The news that Edwin Van der Sar is nearing a return to fitness will be welcomed by the majority at Old Trafford, but it could spell the end for one goalkeeper in the Manchester United ranks.   Ben Foster was given his chance between the uprights in the absence of the experienced Dutchman, but after some very unconvincing displays he seems to have blown his chance of cementing his position as a long-term replacement.   His boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, has been accused of talking too much lately and he was certainly guilty of that in pre-season. The Scot’s unfounded assessment that Foster would become England’s keeper of choice for the World Cup finals didn’t do him any favours and backfired. Unfortunately for the player, he has to take the full brunt of the criticism.

The challenge of replacing Van der Sar is daunting enough as it is without being talked up as it only puts unnecessary pressure on the player and the task becomes even more intimidating.

And so far, it has proven to be too much for Foster. Bad early season habits of failing to deal with back-passes confidently carried through to important games, while his poor judgement and lack of conviction at handling crosses and saving long-range shots has resulted in the concession of too many soft goals.

The main weakness in his game, which should be a fundamental part for any top-class keeper, is controlling the ball with his feet. He is hesitant and tends to take too many touches and doesn’t get enough distances on his clearances.

That wouldn’t have mattered so much twenty years ago, before the back-pass rule was outlawed. But since that rule change, it is not enough to be a good shot-stopper. Goalkeepers have to be good footballers too and must be comfortable in possession.

While at Watford, Foster played in a FA Cup quarter-final win against Plymouth and was magnificent. He commanded his penalty area and claimed just about every ball that was swung into the box in a game where the stakes were high for both clubs. He looked like he had the potential to be the real deal.

But the self-confidence that oozed from him on that occasion appears to have drained away. A young keeper that excelled at making the game look easy, Foster hasn’t built on his early promise and when you watch him now you half expect him to make a mistake.

It’s true that even the greats such as Peter Schmeichel and Van der Sar had poor

error-stricken spells during their time, but the difference with them is that that any mistake was surprising and you fully expected them to play through difficult times and return to their best form.

It’s a harsh game and it can be ruthless sometimes, especially if the man who billed you as the next big thing is the same person who singles you out for blame after a match. All Foster can do is forget the last two months ever happened and start again. Start getting the basics right and discover what made him a prospect in the first place. There might be a good goalkeeper in there somewhere, but it might have to be unearthed somewhere else.