Nicholas: high praise for James

Today's performance was world class and David James is as valuable to Portsmouth as Cristiano Ronaldo is to Manchester United and Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor are to Arsenal. He was immense.

Charlei Nicholas
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• Bolton Wanderers
• Portsmouth

Bolton 0 Portsmouth 1
Soccer Saturday Verdict

Charlie Nicholas said David James is as valuable as Cristiano Ronaldo after he made the "save of the season" in Portsmouth's win over Bolton.

Lassana Diarra struck a controversial late winner as Pompey ran out 1-0 winners, but England stopper James will take the plaudits after his stunning reflex save denied Tamir Cohen an equaliser in injury time.

Nicholas said it was the best save he had seen all season and put James in the same bracket as goalkeeping greats such as David Seaman and Peter Schmeichel.

He told Soccer Saturday: "Gretar Rafn Steinsson cut the ball back for Tamir Cohen, who was only eight yards out right in the middle of the goal and he hit it really clean and it was flying into the net.

"David James was diving the opposite way, but as he did so he stuck out his left hand and flicked it over the bar. He was totally in control of the situation and it was a simply sensational save. It's the save of the season so far by a distance.

"People laughed last season when I said he was the best goalkeeper in the Premier League and now he's the number one for England again and quite rightly so.

"Today's performance was world class and he is as valuable to Portsmouth as Cristiano Ronaldo is to Manchester United and Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor are to Arsenal. He was immense.

"If you look back at the real class goalkeepers like David Seaman and, in particular Peter Schmeichel, they can win you as many points as strikers can. And that's why I think James is so valuable for them."

Praise

Nicholas also reserved praise for matchwinner Diarra and said even though his goal should have been ruled out for offside, it showed what a shrewd signing he was by Harry Redknapp.

He continued: "Today is probably as poor as Harry has seen Portsmouth play in terms of their passing. Diarra had periods of the game where he kept the ball quite well, but the rest of them kept giving it away.

"The boys were asking about Javier Mascherano going to Liverpool for £17million, but this boy Diarra is every bit as good as him, if not better.

"For his goal, I have to say he was in an offside position. But what happened was they fired it into him and he turned like a world-class striker would and suddenly he was running at the heart of the defence.

"He tried a one-two with Kanu but Andy O'Brien knocked it back to the goalkeeper and it hit Kanu again. Diarra was in an offside position but he was quickly onto it and then he lashed it into the roof of the net with a stunning finish.

"It shouldn't have been allowed and Portsmouth certainly didn't deserve to win the game. Bolton had plenty of chances and Gary Megson will wonder not only how they lost it, but also how they didn't win it."

But while Nicholas thought Bolton were unlucky, he felt they suffered for their poor finishing and says they could pay a high price for selling Nicolas Anelka to Chelsea.

"The lack of strikepower is going to cause a lot of problems," he added. "Kevin Davies was very good today, but the rest of them were bit-part players at times.

"If you watch Football First and you see some of the chances they had, especially Matt Taylor, you'll wonder how they didn't win this game.

"But if you don't take your opportunities when they come, you'll eventually be found wanting.

"Why did they sell Anelka? The money was right, but who is going to get them the goals because if you don't score goals then you don't get points."