Fair comment, but I stick by what I said. If you look back at my comments, not once did I mention brilliance! Btw, didn't the soft centre of whole team get found out & exploited? And finally, if you go back & analyse many of these goals where Pontus (and others) held their head in their hands, I think you'll find it was due to personal embarrassment due to a fatal mistake they'd just made. Pontus in particular had an under-committed, lazy season. And yet he appears bullet-proof. I'm sure that Felix-haters who actually did this analysis would emerge claiming that they'd found another Felix fault - that he never once tore someone in his defence a new one. And I'd agree with that, but also note that they failed to mention the real cause of the goal. And I for one would not be upset if Pontus leaves. He appears to be mentioned in despatches in every behind the scenes disruption story that's circulated. It wouldn't surprise me if it was true.
Cheers Doc for giving me a challenge, for me the answer is easy, but how to prove that, especially with a position such as a goalkeeper, as any goalkeeper might struggle to perform well if they have 4 Liam Coopers as the defenders in front of them If you're not interested in stats trying to prove a point , just jump to the TLDR section So Felix career for the last 4 seasons 2014/15 On Loan at Eintracht Frankfurt, who finished 8th in the Bundesliga Felix played 10 games and conceded 19 goals, thus averaging 1.9 goals per game 2015/16 he played 34 games for Werder Bremen who finished 13th in the league, and conceded 65 goals, thus averaging 1.9 goals per game 2016/2017 he played 25 games for WB, who finished 8th that season, and conceded 49 goals, an average of 1.96 goals per game (WB had the worse record for goals conceded that season and the 4th best attack) So if you support a team in the Bundesliga who have Felix in goal, then you best hope your strikers between them are averaging 3 goals per game. So what happened to WB the season just finished, in simple terms WB had the 4th best defence this season just gone They finished 11th in the league, so 3 places lower than Felix's last season with them, they bought a Czech goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka for £3 million, and a Swedish Defender, Lugwig Augustinsson for £4.5 million. The defender played in 29 games, and the keeper played in all 34 games. WB conceded a total of 40 goals, thus having come from the Czech league, to a higher class of league, Pavlenka conceded 1.17 goals per game. Funnily enough Felix conceded 1.17 goals per game last season, although he went from the Bundesliga to playing for us. Going back to WB last season 4 defenders played over 25 games for them, 3 of those defenders played over 25 games for WB the season previous, so the defence itself didnt have a big change, and yet the goals conceded per game dropped by 0.8, however it should also be acknowledged that there must have been a change in their style of play as the average goals scored per game dropped by 0.7 TLDR part Whilst you can make all of the above tell whatever story you want, the clear indication to me is that Werder Bremen sold their number one keeper for approx £500k, and replaced him with a goalkeeper who had made 100 first team appearances in the top Czech league, paying 6 times more than what they sold Felix for, kept 75% of the defensive team, to enable the team to play a more consolidated game, rather than in previous seasons of the we will score more goals than we conceded style of play. Maybe we could persuade Man City that Felix is just what they need as understudy to Emerson
Personally don’t think FW has the basic attributes to be a good keeper, made me so nervous at Ipswich away I was nearly as jittery as him. No player should make you feel like that during the warm up Agree Jansson wasn’t a patch on the year before but that could be chicken and egg, if someone more solid and vocal like Green were in goal would PJs form have dropped off so much? Obviously we’ll never know. I would agree that he played with more of a swagger and less commitment this year as though his “legend” status has gone to his head. I think a lot of fans realise this too, far less hero worshipping gone on this year. Would I be sad if he were sold? On the one hand yes because last year we had an awesome player. On the other hand, I have said to Ben, if he goes for big conkers and it is re-invested well I would be fine with it. However, I would certainly sooner we sold Saiz and Alioski if we need to sell to buy
Felix had lost his confidence by the time the Ipswich match had come along. A long time before. We should have brought a keeper in in January. Or 2! Shocking though Felix was at times, it was clear that Lonners wasn't the answer. He got his chance & fecked it right up, and crap though he was by that stage, Felix replaced him. It's also a reflection of their assessment of Bailey Double-Barrel that he wasn't given a chance. He had to wait until we had no other option. In fact, if I was on their books as some sort of honorary fan or something like that, then I'd prolly have got the nod over them all - and I've never played in goals before. Poor old Felix is taking the hit, but people should realise that there were 2 other first team squad keepers employed by the club to do that job. They didn't. And the management team should take the biggest hit for putting us in that situation. They didn't either. Just Felix. Makes you think that it suited the management team for Felix to take the hit. Oh, wait a minute .... ! To be perfectly honest, the whole of the defence was rank. Not one of the back 4 positions was covered with any kind of consistency. They played like they'd never met each other at times. Not even Ayling, before someone pipes up. He only has legs going forward. Seems to lose them when he's caught out up fronr. And he STILL can't prevent most crosses that come in from that side. Been a problem since he joined us.
i don’t think it’s a reflection on what they thought of bpf that they didn’t bring him in earlier, WJ, just a reflection of his lack of experience. Lonergan was always going to get the nod first time Felix was ‘rested’. Would bpf have then got the nod when he did had lonergan not been crocked? Dunno... but no doubting there was a hit of desperation about! Be interesting to see what keepers we start next season with... be a surprise if it’s any more than 1 of the current lot.
What I was saying was that we were desperate earlier in the season, not just at the end. Felix had lost it, only to be replaced by a Lonners that was even worse. That's when BPF should have been played - but only if he was up to it. They clearly thought he wasn't, and as far as I know, he did nothing between the 2 crises to change their minds. In fact, they publicly told him he had stopped developing!! Bizarre. But playing a few meaningless games at the death proves absolutely nothing. So they may well be right. Hence I think we need to sign 2 keepers. Not sure if our Polish u23 chappie is ready to step up. Pity he didn't get a dead game to make his debut. Would have helped make him ready for his proper debut.
Polish lad is same age as bpf. I think they’ve backed their horse re u23 keepers. I’ve heard this ‘meaningless games’ argument. Can’t say I agree. Being thrown to the wolves literally and figuratively, playing on tv, playing in front of 30k as a 21 year old with practically no first team experience? Won’t have been meaningless to him. Proves nothing? Plenty can’t hack it, as we regularly see... he did. Is there a different kind of pressure in a promotion campaign ( we can dream!) Of course there is, but in my view, you either up your game under pressure or you fold. He’s delivered under pressure for me. How well he handles a loss of form and or confidence? That’s a legitimate concern and only one way to find out.
Milky Kamil Miazek was brought in to go into the first team this Summer to replace Lonners, so would have been ahead of BPF. Obviously all change on the goaly front so be interesting to see if we bring an experienced keeper in and if we do KM will be having another season with the kids. He is an accomplished Polish U21 player and destined for big things if Polish media are to be believed but Orta had him watched for ages
I thought he was out of contract and came on a free. What they told him in terms of plans I don’t know, and I haven’t seen him play so I can’t make any comment on his ability. They were trying to get bpf out on loan, so you’d think it would have been Miazek they were doing that with if he was the one they had immediate first team plans for. Surely bpf getting the first team call not miazek supports that.
I reckon the thing that swung it for BPF is that he's English and more idea of the pressure of Leeds Utd, whereas KM is new here and as yet not played in front of a huge crowd? Hecky was forced into BPF and Pearce and those 2 decisions were the best hes made since arriving
If I remember right Miazec was announced at the same time as Happo Haalme the brilliant Finland U21 International and these 2 were going to be the clubs Premier signings for the U23s with a view to both being part of the 1st team squad this coming season. Haalme has yet to play as he arrived injured and only just getting back, so things change in football pretty fast. be in it to win it I suppose, snooze you lose
Well this comes at a timely point and puts the cat amongst the .... Transfer news - Leeds United looking to sign Manchester City goalkeeper Angus Gunn on a season-long loan: If this happens its because Pep wants the kid to learn to play out from the back which means Orta is still in charge of the way we play, so Hecky needs to get on the bus?
From a City spokesman He's really highly-rated here at City. Sounds like he had a good season at Norwich, too. He's training with the World Cup squad before this summer and Southgate rates him highly. Expect he'll have his work cut out at Leeds! Good luck next season.
Year older than bpf and with a full successful season under his belt.. can see the attraction but a year long loan? Aren’t we just giving some other teams youngster some experience, when we could be developing our own. I’d be fine with him if it’s a signal of intent that we’re really going for it this year... ie if he’s a no fee option whilst we spend big elsewhere. IF. But in the meantime bpf doesn’t improve sitting on the bench. Decent balanced piece on bpf/keeping situation by prutton in the yep. I say decent because he says what i’ve been saying
I hear what you say, Milky, but I think there's a big old difference between playing 'dead' games and a full season, irrespective of a promotion push or not. For the former, adrenaline and excitement is normally enough to get you through. For a sustained run, you need mental fortitude. It's something that usually has to be built up, particularly with youngsters. I think that's what PH had been indicating when earlier saying he wasn't ready as he had stopped developing. He was talking about the mental aspects, and not the physical or technical, IMO. Youngsters in any position are prone to inconsistency & burnout, and goalkeepers are no different. In fact, they may even be more susceptible. But people assume it's a physical thing, but that's a rarity. It's a mental thing. That's where I'm coming from. Not criticising BPF, btw. If he's the answer, I'll be delighted. But I don't think he is. Not this season. Nor the Polish lad either, btw - for the same reasons.
If this happens, it could turn into a permanent signing, let's face it the No. 1 at City is only 24 so has got donkeys years in him. Gunn is the same age so limited chance of playing 1st team their unless he is exceptional.
