niemi have been rivals at international level as well this year with Niemi recalling: "I called Jonah all the names under the sun when he made a series of great saves for Wales against Finland last month. We really should have won the game with all the chances we had but he played so well. His form with Southampton has been the same but, of course, I want to be playing. I've been training for just over a month now but for the first two weeks of that I couldn't even catch flu.
"The second operation set me back another four weeks and you have to be in perfect shape to play in the Premiership and the Uefa Cup. I've played only four or five games in three months but now I think I can do it."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments