Just got home from the game, not a brilliant game, Morecambe never gave up trying, Maja didn't do a lot but scored which is why he's there. O'Nein headed one off the line first half, and Ruiter made two good saved, second half one was exceptional. It was obvious this team was thrown together very quickly, the youngsters did OK but Power was motm by a street followed by ONein, Oviedo was poor apart from his assist. Loovens and Ozturk did ok plenty of headers. Felt a bit sorry for Morecambe who worked very hard but in Div 2 you don't have strikers who only need one chance Good to keep the winning run going.
I'm pleased for Ruiter he was having an absolute mare last season but he stuck it out and by all accounts is well up to scratch now.
Yeah I had a chat with my mate who went tonight and he said the same. Looks a totally different keeper. That said... I watched Jason Steele in goal for Brighton the other week and he looked awful. He looked like he had no idea how to dive or position himself or read the path of the ball!
Yeah Ruiter was always the one of the two that looked like he might turn out to be ok, his near post weakness was a bit inexplicable but let's be generous and put it down to lack of confidence and game time. Steele on the other hand was just bad overall, his only plus point was his size but he didn't use it to his advantage. Terrible shot stopper for a professional keeper.
I watched the full game and was watching him closely. His awareness, handling and distribution were excellent, so whoever has been coaching him has done a cracking job. He did make one handling error in the 2nd half which could have proved costly, but thankfully didn't..
Good to hear because it's a long old season isn't it and the goalie was the one position that we were too reliant on one player for, until Ruiter showed in the cups he can do the job.
@MrRAWhite Jimmy Walker has been goalkeeping coach up until recently. He's gone to Ipswich to be closer to his family. It will be interesting to see how the goalkeepers continue to perform now that he has left the club. Hopefully he'll have left enough good habits behind that they won't miss his coaching too much.
We played with three centre backs and the full backs pushed up, Bainbridge was neat on the ball and passed it out well, it was very physical at times for all three centre halves and he stood up to his task well. lots of high balls to deal with and he held his own. our biggest problem last night was the final pass going forward and I think Majas goal was the only time we found him in the box with the ball at his feet.
The St Mirren goalkeeper is joining as coach isn't he? I wondered why this had happened now, cheers. "St Mirren goalkeeper Craig Samson is retiring with immediate effect to take up a coaching role at Sunderland. The 34-year-old has started all but one of the Paisley side's 18 games this term, having returned for a second spell in the summer of 2017. Sunderland, managed by former St Mirren boss Jack Ross, will visit in friendly next summer as part of the deal. "I know it's not ideal timing, but it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up on," said Samson. "We talked about the option of staying until January but we all agreed it was best that we let the club go on." Samson played for Kilmarnock and Motherwell between his two stints with St Mirren and also had spells with Ross County, Dundee and Ayr United. "He's been a great character and an ultimate professional in my time at the club and goes with our best wishes," said St Mirren boss Oran Kearney. Ross described Samson as "a really good fit" for Sunderland. "He has taken this big decision to come away from the playing side of things, but he recognises the opportunity he might have here to progress as an individual and collectively," he said."
No, he came in at the start of the season but some sources, such as Roker Report, are crediting him with Ruiter's improved form and the good form of McLaughlin. Now he's gone, I guess we might see how much of an impact he's really had. He played for West Ham, Colchester, and Spurs for years and apparently his family are still in Essex so he's gone to Ipswich to be closer to them. It's shame that part of the new coaching set up has gone so early.
You can throw Lee Camp into that too! Ruiter looked ok at times and comically bad at others! The Bolton game sticks out in my mind! Luckily the oppo keeper suffered the same in that game
We could do with a full season out of Jon McLaughlin imo, play Ruiter in the cups and move him on in the summer.
Wyke back in training now apparently, might feature again before Christmas. If he can stay fit going into January then great but if not I think we should look at signing someone else because we rely too much on Maja.
