To go with Gilmartin would be craziness, he's never been any good, and to trust Bond when he's so young and inexperienced would be suicidal. I trust Dyche. Maybe he's thinking of bringing a keeper in on loan, but if not, and if we don't buy someone experienced, i wouldn't change Loach in league games, i wouldn't use Bond in a cup game if we want to give it a bit of a run, and i wouldn't use Gilmartin at all. Right now we don't have any choice. Yes, our defence has been fantastic this season, and yes, we've let in a couple of goals that were down to stupid errors...but they weren't entirely SL's fault, and you may call me what you want, but i don't understand how he has become the scapegoat for all that goes wrong at the back. I'm not happy clappy, i realise that Loach has made mistakes..though i also can acknowledge that there are far less of them this season than last season, and he has, this season, made some incredible saves. He's not the perfect goalkeeper...but he knows what he has to work on, and he's working on it. And others are right, last season the strike force covered for mistakes at the back, this season, something needs to be done about our lack of goals, because right now, we don't have a striker that seems good enough.
Are you ready for this................ What H said above imo sums the situation up well , she has it spot on!
Well I have not seen enough of Gilmartin to say he has never been any good, but I have seen enough of Loach to know that he will continue to cost us points and I know that the defence has zero confidence in him - you can plainly see it week in and week out. It was also clear that MM knew he was a weak link and tried to expose him but putting under heavy pressure at set pieces - and it paid off for him. If Gilmartin is not good enough and Bond too young, then we need to bring in another keeper...but SD cannot continue with such a liability.
When the transfer window opens I will put money on the fact that an experienced keeper will come in and take over from SL. This will have the effect of rejuvenating the defence and restoring their faith that our goalie is reliable. That feeling will spread to the mid-field who will create chances for the forwards that they can only dream about with the result that MS and TD will score with gay abandon. End Result: Promotion (automatic)
another match report ,supports the theory of mapps trying to duck it!http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view...-Malky-Mackay-finds-escape-on-Hornets-return?
The thing that amazes me on this subject is that SL is a tall goalie yet has no confidence when coming for crosses. I look at Speroni (a goalie I would gladly have in our team-unfortunately he's a one team man-a rareity nowadays) and see a relatively short goalie who fills his defence with confidence. Maybe Bond is too young......there's only one way to find out...my last words on the subject ...
Those who are saying about not playing Bond in the cup game, I would. He has been training with the full Welsh squad despite not having played a first team game. We're not talking about the Welsh squad as they were a couple of years ago but the one that was improving with Gary Speed at the helm. If it was against PL or Championship opposition, then I wouldn't be as keen but we are home to a L2 team that has generally done poorly away from home this season. Although if RGs loan ends on 3rd Jan and isn't extended, then he'll probably play as he didn't play for Yeovil in the Cup. I don't know if this is relevant or not, but RG is a year older than SL but look at their respective development.
Unfortunately Richard Lee was another keeper who at one time had a great career ahead of him but who moved backwards whilst at Watford - albeit with the help of a couple of injuries. Which gets me to thinking. Injuries and knocks to goalies are generally more serious than to outfield players - so they need not just confidence but also courage to go for crosses - having taken a few bad knocks in the process they may have that in the back of their minds when crosses come in. Staying on the line is safer ! I think a good goalie has to think a bit like a boxer or a rugby player. If all they're doing in training is reaction work with balls being fired at them from all directions then this obviously isn't enough.
Except, strangely enough, when high crosses came over.... Not to mention that peculiar habit he had of jumping up like a banana when trying to punch a ball away, - his feet were usually sticking out in line with his hands. Very odd.
I have said it before and will not be popular, but if SL is not moving forward then does this point at the coaching he is getting?
